First of the month has always been busy in areas that have high populations that rely on government assistance.
I don’t know how long the midnight shopping has been going on, but I bet it’s not that new.
The employed in my neck of the woods call the first of the month “mothers day”. Lots of those food stamp cards, SSI checks etc... hit the economy.
My parents business is located across from the cable tv company. The deadbeats won’t pay for anything else but they damn sure make their way in to pay that cable bill. It’s like a mad house the first 5 days of the month around that place. Bread and circuses...