The best time to grocery shop during coronavirus is critical info if you want to avoid long lines entering the store.

But when exactly are grocery stores the least busy? What is a good time for customers to go to a store so that they can maximize their ability to practice social distancing and get everything they need?

The short answer is that most stores aren’t sure themselves when the best time to visit them is, and each store has a different answer. But they do have predictions based on patterns they have seen in the past few weeks.

According to a Loblaws spokesperson, evening hours at their stores are less crowded.

“This can vary by location and we kindly recommend that customers check their local store’s listing on Google Maps to get a sense of the quieter times on any given day,” the spokesperson advised.

At Pusateri’s Fine Foods the answer is a bit different. A spokesperson there says they tend to be quieter before 11 a.m. and after 6 p.m., with Thursday being their busiest day overall, while weekends tend to have lower traffic. The rest of the week apparently sees an even dispersion of shoppers.

“This is quite the departure from our usual traffic patterns,” the Pusateri's spokesperson notes. “We also recommend shopping at our stores located at Bayview Village and Sherway Gardens which have smaller foot traffic at this time.”

FreshCo, meanwhile, has observed their lowest traffic during evenings from Monday to Wednesday, and on Sundays.

All stores are continually urging customers to do their part by reminding them to maintain their social distance while inside.

Most grocery stores are also managing traffic inside by having shoppers form metered lines outside.

Loblaws has implemented distancing measures within the store, too. They have created one-way aisles at some locations, installed Plexiglass barriers at cash registers, and have placed decals on the ground to help customers distance while lining up to pay.

Pusateri’s has set up sanitizing stations throughout the store, along with placing directional arrows to control the flow of foot traffic.