Thanksgiving Week Digital Demand: What C-Stores Can Expect This Week

Thanksgiving week consistently ranks among the strongest periods for digital ordering in convenience retail. To help stores navigate the surge, Lula Commerce analyzed four years of Thanksgiving-week data across thousands of digital transactions. The patterns are consistent and highly actionable for any retailer looking to increase revenue and reduce cancellations during this high-traffic period. Stores can expect a 15 to 25 percent increase in digital sales compared to a normal week, with clear trends in what customers buy and when they buy it.

Digital demand peaks on the Tuesday and Wednesday leading up to Thanksgiving. These two days represent the highest volume of online orders, driven by last-minute stocking up for gatherings, travel, and social events. Thanksgiving Day itself maintains moderate digital activity, primarily for snacks, mixers, and forgotten essentials. Demand tapers off on Friday as shoppers shift their attention to other holiday activities.

Across the entire week, the busiest digital ordering windows occur between 4 and 7 PM and again between 11 AM and 2 PM. Ensuring smooth operations during these periods plays a key role in reducing delays and cancellations.

What Customers Are Buying This Week

Five major categories consistently account for more than 85 percent of Thanksgiving-week digital sales on Lula Commerce.

1. Beer and hard seltzers remain the largest category, driven by strong demand for multi-packs as customers prepare for gatherings.
2. Ready-to-drink cocktails also see significant growth during Thanksgiving week, with high-ABV single cans and cocktail mixes performing exceptionally well.
3. Party-size snacks, including leading brands like Takis, Cheetos, and Doritos, appear frequently in digital baskets as shoppers stock up for group settings.
4. Non-alcohol beverages, especially sodas and energy drinks, trend upward due to their role as mixers or convenience add-ons.
5. Affordable wine rounds out the top categories, consistently performing better than premium options during this period.

Bundling and Cross-Selling Opportunities

Thanksgiving shopping is highly basket-driven, and digital menus have a significant influence on cross-category purchasing. Customers who begin with beer or ready-to-drink cocktails frequently add party-size snacks, soda mixers, or energy drinks. Soda purchasers often add snacks or heat-and-eat meals. Wine buyers gravitate toward premium snacks and sweet items. Highlighting these high-affinity products on digital menus helps increase average order value without requiring additional labor in-store.

Inventory Priorities for Thanksgiving Week

Inventory availability remains the most important operational factor throughout Thanksgiving week. Lula Commerce data shows that ready-to-drink cocktails, variety-pack hard seltzers, Modelo multi-packs, top snack SKUs like Takis, energy drinks such as Red Bull, Dr Pepper across singles and 12-packs, and Coors Light in all pack sizes are the categories most likely to trigger cancellations when out of stock.

Recommended emphasis compared to normal operating weeks

• Alcohol multi-packs: 3 to 4 times normal volume
• Party-size snacks: 2 to 3 times
• Soda 12-packs: 2 times
• Energy drinks: 1.5 times
• Wine: 2 times

Even brief, daily checks of high-movement categories can significantly reduce cancellations.

What Stores Can Expect

Retailers who focus on digital readiness during Thanksgiving week consistently see meaningful performance improvements. Stores typically experience 15 to 25 percent higher digital sales, fewer cancellations driven by stockouts, and larger basket sizes. Digital customers also respond well to stores that maintain strong uptime and availability, resulting in higher satisfaction and repeat ordering. With demand rising steadily into December, a strong Thanksgiving week often sets the tone for a successful holiday season.