A version of the following article appeared in the October 19, 2026, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with local business-y news and insights for Charlotte, N.C.
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Wegmans survival guide: tips on avoiding traffic and crowds, where to park, loyalty discounts and more
You can avoid the masses by going to the new Wegmans in Ballantyne during off-hours, The Ledger’s Brie Chrisman says. (Video by Kevin Young/The 5 and 2 Project)
Thousands of shoppers descended on the Charlotte region’s newest grocery curiosity this weekend, the Wegmans that opened Wednesday in Ballantyne.
One of the local residents among the masses was The Ledger’s operations manager, Brie Chrisman, a Syracuse, N.Y., native who fondly recalls her childhood experiences with the grocery chain. She confesses she was “ridiculously excited” when Wegmans announced it was opening its first store here.
If you’re planning to check out what the hype is all about, here are Brie’s tips for navigating the new Wegmans, following her pilgrimage on Saturday:
Park toward Community House Road. Most people seemed to be entering the parking lot and immediately turning left. Instead, turn right toward North Community House Road. There were plenty of open spots directly in front of the building.
Exit by driving around back: When leaving, follow the road around the back of the store rather than heading back toward the main entrance. There's another exit with a traffic light onto Community House Road, and I encountered virtually no line.
Try shopping during off-hours. Wegmans is open from 6 a.m. to midnight daily. Early mornings or later evenings will probably be your best bet once the opening excitement settles down. That said, an employee told me the store was already packed at 6 a.m. on Saturday, so don't count on having the place to yourself just yet.
Skip the prepared-foods area if you're easily overwhelmed. The main entrance leads straight into produce, with the bakery, hot foods, sushi, pizza and sub shop nearby. That entire section was absolutely swamped.
If you're just looking for regular groceries, use the entrance farther to the left side of the building. It'll put you closer to the traditional grocery aisles.
Or skip the crowds entirely: Wegmans is already offering grocery pickup!
Sign up for the Shoppers Club. Wegmans has its own free loyalty program with special pricing and digital coupons. You can sign up online or through the app before visiting. If you want help in the store, head to customer service before shopping so you can get those discounts for your first trip. They aren’t giving out loyalty club cards at checkout.
Don't worry too much about checkout lines. Despite the crowds, I waited maybe five minutes to check out. There were plenty of registers open, including self-checkout, and a manager was actively monitoring the lines. That's been my experience at other Wegmans stores, too.
Bring reusable bags. Wegmans doesn't offer plastic shopping bags. Paper bags cost 5 cents each, or you can purchase reusable bags at the store. I recommend keeping a few in your car. (Good news: all proceeds from paper bag sales go to local food banks and United Way chapters.)
Go hungry, especially if you like samples. Around noon on Saturday, samples started appearing throughout the store. We tried everything from Honeycrisp apples and freshly baked sourdough with whipped butter to pasta and pizza. There were even wine and mimosa samples.