• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechThe Mobile Executive

This App Can Help You Beat Black Friday Traffic

By
John Patrick Pullen
John Patrick Pullen
and
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Patrick Pullen
John Patrick Pullen
and
TIME
TIME
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 21, 2016, 11:08 AM ET
Law Enforcement Officials Unhappy With WAZE GPS Appp
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 27: Screen view of the WAZE traffic gps app on an iphone on January 27, 2015. The application gives users real time traffic gps service, the ability to crowd-source report on road hazards, standstill traffic, police activity and photo traffic cameras. (Photo by Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty Images)Photograph by Linda Davidson — The Washington Post/Getty Images

When it comes to collecting and analyzing traffic data, Google is king of the road. With Google Maps installed by default on all Android smartphones and many iPhones, the company is able to pluck tons of traffic information from its users as they zip around. The company also owns Waze, another popular free navigation app. Waze not only shares traffic hotspots with Google, but also with fellow users.

Last year, analyzing the data generated by these two apps gave drivers a solid game plan for dodging Thanksgiving traffic. Highlights of this research included the best time to get behind the wheel (Thanksgiving morning), and the worst (the two days before turkey day).

Still, AAA says 1.8 million more Americans will hit the road this year compared to last. All of 2015’s driving tips still apply in 2016. But this year, the search giant is adding another (unofficial) U.S. holiday to its dataset: Black Friday. Crunching the numbers across retail-related searches on the company’s two apps reveals not only the smartest times to make your shopping run, but the best shops and restaurants to avoid if you want to escape the crowds.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

What’s the intel? Timing is everything, of course. During last year’s Black Friday, Waze saw more people on the roads from midnight to 2 p.m. compared to average November days. That means that if your game plan is to get out after lunch Friday to cross items off your gift lists, you might find the shelves empty.

Strategically mapping out a shopping route may help. Waze also listed the top stores sought out on Black Friday, and while the results may not surprise you, they might encourage you to rethink your route. For instance, Walmart (WMT) is the top navigation destination for the first day of the holiday shopping season. For clothing stores, cost-conscious chains like Old Navy (GPS) and T.J. Maxx pack ’em in. Department stores are also popular destinations — be sure to lump Costco (COST) in with the Kohl’s (KSS) and Macy’s (M) locations as the busiest spots.

For more, read: Here Are the Best Deals in Tech This Black Friday

Another insight Waze uncovered: Don’t be fooled by the legend of the leftover sandwich. As appetizing as turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce piled high in a roll may sound, it’s not enough to pull shoppers off the streets. At noontime, more road warriors than usual hit restaurants, with fast food joints like McDonald’s (MDNDF), Panera Bread (PNRA), and Chipotle (CMG) drawing the lines.

If all that gridlock has convinced you to steer clear of consumerism and to spend time with family instead, Google (GOOGL) offers one more bit of advice: Don’t go hunting for a Christmas tree. Sure, Black Friday tree hunting will assure you the pick of the patch, but more than outlet mall, electronics store, furniture store, and appliance store, “Christmas tree farm” is the top search term on Google Maps that day. But not all hope is lost, because no one ever asks Google to find their remote control, recliner, and copy of It’s a Wonderful Life.

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

About the Authors
By John Patrick Pullen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By TIME
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Crypto
Kalshi locks in $22 billion valuation, gaining slight edge over its rival Polymarket
By March 20, 2026
6 minutes ago
Big TechEntrepreneurs
Mark Cuban reads 1,000 emails a day—now he’s using a Mac Mini to fight the AI-generated flood threatening his clean inbox obsession
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMarch 20, 2026
1 hour ago
Stressed out job seeker on laptop
Successjob hunting
Job seekers aren’t imagining things: the number of candidates ghosted by employers just reached a three-year high thanks to AI
By Emma BurleighMarch 20, 2026
5 hours ago
SuccessCareers
AI boom is fueling demand for skilled trades—and demand for technicians, HVAC workers, and electricians is soaring, with six-figure salaries to match
By Preston ForeMarch 20, 2026
5 hours ago
LawX
Three Tennessee teenagers are suing Elon Musk’s xAI for creating sexually explicit images of them
By The Associated Press and Travis LollerMarch 20, 2026
6 hours ago
Trump standing waving hi at a crowd
AIDonald Trump
The White House has a plan for AI regulation, and it starts with keeping states out of it
By The Associated Press and Seung Min KimMarch 20, 2026
8 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.