UNITED STATES
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C. 20549

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                 SCHEDULE 13G

                   Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. )

                             RITE AID CORPORATION
                             --------------------
                               (Name of Issuer)


                    Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share
                 ---------------------------------------------
                        (Title of Class of Securities)


                                   767754104
                            ---------------------
                                (CUSIP Number)


                                 April 6, 2006
                            ---------------------
            (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
                                  is filed:

                              [ ]  Rule 13d-1(b)

                              [X]  Rule 13d-1(c)

                              [ ]  Rule 13d-1(d)

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting  person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any  subsequent  amendment  containing  information  which  would  alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise  subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but  shall be  subject  to all other  provisions  of the Act  (however,  see the
Notes).


                         Continued on following pages
                              Page 1 of 10 Pages
                             Exhibit Index: Page 9





                                 SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.: 767754104                                          Page 2 of 10 Pages

.................................................................................
1.        Names of Reporting Persons.

          I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).



          GLENVIEW CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC

.................................................................................
2.        Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

          (a) [ ]

          (b) [ ]
.................................................................................
3.        SEC Use Only
.................................................................................
4.        Citizenship or Place of Organization


          Delaware
.................................................................................
Number of           5.       Sole Voting Power                  None
Shares              ............................................................
Beneficially        6.       Shared Voting Power                28,710,996
Owned by Each       ............................................................
Reporting           7.       Sole Dispositive Power             None
Person With         ............................................................
                    8.       Shared Dispositive Power           28,710,996
.................................................................................
9.        Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

          28,710,996
.................................................................................
10.       Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares
          (See Instructions)


          [ ]
.................................................................................
11.       Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

          5.5% based on 525,429,005 shares outstanding as of December 19, 2005.
.................................................................................
12.       Type of Reporting Person:

          OO





                                 SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.: 767754104                                          Page 3 of 10 Pages

.................................................................................
1.        Names of Reporting Persons.

          I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).


          GLENVIEW CAPITAL GP, LLC

.................................................................................
2.        Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

          (a) [ ]

          (b) [ ]
.................................................................................
3.        SEC Use Only
.................................................................................
4.        Citizenship or Place of Organization

          Delaware
.................................................................................
Number of           5.       Sole Voting Power                  None
Shares              ............................................................
Beneficially        6.       Shared Voting Power                28,710,996
Owned by Each       ............................................................
Reporting           7.       Sole Dispositive Power             None
Person With         ............................................................
                    8.       Shared Dispositive Power           28,710,996
.................................................................................
9.        Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

          28,710,996
.................................................................................
10.       Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares
          (See Instructions)

          [ ]
.................................................................................
11.       Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

          5.5% based on 525,429,005 shares outstanding as of December 19, 2005.
.................................................................................
12.       Type of Reporting Person:

          OO





                                 SCHEDULE 13G

CUSIP No.: 767754104                                          Page 4 of 10 Pages

.................................................................................
1.        Names of Reporting Persons.

          I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).



          LAWRENCE M. ROBBINS

.................................................................................
2.        Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group

          (a) [ ]

          (b) [ ]
.................................................................................
3.        SEC Use Only
.................................................................................
4.        Citizenship or Place of Organization

          United States of America
.................................................................................
Number of           5.       Sole Voting Power                  None
Shares              ............................................................
Beneficially        6.       Shared Voting Power                28,710,996
Owned by Each       ............................................................
Reporting           7.       Sole Dispositive Power             None
Person With         ............................................................
                    8.       Shared Dispositive Power           28,710,996
.................................................................................
9.        Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person

          28,710,996
.................................................................................
10.       Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares
          (See Instructions)

          [ ]
.................................................................................
11.       Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)

          5.5% based on 525,429,005 shares outstanding as of December 19, 2005.
.................................................................................
12.       Type of Reporting Person:

          IA


                                                              Page 5 of 10 Pages

Item 1(a).  Name of Issuer:

            Rite Aid Corporation (the "Issuer").

Item 1(b).  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

            30 Hunter Lane, Camp Hill, PA 17011.

Item 2(a).  Name of Person Filing

            This  Statement is filed on behalf of each of the following  persons
(collectively, the "Reporting Persons"):

            i)  Glenview   Capital    Management,    LLC   ("Glenview    Capital
                Management");

            ii) Glenview Capital GP, LLC ("Glenview Capital GP"); and

            iii) Lawrence M. Robbins ("Mr. Robbins").

            This  Statement  relates to Shares (as defined  herein) held for the
accounts of Glenview  Capital  Partners,  L.P., a Delaware  limited  partnership
("Glenview Capital Partners"), Glenview Institutional Partners, L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership ("Glenview Institutional Partners"), Glenview Capital Master
Fund, Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company  ("Glenview Capital Master Fund"),
GCM Little Arbor Master Fund,  Ltd., a Cayman  Islands  exempted  company  ("GCM
Little Arbor Master Fund");  GCM Little Arbor  Institutional  Partners,  L.P., a
Delaware limited  partnership ("GCM Little Arbor Institutional  Partners"),  and
GCM Little Arbor Partners,  L.P., a Delaware  limited  partnership  ("GCM Little
Arbor Partners").

            Glenview Capital  Management serves as investment manager to each of
Glenview Capital Partners,  Glenview  Institutional  Partners,  Glenview Capital
Master  Fund,  GCM Little Arbor  Master  Fund,  GCM Little  Arbor  Institutional
Partners,  and GCM Little Arbor  Partners.  In such capacity,  Glenview  Capital
Management  may be deemed to have voting and  dispositive  power over the Shares
held  for  the  accounts  of  each  of  Glenview  Capital   Partners,   Glenview
Institutional  Partners,  Glenview  Capital Master Fund, GCM Little Arbor Master
Fund, GCM Little Arbor  Institutional  Partners,  and GCM Little Arbor Partners.
Glenview  Capital  GP is the  general  partner  of  Glenview  Capital  Partners,
Glenview Institutional Partners, GCM Little Arbor Institutional Partners and GCM
Little  Arbor  Partners.  Glenview  Capital GP also serves as the sponsor of the
Glenview  Capital  Master Fund and the GCM Little  Arbor  Master  Fund.  In such
capacities,  Glenview  Capital GP may be deemed to have  voting and  dispositive
power  over  the  Shares  held  for the  accounts  of each of  Glenview  Capital
Partners,  Glenview  Institutional  Partners,  Glenview Capital Master Fund, GCM
Little Arbor  Master Fund,  GCM Little  Arbor  Institutional  Partners,  and GCM
Little Arbor Partners.  Mr. Robbins is the Chief  Executive  Officer of Glenview
Capital Management and Glenview Capital GP.

Item 2(b).  Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence

            The  address of the  principal  business  office of each of Glenview
Capital  Management,  Glenview  Capital GP, and Mr.  Robbins is 399 Park Avenue,
Floor 39, New York, New York 10022.


                                                              Page 6 of 10 Pages

Item 2(c).  Citizenship

            i)  Glenview  Capital  Management  is a Delaware  limited  liability
                company;

            ii) Glenview Capital GP is a Delaware limited liability company; and

            iii) Mr. Robbins is a citizen of the United States of America.

Item 2(d).  Title of Class of Securities:

            Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share (the "Shares")

Item 2(e).  CUSIP Number:

            767754104

Item 3.     If  This  Statement  is  Filed  Pursuant  to  ss.ss.240.13d-1(b)  or
            240.13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a:

            This Item 3 is not applicable.

Item 4      Ownership:

Item 4(a)   Amount Beneficially Owned:

            As of April 13, 2006, each of Glenview Capital Management,  Glenview
Capital  GP  and  Mr.  Robbins  may be  deemed  to be the  beneficial  owner  of
28,710,996  Shares.  This amount consists of: (A) 1,389,631  Shares held for the
account of Glenview Capital Partners; (B) 16,871,253 Shares held for the account
of Glenview  Capital Master Fund;  (C) 7,847,212  Shares held for the account of
Glenview  Institutional  Partners;  (D) 2,020,893 Shares held for the account of
the GCM Little Arbor Master Fund; (E) 549,215 Shares held for the account of GCM
Little Arbor Institutional  Partners; and (F) 32,792 Shares held for the account
of GCM Little Arbor Partners.

Item 4(b)   Percent of Class:

            The number of Shares of which each of Glenview  Capital  Management,
Glenview  Capital GP and Mr.  Robbins may be deemed to be the  beneficial  owner
constitutes  approximately 5.5% of the total number of Shares outstanding (based
upon  information  provided by the Issuer in its most  recently-filed  quarterly
report on Form 10-Q,  there were 525,429,005  shares  outstanding as of December
19, 2005).

Item 4(c)   Number of Shares of which such person has:

Glenview Capital Management, Glenview Capital GP and Mr. Robbins:
-----------------------------------------------------------------

(i) Sole power to vote or direct the vote:                              0

(ii) Shared power to vote or direct the vote:                  28,710,996

(iii) Sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of:               0

(iv) Shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of:     28,710,996


                                                              Page 7 of 10 Pages

Item 5.     Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

            This Item 5 is not applicable

Item 6.     Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person:

            This Item 6 is not applicable.

Item 7.     Identification and Classification of  the  Subsidiary Which Acquired
            the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company:

            See disclosure in Item 2 hereof.

Item 8.     Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:

            This Item 8 is not applicable.

Item 9.     Notice of Dissolution of Group:

            This Item 9 is not applicable.

Item 10.    Certification:

            By signing below each of the Reporting  Persons  certifies  that, to
the best of their  knowledge and belief,  the securities  referred to above were
not  acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing
or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired
and are not  held in  connection  with or as a  participant  in any  transaction
having that purpose or effect.




                                                              Page 8 of 10 Pages


                                   SIGNATURE

            After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief,
I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

Date: April 17, 2006                       GLENVIEW CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC


                                           By: /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                               ---------------------------------
                                           Name: Lawrence M. Robbins
                                           Title: Chief Executive Officer

Date: April 17, 2006                       GLENVIEW CAPITAL GP, LLC


                                           By: /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                               ---------------------------------
                                           Name: Lawrence M. Robbins
                                           Title: Chief Executive Officer

Date: April 17, 2006                       LAWRENCE M. ROBBINS

                                           /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                           -----------------------




                                                              Page 9 of 10 Pages


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


Ex.                                                                    Page No.
---                                                                    --------

A      Joint Filing Agreement, dated  April 17,  2006 by and among
       Glenview Capital Management, LLC, Glenview Capital GP, LLC,
       and Lawrence M. Robbins.........................................    10






                                                             Page 10 of 10 Pages



                                   EXHIBIT A

                            JOINT FILING AGREEMENT

            The undersigned hereby agree that the statement on Schedule 13G with
respect to the Common Stock of Rite Aid  Corporation  dated as of April 17, 2006
is, and any amendments thereto (including  amendments on Schedule 13D) signed by
each of the undersigned  shall be, filed on behalf of each of us pursuant to and
in accordance with the provisions of Rule 13d-1(k) under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.


Date: April 17, 2006                       GLENVIEW CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC


                                           By: /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                               ---------------------------------
                                           Name: Lawrence M. Robbins
                                           Title: Chief Executive Officer

Date: April 17, 2006                       GLENVIEW CAPITAL GP, LLC


                                           By: /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                               ---------------------------------
                                           Name: Lawrence M. Robbins
                                           Title: Chief Executive Officer

Date: April 17, 2006                       LAWRENCE M. ROBBINS

                                           /s/ Lawrence M. Robbins
                                           -----------------------