All Olive Garden restaurants in mainland US will remain closed. (Photo: X)
Olive Garden will close all of its US restaurants on both Thanksgiving and Christmas Day this year, the company has announced.
The decision marks a shift in the Italian restaurant chain’s holiday operations and will affect diners hoping to celebrate at one of its 900 locations across the country.
According to a notice on Olive Garden’s website, the closures are intended to allow employees to spend the holidays with their families and friends.
The company said the move reflects its commitment to “treating guests like family” — a long-time slogan — by extending that philosophy to its own staff.
The closures mean customers hoping to enjoy Olive Garden’s signature breadsticks, soup and salad on 27 November for Thanksgiving or December 25 for Christmas will need to make other plans.
While all mainland US restaurants will close, Olive Garden said locations in Hawaii, Guam and Puerto Rico, as well as international branches, may operate on different schedules. Diners are advised to check with local restaurants for holiday hours.
The chain also warned that some restaurants may close early on the days before the holidays — 26 November and Christmas Eve — depending on customer traffic and local business conditions.
Normal operating hours will resume the day after each holiday, with restaurants reopening on 28 November and 26 December.
Olive Garden’s decision follows a broader trend among major US retailers and restaurant chains, including Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Costco and Trader Joe’s, which have also opted to close on Thanksgiving and Christmas to prioritise employee wellbeing and work-life balance.
Comments are closed.