Many big chains will be open on Christmas Day, but it’s a short list compared with what’s closed, and specific hours depend a lot on your local store or restaurant.

Big-picture snapshot

  • Most grocery stores and large retailers close completely on Christmas Day.
  • A mix of pharmacies , convenience stores , gas stations , and some restaurants/fast food stay open, often with reduced hours or franchise-by-franchise decisions.

Pharmacies and drugstores

These are among the most reliable options if you need basics or medication.

  • CVS: Many locations open, often on regular or slightly reduced hours, but some may close or shorten hours; you have to check your specific store.
  • Walgreens: Most locations open, though pharmacy counters may have different or reduced hours.
  • Rite Aid: Frequently listed as closed on Christmas in recent holiday schedules.

Grocery, retail, and convenience

Large supermarkets are mostly closed, while convenience chains and travel- oriented stops are more likely open.

  • Usually closed : Aldi, Kroger, Publix, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Food Lion, Harris Teeter, many other regional grocers.
  • Partial openings: Some Albertsons, Safeway, Acme, Giant, and similar regional chains run limited hours at select locations.
  • Convenience & gas stations commonly open (often 24/7 or near-regular hours):
    • 7-Eleven
    • Pilot Flying J and other highway travel centers
    • Circle K, Cumberland Farms, Casey’s, and similar regional brands.

Restaurants and fast food

Many sit-down spots close, but certain chains and franchise locations lean into being open for holiday traffic.

  • Often open (location-dependent, usually with modified hours):
    • McDonald’s, Burger King, Starbucks, Dunkin’ (many, not all)
    • IHOP, Denny’s, Waffle House, Huddle House, Perkins
    • Applebee’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, some Red Lobster locations
    • Some pizza chains like Papa John’s or Domino’s, depending on franchise owner.
  • More likely closed : Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, Chipotle, and several “better fast casual” chains that give a full holiday break.
  • In many areas, independently owned Chinese restaurants and hotel restaurants are famously open and can be a go-to option.

How to check what’s open near you

Because so many operations are franchise-based or region-specific, the safest move is:

  1. Use Google Maps or the chain’s site/app and look at Christmas Day hours for your specific location. Many brands publish special holiday hours there.
  1. Call ahead, especially for pharmacies and restaurants, to confirm that the hours shown online are accurate.
  1. For a sit-down Christmas meal, consider hotel restaurants or make a reservation through platforms like OpenTable, which list restaurants that explicitly choose to open on December 25.

Meta note: “Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.”