Olive Garden Will Close for Holidays in 2026
The restaurant chain will shutter all United States locations on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Dining Out
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Olive Garden announced plans to close all of its more than 950 United States locations for 24 hours on Thanksgiving, November 26, 2026, and Christmas Day, December 25, 2026. These holiday closures are intended to allow employees to spend time with their families.
Why it matters
The decision reflects a growing trend among major restaurant chains to provide staff with time off during major holidays. Other national chains including Texas Roadhouse, Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, and LongHorn Steakhouse have also committed to closing on these two specific dates.
Olive Garden operates more than 950 locations across the United States. Each restaurant will close for a 24-hour period on both November 26 and December 25, 2026.
The players
Olive Garden
This American casual dining restaurant chain specializes in Italian-American cuisine and is a major subsidiary of Darden Restaurants.
Texas Roadhouse
This American steakhouse chain is among the major restaurant brands also planning to close for the 2026 holiday dates.
The details
While all restaurants will observe the full-day closures on Thanksgiving and Christmas, individual location hours may vary for the days immediately preceding the holidays. Customers are advised to contact their local restaurant directly to confirm specific operating hours for the days leading up to these events.
Timeline
November 26, 2026, marks the day all locations close for Thanksgiving.
December 25, 2026, marks the day all locations close for Christmas Day.
Culture Shift
This move follows the shift toward holiday restaurant closures for employee well-being, marking a departure from historic pressure to remain open. Such decisions highlight a broader societal reevaluation of retail labor practices during traditional family holidays.
Patrons should plan their holiday dining arrangements well in advance to account for these nationwide closures. Because local management sets hours for the days immediately before the holidays, diners should call ahead to confirm availability during that week.
The takeaway
When planning holiday meals, check the operating hours of your local restaurants as many chains now prioritize staff time off. Confirming store hours a week before the holidays will ensure you avoid unexpected closures.
Further reading
For more information on industry trends, visit the Dining Out section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hindustan Times.
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