Where you can dine-in on Thanksgiving Day without reservations in Charlotte
Maybe your Thanksgiving plans fell through last minute. Or your turkey met its end in an untimely kitchen accident. Or perhaps you just didn’t get in gear to arrange holiday plans in advance. Things happen — but that doesn’t mean you don’t have options for eating a good meal in the Charlotte area.
You can check whether any last-minute reservations have become available. But we’ve also rounded up some options for restaurants that will be open on Thanksgiving Day, with no reservations required.
Here’s where you can eat on the holiday:
Angry Ale’s
Location: 1518 Montford Dr, Charlotte, NC 28209
Looking from a break from the traditional Thanksgiving menu? Angry Ale’s will be open, serving up its usual offerings of burgers, tacos, wings and more. Another option is an open-face Thanksgiving sandwich with roasted turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce for $12. Look out for drink specials including a $6 Wild Turkey drink and Apple Pie Shots., too.
Holiday hours: 5 p.m.-2 a.m.
Prices: Varies, as items are a la carte.
Cracker Barrel
Location: Multiple, including Charlotte, Concord, Fort Mill, Gastonia, Kannapolis, Matthews, Mooresville and Rock Hill
Cracker Barrel will be open regular hours on Thanksgiving, serving up its full menu of all-day breakfast and Southern favorites. New holiday menu items will be available, as well, including country fried turkey, broccoli cheese casserole and cinnamon roll pie.
Price: A la carte
Hours: Vary by location, but most are open until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.
Eat, Gay, Love 2023
Location: Billy Sunday at Optimist Hall, 1115 N Brevard St UNIT 1, Charlotte, NC 28206
Queen City Nerve and Billy Sunday are partnering to host a free Thanksgiving dinner for anyone in search of community. Curbside pickup is also available for anyone who does not feel comfortable being inside the space for dinner. Leftovers will go to Block Love CLT, which feeds people experiencing homelessness.
Price: Free, although donations of time, food and supplies are requested. An online RSVP is requested if possible, but is not required.
Hours: 2-5 p.m.
Golden Corral
Location: 7701 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28262
Location: 1540 Us Highway 29 North, Concord, NC 28025
Location: 2300 E. Franklin Blvd., Gastonia, NC 28054
Location: 11025 E. Independence Blvd., Matthews, NC 28105
Location: 2507 West Roosevelt Blvd., Monroe, NC 28110
Location: 120 Gallery Center Drive, Mooresville, NC 28117
Location: 2370 Cherry Rd., Rock Hill, SC 29732
Raleigh-based Golden Corral is offering its holiday buffet with seasonal specials alongside traditional home-style comfort foods.
Items may vary by location, but the holiday lineup will likely include:
Carved roasted turkey, glazed ham and beef roast
Chicken pot pie, King Ranch chicken
Mashed potatoes, gravy and stuffing
Cranberry sauce and cinnamon apples
Sweet potato casserole
Yeast rolls
Pecan pie and pumpkin pie.
Price: Lunch is $12.22 and dinner is $15.99, but may vary by location.
Hours: 10-8 p.m., but may vary by location.
Metro Diner
Location: 8334 Pineville-Matthews Rd Suite 110, Charlotte, NC 28226
Location: 14211 Reese Boulevard, Huntersville, NC 28078
Location: 10412 E Independence Blvd #400, Matthews, NC 28105
Metro Diner locations are open for breakfast and Thanksgiving lunch service,
Holiday hours: 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Prices: Vary, as items are a la carte.
Red Rocks Cafe
Location: 8712 Lindholm Drive, Huntersville, NC 28078
Location: 4223 Providence Rd #8, Charlotte, NC 28211
Red Rocks Cafe’s Thanksgiving prix fixe meal includes three courses. Your choices will include:
First course: Deviled eggs with cranberry sauce, chopped salad or she crab soup.
Second course: Traditional Thanksgiving dinner with turkey and spiral ham, prime rib or lemon dill salmon.
Third course: Pumpkin cream cheesecake, chocolate layer cake or coconut cream cake.
Price: $45 per person, including soft drinks or lemonade
Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
Waffle House
Locations: Multiple, including Charlotte, Concord, Dallas, Fort Mill, Gastonia, Huntersville, Mooresville
While there’s no white tablecloth service at Waffle House, the restaurant is open 24-7, 365 days a year. That means you can roll in to enjoy a big stack of pancakes and covered, smothered and scattered hashbrowns whenever you want — even on Thanksgiving.
Price: Varies, as items are a la carte.
Hours: Always open
