With Egypt shifting to winter time – setting clocks back by 60 minutes – interest has risen in current operating hours for retail shops, shopping malls, restaurants, cafés, and workshops, and whether this shift in time necessitates any changes to their business hours.
Retail establishments began observing winter operating hours starting from the last Friday of September 2026, in accordance with Article #6 of the Minister of Local Development’s Decree #456 of 2020, which regulates the opening and closing times for public commercial establishments.
- Retail Shops and Malls
Under the winter operating schedule, retail shops, shopping centers, and malls are permitted to open to the public from seven am until 10:00 pm.
The regulations allow for an additional hour of operation on Thursdays and Fridays, as well as on public holidays and official observances, to accommodate increased customer demand.
- Workshops and Craft Businesses
For workshops and craft-based businesses, the designated winter operating hours are from eight am to six pm.
These hours do not apply universally to all workshops; the regulations provide exceptions for workshops located along main roads or at gas stations, as well as for businesses that provide urgent or essential services to the public.
- Restaurants, Cafés, and Bazaars
Restaurants, cafés, and bazaars are permitted to welcome customers from five am until midnight.
During holidays and official public breaks, operating hours are extended by one hour—until one am—in accordance with the winter operating schedule for these types of establishments.
As for home delivery services, the regulations allow them to operate 24 hours a day, independent of closing times for restaurants and cafés.
- Exempted Establishments
The regulations governing the opening and closing hours of public establishments include a number of exemptions, taking into account the nature of the services provided and the daily needs of the public.
These exemptions cover grocery stores, supermarkets, and bakeries, as well as certain activities that require continuous operation throughout the night—such as fruit and vegetable shops, poultry retailers, wholesale markets, and pharmacies.
“Winter operating hours” are distinct from the “winter time” (standard time) itself.
The former refers to the specific hours during which commercial establishments and restaurants may welcome customers, whereas the latter concerns an adjustment to the official national time—setting the clock back by 60 minutes—so for instance what would have been midnight becomes 11:00 PM.
