Traveling is a common theme during the holidays.
A lot of businesses close on Christmas Day.
Restaurants don’t serve food and even grocery stores are either closed or have limited hours.
Before you find yourself stranded on the side of the road with no gas, here’s what you need to know about whether gas stations are open on Christmas.
Are Gas Stations Open On Christmas?
Yes, some gas stations are open on Christmas.
When determining your travel route, you’ll want to plan a route that includes gas station chains.
They’re more likely to be open on Christmas than local independent gas stations.
Some of the gas stations that tend to remain open on Christmas include:
- 7-Eleven
- Cumberland Farms
- Circle K
- QuickChek
- Sheetz
- Speedway
- Wawa
Keep in mind that some of the gas stations may have a limited service hour schedule.
Those that normally remain open 24/7 may close early.
7-Eleven and Speedway, in particular, have a history of remaining open 24/7 on Christmas Day.
If you’re driving on the road on Christmas, then these are some of the gas stations that you should keep an eye out for.
What Stores Are Open On Christmas Day?
Sometimes you need to stop at a store to buy groceries or spend the new gift card that you got for Christmas.
However, because of the holiday, not a lot of stores are open.
Before you waste your time driving from one shopping center to the next, here are a few stores that have a history of being open on Christmas.
1. Acme
Acme is a grocery store that also offers pharmacy services in six states in the eastern part of the country.
While their pharmacy may not be available on Christmas, you can shop at Acme if you’re low on groceries.
Acme often has regular weekly ads that can help you save some money while you load up on groceries to feed your family.
Another perk of shopping at Acme on Christmas is that you can also have your groceries delivered if you don’t want to leave your family.
Keep in mind that a lot of other people are also probably going to want to use this service.
The hours for delivery may have a limit on them.
They may also not have any delivery workers available since it’s Christmas.
Some Acme stores are open during their usual hours.
Others only have limited hours of operation.
2. Albertsons
With locations in 15 states spanning the western half of the country, Albertsons is another grocery store that’s open on Christmas.
Like Acme, it has pharmacy services in some of its stores, but they may not be open on Christmas.
Some Albertsons also have gas stations that may be operational.
Albertsons offers a rewards program that helps you save even more money.
On Christmas, the store shortens its hours for the holiday.
It opens at 8 in the morning and closes at 4 PM.
If you need to stock up on food for dinner, then you’ll want to shop early.
3. Cumberland Farms
Besides being a gas station, Cumberland Farms is also a convenience store with nearly 600 locations spread out across Florida and several states in the northeast.
Not only are they open on Christmas, but they actually encourage people to visit them.
They offer free coffee and other hot beverages, like hot chocolate, who stop by in the morning.
You can also find great deals at Cumberland Farms and enjoy cheap snacks from their branded goods.
They also support mobile pay or SmartPay to make paying for gas and snacks even faster.
Cumberland Farms tend to open at 7 in the morning on Christmas Day.
They close at midnight.
4. CVS
Even though the day may be special and meant for families to spend together, there are times when you need pharmacy supplies or a new prescription.
The good news is that CVS is usually open on Christmas Day.
CVS is a chain of pharmacies that handles prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and other first aid supplies.
If someone ends up bumping their head while playing with their new toy, then you can rely on the pharmacy to have open doors.
CVS also offers a few different ways to receive your prescriptions and purchases.
You can have them delivered to your door in one-to-two days.
You can also get free shipping when you buy supplies over $35.
Some items are also available for same-day delivery, but you’ll need to pay extra for the service.
Some CVS stores are open 24/7 on Christmas.
Others open at 8 AM and close at 9 PM.
To see if your CVS is open late, you’ll need to call them.
5. Family Dollar And Dollar Tree
If you forgot stocking stuffers or you want to buy cheap groceries, then you might want to head to your local Family Dollar or Dollar Tree.
Both chains are part of the same corporation.
As such, they’re both open on Christmas Day.
At Family Dollar and Dollar Tree, you can find anything from groceries to party supplies.
They also have a decent selection of toys, crafting materials, and beauty products.
Even your pets can find food and toys there.
As its name might suggest, prices sit around $1.
Through InstaCart, you can also have your items delivered to your home if any of the delivery workers are available.
Some of the stores are only open for a few hours, so you’ll need to check with the store nearest to you to determine their hours of operation.
6. QuickChek
If your family ate through all your food, then you may find yourself in a panic.
The good news is that if you have a QuickChek convenience store nearby, then you don’t have to worry.
QuickChek’s business model is based on serving fresh food.
They produce made-to-order sandwiches and subs.
You can also order drinks, salads, and other healthy snacks from them.
They even have hot breakfast items if you arrive early enough.
If Christmas falls on a Friday, then you can take advantage of their free coffee Fridays.
They also have a rewards program, so you can save money while you feed your family on Christmas.
Aside from being a gas station, the convenience store has plenty to offer on Christmas Day.
Like some other stores, however, they have reduced hours.
It’s worth calling ahead to know when they’re open.
7. Rite Aid
If you don’t have a CVS near you and you need a pharmacy’s services, then Rite Aid has your back.
They’re also open on Christmas.
Like at CVS, you can fill your prescriptions at Rite Aid or even have them delivered to your home if the delivery workers are available.
Rite Aid also gives you plenty of ways to save money.
You can find weekly ads and digital coupons on their website.
Rite Aid sells everything from first aid supplies to beauty supplies.
You can also find vitamin supplements, school supplies, and holiday goods.
Most Rite Aid stores are open on Christmas, but it’s always worth calling ahead first.
Some stores even continue to operate for 24 hours while others have reduced hours.
Call ahead to ensure you don’t waste a trip.
8. Starbucks
If you can’t fathom facing your extended family without some strong coffee in your system, then the good news is that Starbucks remains open on Christmas.
Starbucks is typically open during every holiday.
They even have themed drinks and cups to represent the holiday.
You can find all your favorite types of coffee at their stores as well as their baked goods.
Starbucks doesn’t reduce their hours on Christmas, so you can get your coffee fix at any point during the day.
What Stores Aren’t Open On Christmas?
While there are a few stores that are open on Christmas, there are many more that choose to remain closed.
They believe that their employees should be at home spending time with their families.
Some of these stores include:
- ALDI
- Costco
- Dollar General
- Kroger
- Michaels
- Publix
- Sam’s Club
- ShopRite
- Trader Joe’s
- Target
- The Home Depot
- Walmart
- Whole Foods
Now and then, you might find a particular store that remains open but with reduced hours.
However, in most cases, all the stores above are not open on Christmas.
What Fast-Food And Chain Restaurants Are Open On Christmas?
After cooking for your visiting family members, you may already feel exhausted by the time Christmas Day arrives.
However, Christmas is the big time.
It’s when everyone expects a big meal for the whole family to gather and eat together.
If you don’t have the energy to cook a huge meal, then you can always take your family out for dinner.
The problem is most restaurants aren’t open on Christmas.
As a result, you usually have to settle for fast-food restaurants or national chains.
Even some of those don’t open for Christmas.
Here are some restaurants that are open on Christmas Day.
1. Applebee’s
In most cases, you’ll find that your local Applebee’s is open on Christmas.
They may have reduced hours, however, so if you plan on having dinner there, then you’ll want to make it an early dinner.
Applebee’s has everything from steaks to seafood.
They also have signature cocktails and other alcoholic beverages that are perfect for getting through the holidays.
Applebee’s regularly has special deals for their meals.
One example is their 2 for $25 deal where you can order two dishes for $25.
They also have a kid’s menu.
If you don’t feel like eating in the restaurant, then you can also order online and have it delivered to your home.
Call your local Applebee’s ahead of time to ensure that they’re open and serving food.
2. Boston Market
If your family is a bunch of meat-eaters, then taking them to Boston Market is a no-brainer.
The good news is that Boston Market is also open on Christmas Day.
Even better, some of the locations even offer a special menu for those who come and dine with them on the special holiday.
Boston Market has a reputation for providing high-quality meat dishes like rotisserie chicken and sliced ham.
They cut the meat fresh and offer a tender and juicy chicken meal.
Depending on the size of your family, you can easily feed everyone with their various sizes of menu items.
Whether you want only a few pieces of chicken or a whole chicken, you’ll find what you need at the restaurant.
Besides eating at the restaurant, you can also order your food for delivery to your home.
If you’re having a particularly large gathering, then you might even want to try their catering service.
Call the restaurant beforehand to see if they have reduced hours, but otherwise, you can rely on Boston Market to be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
3. Buca Di Beppo
If your family is craving Italian, then you’ll be happy to know that Buca di Beppo is open on Christmas.
One of the advantages of eating at Buca di Beppo is that they have both group reservations and party packages.
If you plan on eating at the restaurant, then you’ll want to make a group reservation to ensure your entire family gets a table.
If you want to dine at home, then you should consider their party package service.
It’s similar to a catering service, but you’re able to customize it a bit more to fit the size of your family.
At Buca di Beppo, you can enjoy delicious Italian meals like pizza, fresh bread, various chicken meals, and a healthy mix of traditional and specialty pasta dishes.
If you have a picky family, then you can take some of the trouble out of ordering by placing your order online instead.
Everyone has plenty of time to make their decisions that way.
Not all Buca di Beppo restaurants are open on Christmas, so you’ll want to call ahead.
You’ll also need to check for reduced hours.
4. Buffalo Wild Wings
One of the safest conversations you can have with extended family is about sports.
If you need to keep the peace with your family during Christmas, then you’ll be happy to know that Buffalo Wild Wings is open.
The restaurant has a reputation for providing great wings, beer, and a whole slew of sports.
It’s a place that encourages celebrating with other tables or groaning in defeat.
There’s no shortage of games to watch on Christmas either.
The NFL regularly has a few different games on the holiday.
While wings are a given at the restaurant, they also have a larger menu.
You can eat burgers, wraps, and sandwiches there, too.
They also have a kid’s menu, so the little ones in your family won’t go hungry either.
There are also plenty of desserts, sides, and drinks for everyone.
Not all Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants are open on Christmas.
Those in metro areas are the most likely to be open, but it’s worth calling ahead to check.
