• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Retailthanksgiving

Which restaurants are open (and closed) on Thanksgiving

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 24, 2021, 3:00 PM ET
IHOP is one of many restaurants open on Thanksgiving 2021.
IHOP is one of many restaurants open on Thanksgiving 2021.Emile Wamsteker/Bloomberg—Getty Images

Maybe your plans changed at the last minute. Maybe you got a bit too caught up in the game and burned the turkey. Or maybe you’re alone and don’t feel like making an extravagant meal for yourself. Don’t panic: There are plenty of restaurants open today.

While the bulk of retail stores are closed, a notable number of restaurant chains are hard at work. Many are offering Thanksgiving specials—but they’re just as happy to cook a burger for you if you’d rather forget about the holiday altogether.

Here’s a look at some of the places you can grab a bite on Thanksgiving. Note that hours may vary and some franchisees may opt not to open. And since certain municipalities have laws affecting whether stores are allowed to operate on the holiday, it’s always a good idea to call first.

Restaurants open on Thanksgiving 2021

Applebee’s

Bahama Breeze (12 p.m. – 8 p.m.)

Bob Evans

Boston Market

Buca Di Beppo (Opens at 10 a.m.)

Buffalo Wild Wings

Capital Grille

Cracker Barrel

Denny’s

Domino’s

Flemings Prime Steakhouse (11 a.m. – 8 p.m.)

Fogo de Chao (11 a.m. – 9 p.m.)

Golden Corral

IHOP

McCormick and Schmick’s

McDonald’s

Medieval Times (Most castles open, call to confirm)

Metro Diner (until 2:30 p.m.)

Pizza Hut

Popeye’s (Varies by location)

Ruby Tuesday

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Sizzler (Varies by location)

Sonic

Starbucks

Subway

TGI Fridays

Waffle House

Wendy’s

Restaurants closed on Thanksgiving 2021

Bonefish Grill

Carrabba’s Italian Grill

Cheesecake Factory

Chili’s

Olive Garden

Outback Steakhouse

Red Lobster

Ted’s Montana Grill

Texas Roadhouse

Subscribe to Fortune Daily to get essential business stories straight to your inbox each morning.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Retail

Kris Mayes
LawArizona
Arizona becomes latest state to sue Temu over claims that its stealing customer data
By Sejal Govindarao and The Associated PressDecember 3, 2025
2 hours ago
Tony Cuccio posing in a chair
C-SuiteMillionaires
Tony Cuccio started with $200 selling beauty products on Venice Beach. Then he brought gel nails to the masses—and forged a $2 billion empire
By Dave SmithDecember 3, 2025
4 hours ago
CybersecuritySmall Business
Main Street’s make-or-break upgrade: Why small businesses are racing to modernize their tech
By Ashley LutzDecember 3, 2025
6 hours ago
Costco
BankingTariffs and trade
Costco sues Trump, demanding refunds on tariffs already paid
By Paul Wiseman and The Associated PressDecember 2, 2025
1 day ago
cyber monday
RetailCyber Monday
Cyber Monday to set record with up to $14.2 billion of online spending, the biggest shopping day of the year and ever
By Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressDecember 2, 2025
1 day ago
Bernie, Zohran
LawLabor
Zohran Mamdani, Bernie Sanders visit striking Starbucks baristas on picket line as union demands contract after nearly 4 years
By Jennifer Peltz and The Associated PressDecember 2, 2025
1 day ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
North America
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos commit $102.5 million to organizations combating homelessness across the U.S.: ‘This is just the beginning’
By Sydney LakeDecember 2, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Ford workers told their CEO 'none of the young people want to work here.' So Jim Farley took a page out of the founder's playbook
By Sasha RogelbergNovember 28, 2025
5 days ago
placeholder alt text
North America
Anonymous $50 million donation helps cover the next 50 years of tuition for medical lab science students at University of Washington
By The Associated PressDecember 2, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
C-Suite
MacKenzie Scott's $19 billion donations have turned philanthropy on its head—why her style of giving actually works
By Sydney LakeDecember 2, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Warren Buffett used to give his family $10,000 each at Christmas—but when he saw how fast they were spending it, he started buying them shares instead
By Eleanor PringleDecember 2, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Elon Musk says he warned Trump against tariffs, which U.S. manufacturers blame for a turn to more offshoring and diminishing American factory jobs
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 2, 2025
1 day ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.