Thursday, November 26, 2026
Restaurants open on Thanksgiving 2026
On Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26, 2026, 7 of the 40 restaurant chains we checked are open (some with shorter hours): Cracker Barrel, Denny's, Waffle House, Whataburger, Golden Corral and 2 more. 21 are open at some locations, including IHOP, Applebee's, Buffalo Wild Wings, The Cheesecake Factory and McDonald's. 12 are closed, including Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse, Outback Steakhouse, Chili's and Red Robin.
No chain here has announced its 2026 Thanksgiving hours yet, so these follow what each did in past years. We update the page as they announce.
Open (4)
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel stores open regular hours on Thanksgiving, as they did in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and serve a tra…OpenDenny's
Denny's restaurants were open nationwide on Thanksgiving 2025, a spokesperson told Fox Business; check your l…OpenWaffle House
Waffle House restaurants are open every day of the year, Thanksgiving included, as in 2025; check your locati…OpenWhataburger
Whataburger restaurants stay open on Thanksgiving, as they did in 2023 and 2025; Whataburger says its restaur…Open
Cracker Barrel stores open regular hours on Thanksgiving, as they did in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and serve a tra…OpenDenny's
Denny's restaurants were open nationwide on Thanksgiving 2025, a spokesperson told Fox Business; check your l…OpenWaffle House
Waffle House restaurants are open every day of the year, Thanksgiving included, as in 2025; check your locati…OpenWhataburger
Whataburger restaurants stay open on Thanksgiving, as they did in 2023 and 2025; Whataburger says its restaur…Open
Open with shorter hours (3)
Golden Corral
Golden Corral said all its restaurants would be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving in 2024 and 2025, with…LimitedBob Evans
Bob Evans said all its restaurants would open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving in both 2024 and 2025, serving…LimitedKrispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme shops open on Thanksgiving but close early, at 2 p.m. local time, as they did in 2023, 2024 and…Limited
Golden Corral said all its restaurants would be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving in 2024 and 2025, with…LimitedBob Evans
Bob Evans said all its restaurants would open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving in both 2024 and 2025, serving…LimitedKrispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme shops open on Thanksgiving but close early, at 2 p.m. local time, as they did in 2023, 2024 and…Limited
Depends on the location (21)
IHOP
IHOP restaurants open on Thanksgiving, but hours vary by location, as in 2024 and 2025, so check with your lo…VariesApplebee's
Only select Applebee's restaurants open on Thanksgiving, and hours may be reduced, as in 2024 and 2025, so ch…VariesBuffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants were open on Thanksgiving in 2023 and 2024, but hours vary by location, so che…VariesThe Cheesecake Factory
Most Cheesecake Factory restaurants close on Thanksgiving so staff can spend the holiday with their families,…VariesMcDonald's
McDonald's says most of its restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, but hours vary by location, so check the Mc…VariesBurger King
Burger King says its restaurants are open on Thanksgiving but holiday hours vary by location, so check the BK…VariesWendy's
Wendy's says many of its restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, but each locally operated restaurant can chang…VariesTaco Bell
Taco Bell's holiday FAQ lists Thanksgiving as one of only two days its restaurants close (the other is Christ…VariesPanera Bread
Panera says its hours on Thanksgiving may vary by location, but its bakery-cafes have generally closed for th…VariesSubway
Most Subway restaurants close on Thanksgiving, though some open with reduced hours, a Subway spokesperson tol…VariesPizza Hut
Each Pizza Hut store decides whether to open on Thanksgiving and sets its own hours, Pizza Hut's customer ser…VariesPopeyes
Many Popeyes restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, but hours vary by location, so check the Popeyes app.VariesKFC
KFC says Thanksgiving hours vary by location across the U.S., so check your restaurant's hours before you go.VariesSonic
Sonic's parent company, Inspire Brands, says holiday schedules vary by location, so check your drive-in's Tha…VariesArby's
Most Arby's restaurants were open on Thanksgiving 2025, FOX Television Stations reported, and Arby's parent c…VariesJack in the Box
Many Jack in the Box restaurants were open on Thanksgiving 2025, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported, but hours vary…VariesLittle Caesars
Fox Business listed Little Caesars as open on Thanksgiving 2023 without citing the company, and Mashed report…VariesPapa Johns
Papa Johns restaurants are typically open on Thanksgiving, though it may vary by location, FOX Television Sta…VariesJimmy John's
Most Jimmy John's shops were open on Thanksgiving 2025, FOX Television Stations reported, but hours vary by s…VariesStarbucks
Starbucks says most of its coffeehouses are open on Thanksgiving, often with reduced hours; check the Starbuc…VariesDunkin'
Dunkin' says many of its locations are open on Thanksgiving, but hours vary, so check the Dunkin' app before…Varies
IHOP restaurants open on Thanksgiving, but hours vary by location, as in 2024 and 2025, so check with your lo…VariesApplebee's
Only select Applebee's restaurants open on Thanksgiving, and hours may be reduced, as in 2024 and 2025, so ch…VariesBuffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants were open on Thanksgiving in 2023 and 2024, but hours vary by location, so che…VariesThe Cheesecake Factory
Most Cheesecake Factory restaurants close on Thanksgiving so staff can spend the holiday with their families,…VariesMcDonald's
McDonald's says most of its restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, but hours vary by location, so check the Mc…VariesBurger King
Burger King says its restaurants are open on Thanksgiving but holiday hours vary by location, so check the BK…VariesWendy's
Wendy's says many of its restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, but each locally operated restaurant can chang…VariesTaco Bell
Taco Bell's holiday FAQ lists Thanksgiving as one of only two days its restaurants close (the other is Christ…VariesPanera Bread
Panera says its hours on Thanksgiving may vary by location, but its bakery-cafes have generally closed for th…VariesSubway
Most Subway restaurants close on Thanksgiving, though some open with reduced hours, a Subway spokesperson tol…VariesPizza Hut
Each Pizza Hut store decides whether to open on Thanksgiving and sets its own hours, Pizza Hut's customer ser…VariesPopeyes
Many Popeyes restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, but hours vary by location, so check the Popeyes app.VariesKFC
KFC says Thanksgiving hours vary by location across the U.S., so check your restaurant's hours before you go.VariesSonic
Sonic's parent company, Inspire Brands, says holiday schedules vary by location, so check your drive-in's Tha…VariesArby's
Most Arby's restaurants were open on Thanksgiving 2025, FOX Television Stations reported, and Arby's parent c…VariesJack in the Box
Many Jack in the Box restaurants were open on Thanksgiving 2025, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported, but hours vary…VariesLittle Caesars
Fox Business listed Little Caesars as open on Thanksgiving 2023 without citing the company, and Mashed report…VariesPapa Johns
Papa Johns restaurants are typically open on Thanksgiving, though it may vary by location, FOX Television Sta…VariesJimmy John's
Most Jimmy John's shops were open on Thanksgiving 2025, FOX Television Stations reported, but hours vary by s…VariesStarbucks
Starbucks says most of its coffeehouses are open on Thanksgiving, often with reduced hours; check the Starbuc…VariesDunkin'
Dunkin' says many of its locations are open on Thanksgiving, but hours vary, so check the Dunkin' app before…Varies
Closed (12)
Olive Garden
Olive Garden restaurants close on Thanksgiving Day so team members can spend time with family and friends, ac…ClosedTexas Roadhouse
Texas Roadhouse closes all its restaurants on Thanksgiving; customer support confirmed the 2024 closure to Ta…ClosedOutback Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse restaurants were closed on Thanksgiving 2023, Fox Business reported; Outback hasn't announ…ClosedChili's
All Chili's restaurants close on Thanksgiving, Daily Meal reported in 2025; FOX Television Stations also list…ClosedRed Robin
Red Robin restaurants close on Thanksgiving, according to a 2017 Red Robin news release, and Fox Business lis…ClosedLongHorn Steakhouse
LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants close on Thanksgiving Day so team members can spend time with family and frie…ClosedChick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A closes all its restaurants on Thanksgiving so restaurant teams can spend the day with family and…ClosedChipotle
Chipotle closes its restaurants on Thanksgiving so its teams can spend the day with family, as it did in 2023…ClosedPanda Express
Panda Express restaurants were listed as closed on Thanksgiving 2025 by FOX Television Stations, whose list d…ClosedIn-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger restaurants were closed on Thanksgiving 2025, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles, whose list dre…ClosedRaising Cane's
Raising Cane's closes its restaurants on Thanksgiving: its careers site says restaurants close on major holid…ClosedJersey Mike's
Jersey Mike's says its stores are closed on Thanksgiving Day.Closed
Olive Garden restaurants close on Thanksgiving Day so team members can spend time with family and friends, ac…ClosedTexas Roadhouse
Texas Roadhouse closes all its restaurants on Thanksgiving; customer support confirmed the 2024 closure to Ta…ClosedOutback Steakhouse
Outback Steakhouse restaurants were closed on Thanksgiving 2023, Fox Business reported; Outback hasn't announ…ClosedChili's
All Chili's restaurants close on Thanksgiving, Daily Meal reported in 2025; FOX Television Stations also list…ClosedRed Robin
Red Robin restaurants close on Thanksgiving, according to a 2017 Red Robin news release, and Fox Business lis…ClosedLongHorn Steakhouse
LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants close on Thanksgiving Day so team members can spend time with family and frie…ClosedChick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A closes all its restaurants on Thanksgiving so restaurant teams can spend the day with family and…ClosedChipotle
Chipotle closes its restaurants on Thanksgiving so its teams can spend the day with family, as it did in 2023…ClosedPanda Express
Panda Express restaurants were listed as closed on Thanksgiving 2025 by FOX Television Stations, whose list d…ClosedIn-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger restaurants were closed on Thanksgiving 2025, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles, whose list dre…ClosedRaising Cane's
Raising Cane's closes its restaurants on Thanksgiving: its careers site says restaurants close on major holid…ClosedJersey Mike's
Jersey Mike's says its stores are closed on Thanksgiving Day.Closed
Not announced yet (4)
Also on Thanksgiving
Restaurants on other holidays
From each chain's announcements and store pages, and news reports of its hours; each chain's page gives the source. Hours at your local restaurant can differ. What's open on Thanksgiving · All holiday hours