Easter opening hours at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Lidl and more - plus food delivery options over Easter 2020

easter opening times and supermarket food delivery
(Image credit: Sainsbury's)

Easter opening times for the majority of supermarkets will change slightly over the Easter bank holiday - and there are food delivery implications too. 

Many supermarkets have already adjusted their opening hours following the coronavirus outbreak, but the long Easter weekend brings with it new changes that may affect your shopping or food delivery plans.

Almost all the major supermarkets are closed on Easter Sunday itself, so you won't be able to stock up on essentials that day. You'll find full Easter opening hours at Tesco, Aldi and more for the wider holiday period below. 

If you need to order food online and are trying to book a food delivery slot, we've listed the services that are still running below too. Bear in mind that grocery delivery slots remain hard to come by - the advice is to visit supermarkets in person if you can - but if you're elderly or vulnerable, you'll find some tips on how to book a food delivery slot further down the page. 

Supermarket opening hours over Easter 2020

Easter opening hours for different supermarkets will vary across the country - and will differ depending on the size of the store too - so make sure you use the storefinder links below to double-check the opening hours of your local shop. 

Here's an overview of what we know so far about the Easter opening hours of most larger supermarkets - and you'll find more details below.

It isn't possible to book a grocery delivery slot at any supermarket in time for Easter now. However, many supermarkets are releasing food delivery slots throughout the day for elderly or vulnerable customers, so if you need to order food online it's a good idea to register with the government's database of vulnerable people, and to keep checking the links below.

There are also a number of food delivery services that are still running right now, despite increased demand....

Grocery delivery

Recipe box and meal delivery

Pizza delivery

Takeaway delivery

Alcohol delivery

Supermarket Easter opening hours

Tesco: Easter opening hours and food delivery

food delivery: tesco

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Tesco Easter opening hours

Tesco will be open on Friday, Saturday and Monday, but its stores will be shut on Easter Sunday, apart from in Scotland. 

Good Friday: 8am to 8pm (Tesco Extra, Metro and Superstores)
Easter Saturday: 6am to 10pm (Extra, Metro and Superstores)
Easter Sunday: Closed, apart from Scotland
Easter Monday: 8am to 6pm (Extra, Metro and Superstores)

Next home delivery slot: none currently available - but new slots are added throughout the day (last updated 09/04/20)

Update (07/04/20): Tesco has expanded its food delivery and click-and-collect capacity to around 780,000 delivery slots. Our research has found a few Tesco home delivery slots popping up occasionally, but we're not currently seeing any in the areas we're testing. Hopefully this changes as Tesco expands its capacity. 

Tesco CEO Dave Lewis reached out to customers in a message two weeks ago: "We know that it's difficult right now to get a delivery slot for online shopping. We are at full capacity for the next few weeks and we ask those who are able to safely come to stores to do so, instead of shopping online, so that we can start to free up more slots for the more vulnerable."

Tesco has a decent selection of food items online, but getting hold of them at the moment can be tricky. Most brands are in stock, but eggs, hand soap and pasta are the exception, with some items sold out. 

According to Tesco, new food delivery slots are offered up as and when they're available each day.

How to sign up for an account 

Enter a valid email address and password, and confirm whether you have a Clubcard or not. You’ll receive one automatically upon registering if you don't. Fill in your personal details, including your phone number and UK Postcode. You can then select if you’d like to receive offers and vouchers from Tesco or not. 

Benefits and perks

Online shoppers can collect Clubcard points and Tesco has begun price matching Aldi on both its own-brand and branded products. A Delivery Saver pass is also available for regular customers, and comes with the added benefit of priority delivery slots during the busy Christmas and Easter periods. 

Coronavirus measures and policies

Customers who shop online are encouraged to shop in-store where possible to help free up delivery slots for the elderly customers and those who are self-isolating. 

Due to increased demand, Tesco isn’t accepting any new Delivery Saver customers right now either. A restriction of only three items per customer on every product line is in place, and multi-buy promotions have also been removed.

An 80 items limit is now in place for all online orders. 

Sainsbury's: Easter opening hours and food delivery

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sainbury's Easter opening hours

Sainsbury's will be open on Friday, Saturday and Monday, but most of its stores will be shut on Easter Sunday. To check whether your local store is open, use the Sainsbury's store locator page.

Good Friday: 8am to 8pm
Easter Saturday: 8am to 8pm
Easter Sunday: Closed, but some stores remain open
Easter Monday: 8am to 8pm 

Next delivery slot: some slots are showing for April 14 - but new slots are added throughout the day (last updated 09/04/20)

Unless you’re already registered as a Sainsbury’s online customer, Sainsbury’s has paused all new online registrations. 

Update (04/04/20): Sainsbury's will have almost doubled the amount of food delivery and click-and-collect slots on offer by Easter next week. The elderly and vulnerable are being prioritised, and we have seen an occasional free food delivery slots during our research, although currently there are none available in the areas we're testing. 

In a message to customers, Sainsbury's Chief Executive Mike Coupe has provided more insight into how the company is delivering to the elderly or vulnerable: "Many of you have written to me to tell me you are elderly or vulnerable and are struggling to book online delivery slots. We are doing our absolute best to offer online delivery slots to elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. These customers have priority over all slots."

Sainsbury's revealed that their customer Careline has had "one year's worth of contacts in two weeks". Mike Coupe went on to add, "I apologise to our regular online customers, who I know are feeling very frustrated at not being able to book slots. Please bear with us and I hope you can understand why we feel the need to prioritise elderly and vulnerable customers at the moment."

How to sign up for an account

Due to the huge increase in online orders, new registrations have been paused for the time being. To sign up for a Sainsbury’s online account, enter your email address and fill in your details on the following page. Once you’ve finished, you can start shopping. 

Benefits and perks

You can collect and spend Nectar Points with each online food shop. A Delivery Pass is also available, which can help you save up to £156 per year.

Coronavirus measures and policies

Elderly customers and those deemed as vulnerable will be offered priority delivery slots.

Asda: Easter opening times and food delivery

(Image credit: Asda)

Asda Easter opening hours

Asda will be open on Friday, Saturday and Monday, but its stores will be shut on Easter Sunday.

Good Friday: 8am to 8pm
Easter Saturday: 8am to 8pm
Easter Sunday: Closed
Easter Monday: 8am to 8pm

Next delivery slot: none currently available (last updated 09/04/20)

Update (07/04/20): Asda is increasing its online capacity in the coming weeks, adding an extra 300,000 home delivery slots to its website, meaning a total of 700,000 slots will be released each week. Despite this, we still haven't found any home delivery or click & collect slots.

In an email to customers, Asda CEO Roger Burnley has shared some information regarding how the company is working to deliver online shopping: "We're providing our drivers with hand sanitiser and gloves, and making as many online shopping slots available as we can. We're encouraging those that are able to safely shop in person to do so - this allows us to deliver to the highly vunerable."

Roger Burnely went on to add "If you are self-isolating or have additional needs, please advise us in the 'other information' section when placing your order."

How to sign up for an account

Registering is quick and easy with Asda (it says as much on its website), simply enter your email, a password and then enter your delivery postcode and you’re good to go. You can choose whether to receive exclusive offers and the latest info from Asda too if you’d like. 

Benefits and perks

Competitively priced and with a Delivery Pass available, Asda online shoppers can save up to £80 and £100 by choosing a 6-month or 12-month pass. Offers are clearly highlighted on the Asda website, so you’re never likely to miss a cracking deal. 

Coronavirus measures and policies

Customers are limited to a three item maximum on all food, toiletries and cleaning products when ordering online.

When placing an online delivery order, anyone who is self-isolating is advised to fill in the ‘Other information’ section to advise where their order should be left, i.e. on the doorstep.

If you're self-isolating, Asda has introduced a Volunteer Shopping Card. You can top it up with the amount of money you'd like to spend, and send it to your volunteer of choice who can then do your shop for you.  

Ocado

Ocado

(Image credit: Ocado)

Next delivery slot: next-day delivery slots currently available for priority and non-priority customers (last updated 09/04/20)

Update (09/04/20): Ocado customers without priority access will be delighted to hear that from 18:00 today (April 9), 1,000 slots will be released on Friday, 5,000 slots will be released on Saturday, and 12,000 slots will be released on Sunday. However, you should check that a delivery slot is available before filling up your basket.

Customers without priority access area advised to check back at 18:00 today to see if there are any remaining next-day slots in your area. 

The online supermarket has seemingly ditched its queuing system in favour of a daily update that states whether or not delivery slots are available. 

Ocado has also brought order cut-off times forward, so customers are encouraged to complete their order in one session to avoid disappointment later. In an email to existing customers on 25 March, Ocado Retail CEO Melanie Smith has said that "no matter how hard we work, we will not have enough capacity to serve the unprecedented levels of demand".

She went on to say that "new delivery slots will be released every day for the coming week, as and when we have capacity". 

It's currently unclear whether Ocado is allowing new customers. If you do not have a delivery booked already, Ocado's website notes that there is "limited availability over the next few days".

How to sign up for an account

You can sign up to Ocado using a Facebook and PayPal account, or simply fill in your details such as your email address and postcode to register.Tick the box if you’d like to opt out of Ocado’s offers, vouchers and gifts before you hit ‘Register’.

Benefits and perks 

New customers can enjoy three months free delivery with Smart Pass, and Ocado also offers one-hour delivery windows. 

Coronavirus measures and policies

Ocado had to temporarily suspend its service due to high demand, but is now its back online. Customers can only book one delivery slot every seven days to free up more slots for other customers.

Some products are limited to one or two per order, and a small number of bulky items have been removed from sale to make more room in each delivery van. The company has shared how stockpiling has affected its service during the coronavirus outbreak.

Anytime Smart Pass members who joined before 2020 will be placed in a temporary priority queue so they can book a delivery slot each week. Ocado will send an email and text message between the hours of 09:00 and 17:00 to give members access to the queue. 

Morrisons: Easter opening times and food delivery

Morrisons delivery

(Image credit: Morrisons)

Morrisons Easter opening hours

Morrisons will be open on Friday, Saturday and Monday, but its stores will be shut on Easter Sunday.

Good Friday: 8am to 8pm
Easter Saturday: 8am to 8pm
Easter Sunday: Closed
Easter Monday: 8am to 8pm 

Next delivery slot: none currently available (last updated 09/04/20)

Update 07/04/20: No new delivery slots are available today according to the Morrisons website. Morrisons has implemented a queuing system, which is for customers who wish to edit an order already placed and with a delivery date outside 72 hours. 

How to sign up for an account

To sign up for a Morrisons online account, firstly enter your postcode to check if Morrisons deliver in your area. Once you’re given the all clear, enter your details and a password to register. You can also receive tailored offers, coupons and communications from Morrisons.

Benefits and perks

You can use a Facebook account to sign in, and Morrisons Quick Shop fills your trolley with the top things you might be wanting to buy with a single click. A Delivery Pass is also available with regular choices for those looking to do their weekly shop online. 

Coronavirus measures and policies 

Orders must be finalised 48 hours before delivery. Morrisons are working on introducing a number of measures to help reduce the amount of substitutes and missing items that some customers are encountering with their online food shops:

Morrisons' £35 food box delivery

Two weeks ago Morrisons launched a food box delivery service that aimed to supply customers who can't get to the shops with essential items. "A Morrisons Food Box could be a real help if you can’t currently get to a store to stock up on essentials," says the site. "We will deliver a box of selected food and household items straight to your door.

Unfortunately, Morrisons' food box delivery service doesn't currently have any available delivery slots. The company says it is "doing everything we can to increase capacity" - and we'll let you know as soon as we find any new delivery slots.

Waitrose: Easter opening times and food delivery

Waitrose

(Image credit: Waitrose)

Waitrose Easter opening hours

Waitrose will be open on Friday, Saturday and Monday, but its stores will be shut on Easter Sunday, apart from in Scotland. 

Good Friday: 8am to 8pm
Easter Saturday: 8am to 8pm
Easter Sunday: Closed, apart from Scotland
Easter Monday: 9am to 6pm

Next delivery slot: none currently available - but new slots are added each day (last updated 09/04/20)

Update 07/04/20: Waitrose is prioritising the vulnerable and elderly by giving them priority access to its home delivery and Click & Collect slots, however, you can now at least check for delivery slots on the website.

Customers are advised to check back each day as new slots are added daily and to only book one slot per week. 

Waitrose is still accepting new customer registrations and you can amend or cancel existing orders. 

How to sign up for an account

Signing up to Waitrose is simple - just fill in your details, such as your address and contact number, then click ‘next’ and you can start shopping straight away.

Benefits and perks

Waitrose has a number of attractive introductory offers, including a £30 saving on your first three online grocery shops. The website also includes hundreds of recipes and lists the ingredients so you can quickly add them to your basket. 

Coronavirus measures and policies

The company has paused its online voucher codes along with any offer incentives until further notice. Some products have are restricted for a limited time, with customers only allowed to buy a maximum of two packets of toilet roll and three of any specific grocery item. 

Entertainment products are also no longer available to order online for the foreseeable future. Substitutions for online orders cannot be returned to your driver if they have been handled, and drivers will not enter homes. 

All online deliveries will be bagged as well to make them easier to collect quickly.

Meal delivery

Mindful Chef: healthy recipe boxes, frozen meals and smoothie delivery

Mindful Chef: healthy recipe boxes, frozen meals and smoothie delivery
If you can't get a grocery delivery slot, try healthy recipe box company Mindful Chef. You can choose a meal from a number of healthy recipes on the site, and they team will deliver all the fresh ingredients for you to cook at home. Alternatively, you can order from their chef-prepared frozen range. Browse Mindful Chef recipe boxes

Allplants: Save 12% on plant-based meal delivery when you subscribe

Allplants: Save 12% on plant-based meal delivery when you subscribe
Allplants delivers 100% plant-based meals that have been cooked by the team's chefs. They deliver them frozen to your door - all you have to is heat them up and you have a fresh meal in minutes. There are over 22 recipes to choose between, and if you subscribe to the service you can save 12%. Browse meals at Allplants 

Pizza delivery

Domino's: Get up to 50% off pizza + contact-free delivery

Domino's: Get up to 50% off pizza + contact-free delivery
Domino's changes its deals depending on which part of the UK you live in - however, plenty of stores around the UK are currently giving you your pizza up to half price when you spend over a certain amount. To see the latest Domino's deals in your area, just enter your postcode information and you'll see all kinds of savings available. Plus, you can get contact-less delivery if you order and pre-pay online.

Pizza Hut: 2 medium pizzas and a classic side for £20

Pizza Hut: 2 medium pizzas and a classic side for £20
You can pick up two medium pizzas and a classic side for just £20 at Pizza Hut - or you can upgrade to large for just £2 extra. There are loads of other Pizza Hut deals to take advantage of, as well - just stick your postcode in and Pizza Hut will let you what's on offer near you. As with Domino's, Pizza Hut is doing contact-less delivery too.

Alcohol delivery

The Bottle Club: 5% off alcohol when you spend £30 with code: PUBSCLOSED5
Alcohol delivery service The Bottle shop is still open - and you get a 5% discount until the end of April with our code: PUBSCLOSED. It's not valid on limited editions,  but everything else goes: wine, beer, cider, whisky and more. Offer ends: 30 April 2020

Amazon UK: Browse all wine, beer and spirits

Amazon UK: Browse all wine, beer and spirits
Amazon sells a wide range of alcohol - you can choose between wine, beer, spirits, cider, sake and more. Also, if you have Amazon Prime (you can sign up for a free Prime trial if not) you'll have access to Prime delivery, which means you should get your alcohol delivery in no time.

The Drink Shop: 20% off selected wine, beer and liquors

The Drink Shop: 20% off selected wine, beer and liquors
The Drink Shop is still open for orders right now - and the alcohol delivery service is even running a variety of offers. For example, you can get 20% off some selected alcohol this month. There's loads of lagers, ciders, wines, spirits, mixers and everything in between to browse.

Vinatis: Save up to 28% on select bottles of wine

Vinatis: Save up to 28% on select bottles of wine
Wine retailer Vinatis is offering free wine delivery on all orders over £150, and we've seen price drops of up to 28% on select bottles of wine over in a flash sale recently too. There are plenty of whites, reds, roses and sparkling wines in stock today, and you can get a £5 off voucher if you sign up for the company's newsletter.

Beer Hawk: Free delivery on beer orders over £50

Beer Hawk: Free delivery on beer orders over £50
Beer delivery service Beer Hawk is an excellent choice if you want to stock up on beer. Plus, they team is donating £1 of every beer delivery order to support hospitality workers affected by pub and bar closures brought about by the COVID-19 crisis - which is reason enough for us to browse Beer Hawk's booze.

Adam Vjestica

Adam was formerly TRG's Hardware Editor. A law graduate with an exceptional track record in content creation and online engagement, Adam has penned scintillating copy for various technology sites and also established his very own award-nominated video games website. He’s previously worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor and once played Halo 5: Guardians for over 51 hours for charity. He is now an editor at The Shortcut.