How Black Friday Camping Rules Work at Major Retailers
Check mall parking bans, Friday opening times, and ticket lines before camping for Black Friday deals.
Black Friday camping means waiting overnight outside a store or mall for Friday deals. Rules come from two separate owners: the shopping center for parking areas, and the retailer for lines and entry. A mall ban can apply even when a store welcomes a line.
Deal timing also affects crowds, so confirm both the property rule and the store plan before you go.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 02, 2026.
Who controls your camping spot?
Your car and your chair follow different rules. The center controls roadways, lots, and common sidewalks. The retailer controls its doorway line, tickets, and entry order.
The Mall at Partridge Creek states in its conduct rules that its buildings, roadways and parking areas are private property. It prohibits unauthorized overnight parking or camping. Permission for one does not grant permission for the other.
A store line policy cannot override a lot ban.
- Check the center conduct rules for overnight parking language.
- Contact the specific mall or store location ahead of time.
- Have a backup plan if overnight stays are barred.
What does a mall ban cover?
Mall bans usually cover both sleeping over and leaving a car overnight. Mall of America warns in its mall rules that overnight parking is prohibited, including in the North Lot, with towing at the owner's expense. That means you can lose your spot and pay to recover your car.
Drive lanes get the same treatment. Vehicles left overnight or in drive lanes face towing. Move-in times matter too.
Arriving before the lot opens can count as overnight parking. Read posted hours and towing signs at that location.
How do store hours change the line?
Closed Thursday doors push the crowd to Friday morning. Target said in its holiday hours announcement that stores closed on Thanksgiving Day and opened at 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday, Nov.
29. Online access also lowers the need to sleep out. Target kept Target.com and app shopping available 24/7.
Shoppers chasing a common item may avoid the lot entirely. Spread-out schedules have the same effect. Best Buy notes in its holiday calendar that Doorbusters spread across weeks beginning Oct.
30, with Early Black Friday deals Nov. 6 and extended Black Friday doorbusters from Nov. 19.
One-night camping pays less when deals run for weeks.
How do ticket lines work for limited stock?
Ticket lines reward arrival order without holding a place at the door all night. BYU Daily Universe described an Orem Best Buy where staff gave tickets to people waiting in line. The longest-waiting shoppers gained first rights to limited big-ticket items.
Stock was tight by design. About 20-30 units were stocked per item. Shoppers then used department-specific entry lines, not one general door rush.
A ticket controls store purchase order, not lot permission. You still need a lawful place to wait until tickets are issued. Ask that store how it will sequence entry for that event.