Is Olive Garden Open on Thanksgiving 2026? Hours and Holiday Status
No, Olive Garden is not open on Thanksgiving. The company says its restaurants are closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day so team members can be with family, and Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, Nov. 26. Olive Garden has not posted a separate 2026 notice that we could find, so this is the chain’s standing policy, not a new announcement. Our Olive Garden menu with prices is a good place to plan a visit for the days around the holiday.
Is Olive Garden Open on Thanksgiving 2026?
Olive Garden’s own FAQ says its restaurants are closed on Thanksgiving Day, with no regular hours to list. The same page says Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam and international locations may follow different holiday hours.
News coverage from last year says the same thing. In 2025, a Sarasota Herald-Tribune report said all 900+ US restaurants would be closed on Thanksgiving (Nov. 27 that year) and on Christmas Day. A 2023 Daily Meal report described the same two closure days. That is a consistent pattern across several years, so a surprise opening in 2026 is very unlikely.
Olive Garden Thanksgiving Hours 2026
There are no Olive Garden Thanksgiving hours for Nov. 26, 2026, because the restaurants are closed all day. That includes dine-in and carryout. The official FAQ does not describe any special pickup window on the holiday itself.
The day before matters more. Olive Garden says a restaurant may close early on Wednesday, Nov. 25 if business is slow, and managers make that choice. Call your local restaurant for its exact closing time.
Olive Garden Holiday Status at a Glance
| Date | 2026 status | What we can confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Wed, Nov. 25 (day before Thanksgiving) | Open, may close early | Official FAQ: early closing is up to each manager |
| Thu, Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving) | Closed | Official FAQ and news reports: closed on Thanksgiving Day |
| Fri, Nov. 27 (Black Friday) | Expected open, hours not confirmed | Official FAQ lists only two closure days |
| Thu, Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) | Open, may close early | Official FAQ and a 2025 news list |
| Fri, Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) | Closed | Official FAQ and news reports |
| Fri, Jan. 1, 2027 (New Year’s Day) | Expected open, hours not confirmed | Last year’s news list showed most locations open |
The “expected open” rows are based on the chain listing only two closure days and on last year’s reporting. They are not 2026 announcements, so check your store before you go.
Is Olive Garden Open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
Olive Garden is open on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, but it is closed on Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25. The official FAQ says restaurants may close early on Christmas Eve, and managers decide the time. If you are asking “is Olive Garden open on Christmas,” the answer is no for Dec. 25 and yes, with shorter hours, for Dec. 24.
Some websites list a 5 PM to 7 PM Christmas Eve close, but that is a general guess, not an Olive Garden statement. Use the store locator or call to get the real time. For other options, see our guides on restaurants open on Christmas and restaurants open on Christmas Eve.
Is Olive Garden Open on New Year’s Day and Black Friday?
Olive Garden is expected to be open on both days, because its only stated closures are Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hours were not posted for 2026 when we checked.
A news list from last year said most Olive Garden locations were open on New Year’s Day, with an exception for the Times Square restaurant. Hours differ by store, so confirm before you go. Our page on restaurants open on New Year’s Day has more choices.
Olive Garden Thanksgiving To Go and Catering
Olive Garden has a catering menu, but we found no official Thanksgiving 2026 meal package. The chain’s FAQ describes a catering menu of family-size Italian meals for pickup. It also offers delivery for catering orders of $100 or more, with a 10% delivery fee on orders up to $500.
Because the restaurants are shut on Nov. 26, plan to pick up on Wednesday, Nov. 25 or earlier. Ask your local restaurant about order cutoffs and pickup times for that week. We could not confirm any pickup service on Nov. 26 itself.
Take Home Entrees and Buy One Take One
Both of these are dine-in style offers, not Thanksgiving dinners. “Buy One, Take One” ran from March 24 to May 4 in 2025, and The Takeout reported it came with a chilled take-home entree. We found no 2026 holiday run of this deal. A separate report described a $5 take-home entree add-on for dine-in guests, but it was undated, so treat it as unconfirmed for 2026.
Gift Cards and Holiday Bonus Offers
Olive Garden’s FAQ lists discounts only on large gift card orders: 5% off $500 to $999 and 10% off $1,000 or more, by phone through its Gift Card Center. We found no confirmed 2026 holiday bonus card offer. Past years had bonus cards at times, so look at the official site before you buy. Our Black Friday restaurant deals page tracks new offers.
Reservations and Call-Ahead Seating
For the days around Thanksgiving, call your local Olive Garden to ask about waits and seating. We did not find a holiday reservation rule on the official FAQ, so we cannot say how each store handles it. Weekends before the holiday and Black Friday are likely to be busy, so ask about call-ahead options early.
Where to Eat If You Want a Thanksgiving Dinner Out
If you want a sit-down meal on Nov. 26, you will need another restaurant. A 2025 Florida news article listed Italian options such as Romano’s Macaroni Grill, and turkey options such as Cracker Barrel, Denny’s, Golden Corral and Bob Evans. That was last year’s list, so call first. See our full guides to restaurants open on Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving dinner to go.
Our Cracker Barrel Thanksgiving guide covers one of the most popular choices. Olive Garden’s own closed status on Nov. 26 is the one fact you can rely on.
Frequently asked questions
Is Olive Garden open on Thanksgiving?
No, Olive Garden restaurants are closed on Thanksgiving Day, which is Thursday, Nov. 26 in 2026. The official FAQ says the closure lets team members spend the day with family. Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam and international locations may differ.
What are Olive Garden Thanksgiving hours in 2026?
There are none, because the restaurants are closed all day on Nov. 26. On Wednesday, Nov. 25, a restaurant may close early, and each manager decides. Call your local store for its closing time.
Does Olive Garden have Thanksgiving to go or catering?
Olive Garden offers family-size catering for pickup and delivery, but we found no official Thanksgiving 2026 meal package. Since the restaurants are closed on Nov. 26, pick up on Nov. 25 or earlier. Ask your local store about order cutoffs.
Is Olive Garden open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
Olive Garden is open on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) but may close early, and it is closed on Christmas Day (Dec. 25). The official FAQ states both points. Call your restaurant for the Christmas Eve closing time.
Is Olive Garden open on New Year’s Day?
Olive Garden is expected to be open on Jan. 1, 2027, but 2026 hours were not posted when we checked. Its only stated closures are Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. A news list for 2025 said most locations were open.
Is Olive Garden open on Black Friday?
Olive Garden is expected to be open on Black Friday, Nov. 27, since it lists no closure that day. Hours were not confirmed for 2026. Check the store locator before you go.
Does Olive Garden have a holiday gift card bonus in 2026?
We found no confirmed 2026 holiday gift card bonus. The official FAQ lists a 5% discount on $500 to $999 and 10% on $1,000 or more, by phone. Check the official site for new offers.
Can I make a reservation at Olive Garden for the holidays?
We could not confirm a holiday reservation policy on the official FAQ. The safest step is to call your local Olive Garden and ask about call-ahead seating. Do this early for Black Friday and the weekend after Thanksgiving.
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