Olive Garden Closing All U.S. Stores for Thanksgiving and Christmas

Olive Garden is shutting down all 900 U.S. locations on Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Planning to hit up endless breadsticks on November 27 or December 25? Make other plans.

The closure applies across the entire chain. No exceptions for the continental U.S. locations. If you wanted soup, salad, and breadsticks on turkey day, you're out of luck.

Why They're Closing

Olive Garden says the decision lets employees spend holidays with their families. This aligns with their whole "when you're here, you're family" slogan. Extending that philosophy to actual employees by giving them time off makes sense.

The move follows a growing trend among major retailers and restaurants reconsidering the practice of staying open during major holidays. Turns out people want to see their families on Thanksgiving and Christmas instead of serving yours.

Some Locations Might Be Different

Restaurants in Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and international locations may operate on different schedules. If you're planning to visit Olive Garden in these areas, call ahead to confirm they're actually open.

Also, individual locations might close early on November 26 and Christmas Eve depending on customer traffic. Management makes those calls based on how busy they are. Don't assume they're open regular hours just because it's not the actual holiday.

Call Before You Go

Olive Garden strongly recommends calling your preferred location before showing up the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas. This way you can skip driving across town for breadsticks only to find the doors locked because they closed early.

Regular hours resume the day after each holiday. November 28 for Thanksgiving, December 26 for Christmas. From there, expect standard operating hours through the rest of the season.

Everyone's Doing It

Olive Garden joins Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Costco, and Trader Joe's in closing on major holidays. This is an industry-wide shift toward prioritizing employee wellness over squeezing out every possible dollar on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

It represents a departure from retail and restaurant traditions of maximizing holiday sales opportunities. Companies are figuring out that giving employees time off during these occasions improves morale, reduces burnout, and demonstrates values that resonate with workers and customers.

It took long enough. The idea that retail and restaurant workers should sacrifice holidays with their families so other families can shop or eat out always felt backward.

Other Italian Options Exist

If you absolutely need Italian food on Thanksgiving or Christmas, other chains plan to stay open. Bravo! Italian Kitchen and Brio Italian Grill should be open Thanksgiving. Romano's Macaroni Grill and Brio Italian Grill expect to welcome guests Christmas Day. Buca di Beppo also plans Thanksgiving operations.

But call ahead anyway. Individual franchise locations make their own decisions about holiday hours based on staffing and local circumstances. Just because the chain says they're open doesn't guarantee your specific location will be.

Plan Ahead

Holiday season's approaching fast. Make reservations and confirm hours sooner rather than later to avoid last-minute scrambling.

The landscape of holiday dining keeps changing as more companies reassess policies. What was open last year might be closed this year. Advance verification matters if you're planning to dine out during Thanksgiving or Christmas.

The Bigger Picture

Olive Garden closing on major holidays signals broader cultural shift. More companies are recognizing that employees deserve time with families during important holidays.

For years, retail and restaurant workers missed holidays because businesses stayed open chasing sales. Now major chains are reversing course, acknowledging that employee wellbeing matters more than one day of revenue.

What This Means for You

If Olive Garden was your Thanksgiving or Christmas tradition, find a new one. Cook at home. Try a different restaurant. Order takeout the day before.

The company made a choice prioritizing employees over customers on two specific days. Hard to argue that's wrong, even if it's inconvenient for people who planned around Olive Garden being open.

All 900 locations closing means no loopholes, no exceptions. Well, except Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, and international locations which might have different schedules. But for mainland U.S. restaurants, it's happening.

Call your local Olive Garden if you're planning to go November 26 or Christmas Eve. They might close early.

Otherwise, mark your calendar. No Olive Garden November 27 or December 25. They'll be back November 28 and December 26 with regular hours and all the breadsticks you can handle.

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