What Is Open on Christmas Day? Stores, Restaurants & Services 2025

Christmas Day in America is a federal holiday, and the majority of business organisations are closed to allow employees time to visit family members. Nonetheless, the travellers, shift workers, and the families that require last-minute stuff would wish to know where they can still shop, have a meal, or get a prescription.

There is a slightly altered list of locations opening their doors on December 25 each year, and thus the guide below is the most probable, the common hours, and the simplest methods to check on the local openings before you walk out the door.

What Is Open on Christmas Day?

Christmas Day in America is one of the least dramatic days in the annual calendar. Most of the local shops, federal agencies, and the majority of the companies in the country close their doors to allow the workers to have a full day in the house. Yet life never stops moving. Jets land, tractor-heavy trucks roll across borders, and housewives wake up to empty milk jugs. Those gaps are filled by a small yet reliable network of businesses.

Airports maintain check-in desks, security posts, and baggage conveyor belts. Bus and rail stations reduce personnel and maintain operations under a special schedule. Hospital staff, firefighters, and police staff are on full shifts since the safety of people cannot be compromised. Phone lines, water, and power utility crews monitor lines out of control rooms and are ready to send repair trucks.

What Store Is Open on Christmas Day?

The majority of major retail stores close down their gates past evening on 24 December and open at dawn on 26 December. Nevertheless, to facilitate the delivery of emergency orders, there is a brief list of chains that open on the basis of a limited number of hours.

• CVS Pharmacy: CVS has numerous outlets that are open 24/7 throughout the year. Most twenty-four-hour stores are open on December 25, though other branches operate with shorter hours, usually 10 AM to 6 PM. The pharmacy windows can shut down earlier than the retail floor due to shorter shifts of the pharmacists.
• Walgreens: Walgreens recognizes Christmas Day as one more federal holiday. It is common to find that high-traffic sites remain open between 9 AM and 5 PM. Full-service pharmacies tend to shut down, hence before driving to the area to refill the prescription, call before hand.
• 7-Eleven: It is a convenience chain that is open for twenty-four hours in a regular week, so there is no exception to December 25. Franchise stores located in low-traffic areas may reduce the time spent in shifts, but customers are not deprived of snacks, soft drinks, and phone charging.
• Dollar Tree: Not all Dollar Trees close on Christmas, but those in tourist spots and big cities usually open in the midday. It will be a skeleton staff and finish close to 7 PM.
• Family Dollar: Family Dollar is a local demand-based business. Some branches that have high commuter traffic open in the middle of the day, allowing the customers to collect toiletries, shelf-stable food, or small gifts.

Source: CBS News

What Grocery Stores Are Open on Christmas?

On December 25, grocery operations are difficult, and complete closure is not achieved. The customers are met in a couple of hours by a handful of regional chains and niche markets, primarily in the large urban areas or vacation towns. There are fewer fresh products on shelves, and service counters can be closed, but the basic staples are still available.

• Albertsons (target markets): A group of Albertsons outlets in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and other mountain resorts work between 8 AM to 2 PM. Deli and bakery staff tend to be off-duty and so you should prepare cereal or plain cold food.
• Safeway (selected markets): Safeway resembles its sister banner, Albertsons, in the same states where both companies are located. There are a few branches that receive the shoppers up to mid-afternoon. Pharmacy assistance is seldom present, and filling prescriptions prior to the vacation.
• Giant Food (region of Washington, D.C.): Holiday hours are dependent on the neighborhood. Cities where there is a hospital or transit center tend to operate 9-3 PM half manned, and the branches in the suburbs remain dark.
• H-E-B Convenience kiosks: Full-size H-E-B supermarkets in Texas are shut, but the small H-E-B Go supermarkets on the outer of fuel stations sell bread, milk, and snack items throughout the day.
• Markets of Asian and Hispanic families: Sometimes, independent groceries with different cultural calendars have regular timings. Constantly make a call as practices vary between owners.

What Restaurant Is Open on Christmas Day?

Not every household cooks a full feast, and many travelers want a familiar menu away from relatives. Several national chains seat guests on December 25, often with shorter menus and smaller dining rooms.

• Denny’s: Nearly every Denny’s welcomes guests twenty-four hours on Christmas. Seasonal plates such as turkey with stuffing join the standard menu, and coffee flows without pause.
• IHOP: Pancake fans find stacks at most IHOP sites all day. Rural units may shorten shifts, yet doors usually open by 8 AM and close after dinner.
• Starbucks: Coffee shops inside airports and busy downtown corners brew lattes on Christmas. Stand-alone suburban cafés may close, so check the app before you leave.
• McDonald’s (franchise discretion): Each franchisee sets hours. Locations near highways and airports often open, while mall food-court outlets stay dark. Drive-through lanes handle most traffic.
• Boston Market: The chain sells heat-and-serve family meals for pick-up and opens select stores between noon and 5 PM for diners who prefer table service.

What Gas Station Is Open on Christmas Day?

Road trips do not pause for holidays, and fuel stops matter. Big brands keep pumps active through pay-at-the-pump systems when clerks go home early. Drivers can rely on the chains below for fuel, snacks, and restrooms.

• Shell: Company-owned Shell stations along interstate corridors keep normal hours. Pumps never shut off, and many stores staff a single cashier to run registers.
• BP: BP maintains full service at high-volume sites, especially near trucking lanes. Restrooms stay open, though cleaning rounds shrink during the evening.
• Love’s Travel Stops: Love’s caters to truckers who roll every day. Expect full convenience stores, showers, and quick-service counters around the clock.
• Pilot Flying J: Pilot Flying J mirrors Love’s at more than 750 travel centers. Hot coffee, prepared meals, and travel gear remain available without interruption.
• QuikTrip: QuikTrip units in the South and Midwest show steady holiday staffing. Self-serve drink bars and the QT Kitchen run on slightly reduced output.

How to Find What Is Open on Christmas Day Near Me?

Each town follows its own rhythm, and no single list covers all options. Travelers and hosts can use the steps below to confirm openings.

• Check official apps: Chains such as Walgreens, Starbucks, and Pilot post holiday hours inside their apps. Activate location services, and the screen will reveal each branch’s status in real time.
• Call the local store: A quick phone call prevents wasted miles. Ask the clerk to state both open and close times for the retail floor and for any service counter.
• Search online maps: Google Maps and Apple Maps highlight “Holiday hours” labels a week before major dates. Look for the note that shows whether the brand verified the times.
• Check social media posts: Independent shops often announce holiday plans on Instagram or Facebook. Scroll through recent updates rather than pinned posts that may list old schedules.
• Plan before Christmas Eve: Buy prescription drugs, specialty food, and baby supplies no later than December 24. Treat Christmas Day outlets as backup sources, not first-choice suppliers.

FAQs

What can open on Christmas Day?

Airports, numerous gas stations, some chain pharmacies, some convenience stores, and some diner-type restaurants are open on December 25. Full shifts also run in the police, fire, and hospitals. Holiday service is similar to a Sunday when it is quiet, and in the country, there might not be as many options as in the big cities.

Is McDonald’s closed on Christmas Day?

The corporate office of McDonald's is shut down, but the time of stores are determined by the franchisee. The normal schedules are popular in restaurants located close to the interstate exits, airports, and main downtown blocks. Employees can stop for breakfast early, and most of the traffic is served at the drive-through windows.

Are all shops closed on Christmas Day?

No. Although the malls and large-box stores are closed entirely, customers can still get an assortment of basic items at twenty four hour pharmacies, markets at travel centers, and at certain independent groceries. Open places have fewer hours, and thus, time should be verified before going out.

Conclusion

Christmas Day provides empty streets and family time, yet the nation never goes completely to sleep. Love, Shell, BP, and Pilot keep the motorists on the roads. Starbucks serves coffee, and Walgreens stuffs rush prescriptions. Safeway and Albertsons also assist hosts with forgotten sides, whereas Denny's and IHOP pre-set tables for those who do not want to cook.

Have you spotted a chain we missed? Leave a comment with your local findings, and help neighbors save time during their holiday plans.