Most major supermarkets and big-box stores are closed on Christmas Day, but several convenience stores, drugstores, and some restaurants are typically open with limited hours. Exact openings vary by city and even by neighborhood, so it is essential to check your local store’s holiday hours before heading out.

Quick Scoop: What’s Usually Open

You didn’t share your location, and there’s no live map access here, so the best that can be done is to point you to the chains that commonly stay open and how to quickly confirm what’s near you.

1. Convenience stores and gas stations

These are your best bet for last‑minute snacks, drinks, basic groceries, and household items.

Typical chains that have locations open on Christmas Day (hours vary):

  • 7‑Eleven (many locations 24/7, some on reduced hours)
  • Wawa, Sheetz, Cumberland Farms, Pilot Flying J, Turkey Hill, Kwik Shop, Minit Mart, and similar regional gas/convenience chains often run normal or slightly reduced hours.
  • Some local independent gas stations and corner shops also stay open, especially in busy areas or near highways.

How to quickly check near you:

  • Search “[chain name] near me” (for example, “7‑Eleven near me”) and tap the map result to see which ones show “Open” today and their Christmas hours.
  • Use each chain’s “store locator” page and enter your ZIP/postcode.

2. Drugstores and pharmacies

If you need meds, toiletries, or simple groceries, large pharmacy chains are a strong option.

Common patterns:

  • CVS: Many locations open on Christmas, but hours and pharmacy availability vary by store.
  • Walgreens: Most stores open, but pharmacy counters may have restricted hours.
  • Some regional chains (like Giant Food stores with pharmacies in certain areas) may open limited hours.

What to do:

  • Go to the chain’s website or app and use the store locator to confirm “Today’s hours” for Christmas before you leave.
  • Call the store directly if you’re counting on the pharmacy window being open.

3. Grocery options that might be open

Most big grocery chains shut down completely for Christmas Day.

Usually closed :

  • Walmart, Target, Costco, Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Publix, Stop & Shop, Wegmans, and similar large grocers and superstores.

Possible exceptions (select locations only, with reduced hours):

  • Albertsons, Safeway, ACME, Vons, Giant Food, ShopRite: some franchises or specific branches may open for limited hours, while others stay closed.
  • Hours can be short (for example, mid‑morning to late afternoon), and not every branch participates.

If you want a full grocery run on Christmas Day, check:

  • “[Your grocery chain] store locator” and look for any note about “Christmas Day hours.”
  • Map apps for “grocery store near me” and then confirm via the store’s own site.

4. Restaurants, coffee, and food to-go

If the goal is to grab a meal rather than shop, some national chains keep at least some locations open.

Commonly with at least some open locations:

  • Denny’s and Waffle House: many spots open 24/7, including Christmas, especially near highways and in busy areas.
  • McDonald’s, Starbucks, Dunkin’, Applebee’s, IHOP, Red Lobster: openings depend heavily on franchise owner; many operate on reduced holiday hours.
  • Hotel restaurants and some sit‑down places in touristy neighborhoods often open for Christmas brunch or dinner.

How to find something near you:

  • On a delivery app or map app, search for “open now” filter and then narrow to “restaurants” or “coffee.”
  • Check OpenTable or similar services for “Christmas Day” reservations in your city; many hotel and chain restaurants list there.

5. Super quick “near me” check you can do

Because everything on Christmas is very location‑specific, use this simple flow:

  1. Open your phone’s maps app.
  2. Type one of:
    • “convenience store”
    • “pharmacy”
    • “7‑Eleven” / “CVS” / “Walgreens” / “Wawa” / “Sheetz” (whichever is common where you live).
  3. Turn on the “Open now” filter.
  4. Tap each promising result and look for:
    • Holiday/Christmas hours listed.
    • Recent user reviews mentioning Christmas or holiday hours this year.

For a more targeted approach:

  • Search: “stores open on Christmas Day 2025” + your city or state (for example, “stores open on Christmas Day 2025 Chicago”).
  • Then verify each store’s hours on its official site.

Bottom note: Information like typical holiday openings and chain policies comes from news outlets and retailer lists and may change each year, so always double‑check locally right before you go out.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.