North Carolina Restaurants That Will Be Open On Christmas
For many North Carolina families, eating out on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day is an annual tradition — the perfect occasion to get the family together, chow down on a juicy steak, sip on some heavy wine and wake up stuffed to the gills.
More and more restaurants are keeping their doors open on Christmas to rake in huge profits. In fact, Christmas and New Year’s Day saw profits increase by 40 to 50 percent compared to a typical day, according to Eater.com.
“OpenTable, the restaurant reservation service, found that in 2014 and 2015, restaurants served almost twice as many meals on Christmas Eve and more than three times as many meals on New Year’s Eve, compared to the average day,” the site reported.
But many places are only open some of the time. Others won’t open at all. Luckily, the folks over at offers.com took the time to round up a list of restaurants that will open nationwide. It is Christmas, so many restaurants will only offer a limited menu. Exact hours and closings could vary by franchise and location, so always call in advance.
Offers.com verified the hours via websites and called several locations for confirmation. Consider making a reservation and, obviously, don’t skimp on the tip. Remember — they’re working on a day when most others have off.
Without further adieu, here are the North Carolina restaurants you can go to if you’re looking to let someone else handle the cooking this year.
Restaurants Open On Christmas 2018
Boston Market: Select locations will be open Christmas Day (see participating locations) and serving a special Christmas Day menu.
Buca di Beppo: Locations open at 11 a.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, serving lunch and dinner. Be sure to make reservations.
Country Buffet: Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Day and serving a special Christmas menu.
Del Frisco’s: Restaurants will be open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Christmas Eve and from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Christmas Day.
Denny’s: The Americana staple promises to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including Christmas.
Dunkin’: Some locations will be open Christmas Day, but many will be closing early (generally 1 p.m.). Many locations will also be closing early on Christmas Eve, as well. So call your store to check the hours.
Fogo De Chao: Hours vary, but Fogo De Chao will be open Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. Some locations will be open as late as 9 p.m. The menu will be at dinner prices all day during these holidays and reservations are required.
HomeTown Buffet: Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Day and serving a special Christmas menu.
IHOP: Many 24-hour locations will be open on Christmas, but hours vary by location. Check out this year’s seasonal Grinch menu.
Macaroni Grill: Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Christmas Eve and 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Christmas Day.
McCormick & Schmick’s: Hours vary by locations, but many will be open Christmas Day. See participating locations. Reservations are recommended.
McDonald’s: Hours (and whether they’re open at all) varies widely by franchise, so call ahead. Expect hours to be reduced for locations that are open. Note that locations inside Walmarts will be closed, as Walmart is closed on Christmas.
Morton’s the Steakhouse: Reservations required for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining.
Old Country Buffet: Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Day and serving a special Christmas menu.
Panda Express: Some — but not all — Panda Express locations will be open on Christmas Day. This varies by restaurant, as many are independently owned. So call ahead.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse: Open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and serving the full menu. Reservations required.
Ryan’s: Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Christmas Eve and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Christmas Day and serving a special Christmas menu.
Shoney’s: Being open on Christmas and offering a Christmas Day feast is a Shoney’s tradition. Menu items this year include slow-roasted turkey, hand-breaded fried chicken and sweet potato casserole. You can also order food to go. All orders must be placed by Dec. 21 and picked up 2 p.m. Dec. 24.
Starbucks: Many locations stay open for limited hours on Christmas, so you can get your pre-Christmas party buzz. But not all locations will be open, so call ahead. Note that Starbucks locations inside Target will be closed, as Target is closed Christmas Day.
Village Inn: Village Inns will be open on Christmas Day, although many locations are opening later and closing earlier. Look for your location here to find out its holiday hours.
Waffle House: Known for being open 24/7 and 365 days a year, Waffle House is also open on Christmas.
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Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.
Photo credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
