Mall walking is a form of exercise in which people walk or jog through the usually long corridors of shopping malls. Many malls open early so that people may mall walk, however stores and other such facilities generally do not open at this time. Many choose to mall walk as the indoor climate is comfortable and there is easy access to restrooms.

Mall walking is undertaken individually, in groups, or as part of an organized mall walking program. Mall walking in the United States is especially popular amongst senior citizens.

Advantages to the mall owners

Many malls actively encourage mall walking with special clubs and benefits. It is seen by the mall owners as beneficial for several reasons:

• The mall walkers are present during hours when the mall would otherwise be mostly unoccupied, except for the workers preparing to open the stores, so there is no chance of crowding out "paying customers".
• Mall walkers tend to be a crowd requiring little supervision, but because the mall is preparing to open, the mall's security staff is usually already on-site.
• After walking, mall walkers may well stay on and shop the stores or patronize the mall's food court
  Food court
  A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...
  
  , increasing the traffic in the mall during what would otherwise be the very slow opening hour.
• Mall-walking programs provide good, often free, publicity for the mall owners.

External links

• "The art of mall walking", Annie Baxter, Minnesota Public Radio
  Minnesota Public Radio
  Minnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...
  
  
• Tips of mall walkers
• Stepping Out: Mall Walking and Older Adults, Alberta Centre for Active Living