Olive Garden will temporarily close more than 950 restaurants across the United States on Thanksgiving and Christmas, taking two of the year’s biggest holidays off its operating calendar.
The Italian restaurant chain plans to shut its U.S. locations for 24 hours on Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026, and again on Christmas Day, December 25, 2026. Customers who normally turn to the chain for its pasta, breadsticks, soups and salads will need to make other plans on both dates.
The closures are temporary and part of Olive Garden’s established holiday policy rather than a permanent reduction in its restaurant footprint.
Why Olive Garden is Closing on Thanksgiving and Christmas
According to The US Sun, the shutdown will affect more than 950 Olive Garden locations nationwide, making the two-day holiday policy one of the chain’s broadest recurring closures of the year.
Olive Garden says the decision is designed around its employees.
Olive Garden closes its doors for 24 hours on both Thanksgiving and Christmas “to allow our team members to spend time with their family and friends,” according to Olive Garden’s Frequently Asked Questions page.
The policy means customers will not be able to dine at participating U.S. restaurants on either holiday, even though Olive Garden remains open on many other federal and widely observed holidays throughout the year.
The approach has drawn supportive reactions online. One person quoted by The Sun wrote, “Good – let people have time to spend with their families.” Another said, “That’s the right thing to do.”
Olive Garden confirms plans to shut all 950 locations in 48-hour closure https://t.co/rXkLZbnFmc
— The US Sun (@TheSunUS) October 6, 2026
Some Locations Could Close Early the Day Before
The schedule becomes less uniform on the days immediately preceding the two closures.
Individual Olive Garden restaurants may close earlier than usual on November 25, the day before Thanksgiving, and on Christmas Eve, December 24. Those decisions depend on local business conditions and are left to individual management teams.
“We leave this decision to the discretion of the management team,” the company states.
Olive Garden also advises customers to contact their local restaurant directly to confirm its scheduled closing time on either of those days.
That could matter for diners planning a late meal. Christmas Eve in particular can be busy at some restaurants despite the shutdown that follows.
One Reddit user identifying themselves as an Olive Garden manager said: “I am a manager for OG, this Christmas Eve will be my 5th as a manager and it has notoriously been one of the busiest shifts of the year.”
The Closures Come Just after a Major Olive Garden Promotion
The Thanksgiving shutdown falls only four days after Olive Garden’s 2026 Never-Ending Pasta Pass is scheduled to expire on November 22.
The promotion has encouraged some frequent customers to make repeated visits before the deadline. The Sun reported speaking with one passholder attempting to visit Olive Garden 100 times before the promotion ends.
That timing could concentrate demand in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, particularly among customers trying to make final use of the pass before it expires.
Once Thanksgiving arrives, however, the chain’s U.S. dining rooms will close for the day.
Holiday Hours Differ Outside the Continental United States
Olive Garden’s holiday schedule is not necessarily identical at every restaurant outside the mainland U.S.
Locations in Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as restaurants in international markets, may operate under different holiday schedules. Customers in those areas are advised to check directly with their local restaurant before traveling.
Across most of the U.S., Olive Garden takes a different approach on other major holidays.
The chain generally remains open on New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Veterans Day, making Thanksgiving and Christmas notable exceptions to its usual holiday operations.
Olive Garden is Not the Only Major Chain Closing
A number of other national restaurant companies also close on Thanksgiving and Christmas, giving employees those holidays away from regular restaurant operations.
Chains cited as closing for both holidays include Texas Roadhouse, Chick-fil-A, Chipotle and LongHorn Steakhouse, along with most Cheesecake Factory locations.
Other restaurants expected to close include Outback Steakhouse, Red Robin, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen and Carrabba’s Italian Grill.
Holiday dining options will not disappear entirely. Some restaurants continue operating on Thanksgiving and Christmas for customers who prefer to eat out or who are traveling.
For Olive Garden customers, the practical impact is straightforward: its more than 950 U.S. locations will be closed on November 26 and December 25, while hours on the preceding evenings may vary by restaurant.
