That most patriotic of annual holidays, the Fourth of July, and with it comes the chance to engage in all of the most fun American traditions. From attending parades to watching the fireworks and having a cookout, the red, white and blue will color numerous activities across the Fourth.
But what if you're not able to cook, or just simply can't be bothered? Well, Newsweek has rounded up details of some of the most popular food franchises and chains across the U.S., and whether or not they're open on July 4—alongside a little information about the holiday itself.
Otherwise known as Independence Day, the Fourth of July, celebrates the U.S. independence from Britain. On July 4, 1776, the 13 American colonies, which were at war with Great Britain, declared themselves to be independent states and no longer under British rule.
As it is a federal holiday, many companies and major retailers will be closed. This includes popular restaurants and fast-food outlets, so Newsweek looks at the opening plans for some of your favorite chains and franchises below.
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Are restaurants open on the Fourth of July?
- Applebee's—most restaurants will be open throughout, but we still recommend checking your local branch's opening hours.
- Bahama Breeze—operating at normal hours throughout.
- Bob Evans—you can dine in or get take out, it'll be open at normal hours.
- Domino's—will be working at modified and reduced hours.
- Dunkin'—quite a few Dunkin' restaurants will be open on the holiday, we recommend checking with your local Dunkin' before leaving the house.
- IHOP—restaurants will be open and working at regular hours.
- KFC—most KFC restaurants will be open, however we recommend checking your local one, which you can find here.
- Metro Diner—operating at normal hours throughout the holiday.
- McDonald's—most places will be open throughout the holiday, but some won't be, so we recommend checking your local restaurant hours here.
- Olive Garden—open at normal hours, restaurants will be open for curbside pick-up too, including wine-to-go.
- Red Lobster—will be operating at regular hours as usual.
- Starbucks—it varies by location. Check your local restaurant hours here.
- Subway—will be open and operating at regular hours.
- Taco Bell—most locations will be open throughout but we recommend checking your local Taco Bell before going.
- The Cheesecake Factory - operating at normal hours throughout.
- Yard House - operating at normal hours.
Which restaurants are closed on the Fourth of July?
- Chick-fil-A—will be closed throughout the federal holiday.
It's not easy to find something to eat during the day on Christmas Day. Most restaurants, even the casual ones that very rarely close, shut their doors for the holiday to give their employees some time off. A few chains, however, buck the trend and keep at least some of their stores open.
Even the chains that keep some locations open may also have others that are closed. In some cases, the decision to open or close gets made at the local level while for some brands it's made by franchise owners rather than corporate.
And, it makes sense to check with each individual store before heading out because even corporate-owned chains like Starbucks (SBUX) - Get Starbucks Corporation Report will have some of its stores open while other locations will be closed. You should also check operating hours as some stores may close earlier than they normally do.
It's also worth noting that some higher-end restaurants do serve dinner or even lunch to cater to people looking to take the holiday off from cooking. If you plan to have a Christmas brunch, lunch, or dinner out, it's generally best to make a reservation or at least call ahead.
Here's a look at some chains that plan to keep their doors, at least some of them, open on Christmas Day:
Starbucks: The coffee chain has at least some of its stores open, but many will close earlier than they normally do.
McDonald's (MCD) - Get McDonald's Corporation Report: Most McDonald's locations are open on Christmas but franchise owners do get to make the choice so some may be closed.
Wendy's (WEN) - Get Wendy's Company (The) Report: Like McDonald's, Wendy's leaves the decision to open or close up to franchise owners. Many of them do choose to open, but hours can vary and some stores may be closed or open for drive-through only.
Burger King (QSR) - Get Restaurant Brands International Inc. Report: Unlike its fast-food burger rivals, most Burger King locations, aside from the ones in airports and rest stops, will be closed, but select locations might still be open.
Dunkin': Many, but not all, Dunkin' stores will be open on Christmas.
Domino's (DPZ) - Get Domino's Pizza Inc Report: Domino's basically never closes, much to the chagrin of The Noid, who works tirelessly to ruin the chain's pizza. Franchise owners do have the option to close, so it's best to check with your local store before trying to place an order.
Papa John's (PZZA) - Get Papa John's International Inc. Report: If you want a Shaq-aroni pizza on Christmas Day you may be able to get one as many Papa John's locations will be open.
Worried you won’t be able to find that needed cup of Joe or on-the-go food for the kids on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day?
Well good news: Unlike Christmas, when many major chains closed, more restaurants and other stores will be open to bid farewell to 2021 and welcome in 2022, albeit in many cases with limited hours.
Starbucks (SBUX) - Get Starbucks Corporation Report and Dunkin’ Donuts (DNKN) - Get Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. Report will be open on New Year’s Day, though not all locations, so best to check your app first or take a closer look inside to see if the lights are on.
On the food front, most Chick-fil-A restaurants close at 6 p.m. both Friday and Saturday, the chicken chain said in a blog post, noting hours can vary by location.
McDonalds (MCD) - Get McDonald's Corporation Report, Wendy’s (WEN) - Get Wendy's Company (The) Report, Taco Bell and other fast-food chains, however, will be open, though it's often a franchise decision whether a restaurant opens on holidays.
Here’s a short list of fast-food restaurants whose doors are likely to be unlocked on New Year’s Day:
Arby's
Baskin-Robbins
Boston Market
Burger King
Carl's Jr.
Checkers
Chick-fil-A
Church's Chicken
Dairy Queen
Del Taco
Hardee's
Firehouse Subs
Jack in the Box
Jimmy John's
KFC
Krispy Kreme
McDonald's
Panda Express
Panera Bread
PDQ
Pollo Tropical
Popeyes
Shake Shack
Sonic Drive-In
If a home-cooked meal or at least something green is more your style, you may find it a bit more of a challenge. Target (TGT) - Get Target Corporation Report will be open regular hours on New Year's Day, though Costco (COST) - Get Costco Wholesale Corporation Report and Sam's Club will not. BJ’s Wholesale Club will be open.