Olive Garden holiday hours 2026: Christmas, Labor Day and Easter & more

You’re craving endless breadsticks on a holiday. Smart move. The only problem is figuring out whether the doors are actually open.

Here’s the thing about Olive Garden and holidays: most locations stay open, but a few major days shut down completely. And the ones that do open often run shorter hours than usual. So a little planning saves you a wasted drive.

This guide walks through every major holiday in 2025, including the two days you’ll definitely want to skip.

Quick answer

• ❌ Christmas Day: Closed
• ✅ Christmas Eve: Open, reduced hours
• ❌ Thanksgiving: Closed
• ✅ Easter Sunday: Open at most locations
• ✅ New Year’s Eve: Open, early closing at many restaurants
• ✅ New Year’s Day: Open
• ✅ Labor Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July: Open at most locations

The two days Olive Garden closes

Let’s get the bad news out of the way.

Olive Garden closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Both, nationwide. The company gives staff the full day off to be with their families, which is a decent thing to do even if it ruins your turkey-skipping pasta dreams.

So if you were hoping to dodge the Thanksgiving cooking marathon with a plate of chicken Marsala, you’ll need a backup plan. Same goes for Christmas Day. Plan for the day before or the day after instead.

Every other major holiday? You’re probably fine. But “probably” is doing some work in that sentence, which I’ll explain in a minute.

Holiday hours at a glance

Here’s the full breakdown for 2025. Hours are typical, not guaranteed, because franchise locations set their own schedules.

A quick note on the digits: regular Olive Garden hours run 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM Monday through Thursday, 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM Friday and Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM on Sunday. Holiday hours shave time off the end of the day, not the start.

Is Olive Garden open on Labor Day?

Yes. Olive Garden is open on Labor Day at most locations, usually running regular hours.

This is one of the busier holidays for the chain. Lunch and early dinner fill up fast, especially in tourist-heavy areas where some restaurants actually extend their service. If you want a table without the wait, go early or call ahead.

And to repeat the question people keep typing into Google: is Olive Garden open on Labor Day? Yes, almost always. The day off applies to staff at home, not to the restaurant. So Labor Day is a green light.

Is Olive Garden open on Easter Sunday?

Yes. Olive Garden is open on Easter Sunday at most locations. Many restaurants run their normal Sunday hours, roughly 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM, though some trim dinner service.

Easter pulls big crowds. It’s a popular spot for a family meal, so reservations are a genuinely good idea here. I’d call your local restaurant a few days ahead if you’re feeding more than four people.

One more time, because it’s the question of the season: is Olive Garden open on Easter Sunday? Yes. Just don’t assume your nearest location matches the typical schedule, because Easter is exactly the kind of holiday where individual restaurants quietly cut their evening hours.

Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve: open, but watch the clock

Both of these are “open with an asterisk” days.

Christmas Eve, most locations open at 11:00 AM and close around 8:00 PM. The lunch rush gets heavy as families eat before evening gatherings, so an early visit beats fighting the crowd.

New Year’s Eve runs similar. Open during the day, early close in the evening, often around 9:00 PM. If your plan was a late dinner before the countdown, that plan needs adjusting. Eat early.

New Year’s Day is the easy one. Open, typically 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and a solid pick if you want someone else to handle the dishes on January 1st.

Why your location might be different

Here’s the part worth taking seriously. Olive Garden has hundreds of locations, and many follow local franchise rules. That means two restaurants in the same state can keep different holiday hours.

Some stay open with reduced hours. Some close for the whole day even on holidays where most others stay open. Tourist areas and major cities tend to run longer; smaller towns sometimes close earlier or skip a holiday entirely.

So treat every “typical” hour in this guide as a strong guess, not a promise.

How to check live hours near you

Two reliable ways to confirm before you go:

1. Olive Garden’s store locator. Search your zip code on the official site. Each location lists its own hours, including holiday adjustments.
2. Call the restaurant directly. Old-school, but it works. A 30-second phone call beats a locked door and a disappointed family.

A Google search of “Olive Garden near me” also pulls up posted holiday hours for your specific location, which is usually accurate.

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FAQs

Is Olive Garden open on Labor Day?

Yes. Most locations stay open with regular hours. It’s a busy day, so arrive early or call ahead.

Is Olive Garden open on Easter Sunday?

Yes, at most locations, usually 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Reservations are smart since Easter draws big crowds.

Is Olive Garden open on Christmas?

No. Every location closes on Christmas Day so staff can be home with family.

Is Olive Garden open on Thanksgiving?

No. Olive Garden closes nationwide on Thanksgiving. Plan for the day before or after.

What are Olive Garden’s Christmas Eve hours?

Most locations open at 11:00 AM and close early, around 8:00 PM. Lunch gets busy, so go early.

Is Olive Garden open on New Year’s Day?

Yes. Typical hours run 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM at most restaurants.

Do holiday hours vary by location?

Yes, and this matters. Franchise locations set their own schedules, so always confirm with the store locator or a quick phone call before heading out.