A fried chicken restaurant chain branded ‘better than Chick-fil-A’ has joined the 24-hour retail blackout - giving KFC the chance to sweep up customers.

Dozens of stores will shut on April 20 to observe Easter Sunday. Retailers that have declared they will close for the religious holiday include Target, Aldi, Costco, Khol's, Macy's, and JCPenney.

Now Raising Cane’s, which has 849 outlets across the country, has also confirmed it will shut its doors for the religious holiday. This move will allow its employees to spend some valuable time with their families. However, consumers nationwide are encouraged to verify the specific holiday hours with their local branches during this period, as opening and closing times may differ.

Raising Cane’s is set to shut for the day
Raising Cane’s is set to shut for the day (
Image:
Getty Images)

While Easter Sunday is a time for Christians to contemplate Jesus's resurrection, it also presents an opportunity for many to indulge in chocolate Easter eggs, irrespective of their faith. Even though it's not a federal public holiday, numerous retailers are opting to give their staff a well-earned break.

Conversely, some retailers like CVS, Dollar General, Whole Foods, Home Depot, Trader Joe's, and Walgreens intend to keep their doors open, possibly capitalizing on last-minute shoppers. Customers should refer to the complete list of stores closing and those remaining open for Easter Sunday at their respective locations.

List of stores expected to close for Easter Sunday (check with your local store)

  • Target
  • Costco
  • Aldi
  • Sam's Club
  • Publix
  • JCPenney
  • Kohl's
  • Macy's
  • H-E-B
  • Michaels
  • Lowe's
  • Best Buy
  • Marshalls

  • Five Below
KFC could get the chance to sweep up customers (
Image:
Getty Images)

List of stores expected to stay open for Easter Sunday (check with your local store)

  • CVS
  • Dollar General
  • Whole Foods
  • Home Depot
  • Kroger
  • Trader Joe's
  • Walgreens
  • Walmart
  • Dollar Tree

The decision to remain open or shut down is being made in the face of ongoing difficulties for physical stores, with some experts predicting a "retail apocalypse" in the US.

Coresight Research has forecasted a grim future for brick-and-mortar stores, predicting an astonishing 15,000 closures by 2025—almost twice last year's figure. On the other hand, new store openings are anticipated to slightly decrease, with around 5,800 planned.

Scott Y. Stuart, CEO of the nonprofit Turnaround Management Association (TMA), discussed the hurdles traditional storefront businesses are facing as they strive to adapt following the pandemic-induced shift to online shopping. He noted: "Retail has always been an area of high volatility where reorganizations, and restructurings are quite common."

Stuart further explained that the current environment is particularly challenging due to a mix of factors. "While that changes during different cycles, this one being a post pandemic cycle where the convalescence of a host of factors, including online market place, work from home affecting urban center traffic, commercial real estate costs, and normal pressures effacing consumer spending, and changes in consumer habits, are all at play right now."

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