Everyone has different traditions when it comes to their Christmas day, whether yours includes a huge meal at home alongside your family, or a quiet day in watching a film with some snacks.
The cooking on Christmas day however, is often now as peaceful and joyous as the rest of the season makes it self out to be, and a couple of mishaps in the kitchen can easily lead to your Christmas dinner being ruined, in which case, you might have to try and find somewhere to eat last minute!
Finding somewhere to eat last minute on Christmas day is tough, and anywhere serving a dedicated Christmas dinner is likely to be fully booked, which means just one thing: You’ll have to turn to fast food!
Whilst it might not be everyone’s idea of a perfect Christmas meal, you can still have a wonderful day, and to save you the time, we’ve compiled a list of all of the fast food restaurants likely to be open come Christmas day!
Fast Food Restaurants Open On Christmas
Applebee’s
As with any attempt to visit a fast food restaurant, you should definitely call ahead to find out whether or not your local restaurant is open, but Applebee’s restaurants are sometimes open on Christmas, so if you find yourself looking for somewhere to eat last minute on Christmas, then you might just be able to rely on your local Applebee’s!
Whilst it might not be the turkey feast you dreamed about, we’re sure a delicious bourbon steak and a thick shake will fill some of the gap!
Boston Market
If you need somewhere to eat on Christmas, and happen to have a Boston Market local to you, then you might just be in luck!
It’s not uncommon for Boston Market to be open on Christmas, and in even better news, they also tend to do a few special items for those who choose to dine with them during the special day too, so you won’t be missing out too badly on that Christmas feast feeling!
Del-Taco
You might not have ever woken up on Christmas and been craving tacos, but if for some reason you do, then fear not, as you’ll find that a lot of the Del Taco locations across the country do in fact open on Christmas day!
So, if you feel like swapping out the turkey for ground beef, and the Christmas pudding for churros, then you just need to call your local Del Taco to see if they’re open!
Denny’s
One fast food restaurant you can rely on when it comes to being open for you on Christmas is Denny’s (see more about restaurants that are open all the time here)!
This well regarded chain has been open on Christmas every year for almost a decade now, and on top of that, they don’t even run on reduced hours either, so you can be sure that you’ll always have a place to eat if there’s a Denny’s nearby come Christmas day!
Domino’s
No dinner plans for the big day? No problem!
Whether you want it delivered to your house, or you decide to sit in, Domino’s is always open on Christmas day, so if you need an alternative to the traditional dinner, then why not treat yourself to one of Domino’s many delicious pizzas, there’s always going to be something for everyone, and with plenty of sides to choose from too, you’ll be spoilt for choice!
Dunkin’
The hours of your local Dunkin’ might vary slightly over the Christmas season, so it is definitely worth double checking your local chain to see if they’re open.
However, many of Dunkin’s locations do open on Christmas day, so you might just be in luck when it comes to trying to scout out somewhere to eat during the busiest day of the holiday season!
IHOP
Some locations may be closed on Christmas, however if you check IHOP’s website, you’ll see that actually a lot of its locations still remain open despite the holiday, so whether you’re looking to start the festive day with some deliciously fluffy pancakes for your breakfast, or your dinner’s gone wrong and are in desperate need of a last minute replacement, then IHOP might just provide you with an answer.
Starbucks
If you’re a coffee lover and happen to run out on Christmas, or you just really can’t go a single day without your Starbucks order (see also ‘20 Tastiest Food Items At Starbucks‘), then there’s no need to panic whatsoever, as you’ll likely find that your local Starbucks will be open even on Christmas day!
You might want to check the hours that your local Starbucks is open however, because whilst they will be open in the morning, there is a good chance that they might be closed by the later afternoon, so you’ll want to do your coffee run as soon as possible when you wake up.
McDonald’s
As a franchise, it’s down to each individual restaurant as to whether or not they decide to open on Christmas day, however there’s a good chance that your local McDonald’s will be open as usual, so if you’re more of a Big Mac fan than a turkey fan, you should have no problem getting your favorite meal with no issues during the holiday season!
Panda Express
If a traditional Christmas dinner really isn’t your thing, but you’re still looking for somewhere to eat on the holiday, then you can’t go wrong with the delicious Chinese from Panda Express (see also ‘18 Of The Tastiest Items On The Panda Express Menu‘)!
While enjoying your meal at Panda Express, you can even think about trying some Panda Express copycat recipes at home to capture the flavors you love.
You might want to check whether or not your local Panda Express is open, and if there’s any availability, depending on how many people you’re planning to take along with you.
Perkins
Another great restaurant that will likely be open on Christmas day is Perkins! So if you prefer pie, then chances are you’ll be able to enjoy plenty of it down at your local Perkins.
Call ahead before Christmas to ensure it’s open though, as you’ll want to avoid any possible disappointment when the day arrives!
Waffle House
When a company says it’s open 24/7, 365, then it means it, which is exactly why you’ll find your local Waffle House open on Christmas.
So if you’re looking for a great way to kick off your Christmas festivities, or there’s problems with the meal you had initially planned, then you can always rely on your local Waffle House to supply the goods, even on Christmas!
Morton’s Steakhouse
It’s often quite tough to beat a delicious steak, and if a Christmas dinner just isn’t for you, then why compromise?
Instead, you can book a group dining experience at your local Morton’s Steakhouse (see also ‘11 Best Chain Steakhouses In America‘), which will save you the hassle of cooking on Christmas day, which can sometimes ruin an otherwise perfectly relaxing day!
Huddle House
“Any Meal. Any Time” Is Huddle House’s slogan, as they stay true to this too as they’ll certainly be open for Christmas, so if you’re looking to treat yourself and your family to a delicious breakfast on Christmas morning, which certainly removes some of the stress from all of the chaos that ensues on the day!
Buffalo Wild Wings
Leave all your grocery shopping till the last minute and now there’s nothing left?
Then why not ditch the traditional dinner in favor of something more modern! Whilst this really puts the “wing” in winging it, you can never truly go wrong with treating yourself to some delicious wings. It’s close enough to turkey, right?
Legal Sea Foods
Trying to get out of Christmas cooking is a hard task, but if poultry really isn’t your thing, then why not opt for something a little different?
If you’re a fan of seafood, then you can’t ever really be let down by Legal Sea Foods, and the good news is that you should have no problem finding your way to one of their locations on Christmas for a fishy feast!
Final Words
As you can imagine, a lot of places close on Christmas day to allow the staff some time off, so don’t be surprised if you can’t find anywhere open, however, there should be at least one of these fast food places open (see also ‘8 Fast Food Restaurants That Serve The Best Soup‘)!
Cooking is great for your mental, physical, and emotional health. What’s the worst that could happen? Find a recipe that you like the sound of and cook it along with me. You might even unlock a new passion!
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