Purpose: To determine what motivates people to shop at night-time. Methodology: A non-probability purposive sampling methodology was utilised to collect survey responses from 404 night-time grocery shoppers in Johannesburg, South Africa. The results were segmented based on Living Standard Measure (LSM) profiles, shopping pattern variables and shopping motivation variables. Findings: The night-time shopper can be classified as functional, with efficiency and value-seeking behaviour forming part of the utilitarian shopping motives driving his/her behaviour. Practical implications: Specific marketing or retail strategies which seek to target the night-time grocery shoppers in Johannesburg can be developed. Originality: The study fills a gap in knowledge about the motivation of night-time shoppers.