Late-night shopping is a city privilege in most countries. Your best bets after hours are convenience store chains, petrol station shops, and stores clustered around train stations, airports, and nightlife districts. These charge a premium over regular supermarkets, but they cover the essentials when you land at midnight and need water, snacks, or a SIM card.
In some countries, small family-run corner shops are the true late-night heroes, staying open long after the big chains close, often in immigrant neighborhoods. It is worth learning where your nearest one is during your first week, before you actually need it at eleven at night.
Where physical shops close early, online options fill the gap. Grocery delivery apps in larger cities often run late, and quick-delivery services exist in many urban centers. Pharmacies deserve special mention: most countries have a rotating duty-pharmacy system for nights and holidays, and the schedule is usually posted on pharmacy doors or official websites. Knowing that system exists can save you real panic during a midnight fever.