Harris Teeter stores nationwide will be reducing their store hours until further notice, citing the shortage of labor caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The change was first reported by @Grocerying, a Twitter account that follows the grocery store and fast food industry in the Carolinas and Virginia.
Hearing that all @HarrisTeeter stores will be closing at 9:00 PM starting 9/16 due to staff shortages. Even @Publix is still open until 10:00, and most @Kroger stores until midnight. @CLTdevelopment @tonetoatlanta
— Grocerying (@Grocerying) September 10, 2021
Starting Wednesday, Sept. 15, all Harris Teeter’s will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Stores on the Outer Banks have previously been open 24 hours, or until at least 10 or 11 p.m.
Deli and fresh food market service counters will close at 8 a.m., with all amenities such as sushi, sandwiches and pizza service ending at 7 p.m. The meat and seafood counter will also close at 8 p.m.
“We thank our shoppers and community members for continuing to show care, gratitude and kindness to our hard-working, valued associates as well as your fellow shoppers,” the company based in Matthews said in a post on its website.
Harris Teeter said they will continue to offer exclusive shopping hours for those age 60 and over every Monday and Thursday morning from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.
They have also designated ExpressLane Online Shopping pick-up times from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for seniors only every Thursday and will waive the $4.95 fee & offer $5 delivery for seniors during these times.
Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, Harris Teeter offered employees bonuses, temporary $2 hourly pay increases and hired more than 5,000 workers, the Charlotte Observer previously reported.
Harris Teeter, a Kroger Co. subsidiary, has about 35,000 workers in more than 250 stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware, Florida and the District of Columbia.