In Florida, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, both part of Darden Restaurants, will not be open on Christmas Day. This closure applies to all locations in the state, including those in Sarasota, to ensure staff can enjoy the holiday with their loved ones.
Holiday Closures and Employee Benefits
This yearly shutdown highlights Darden's focus on work-life balance and holiday traditions. Olive Garden is celebrated for its Italian cuisine, while LongHorn Steakhouse is a favorite for grilled steaks, both popular in Florida. The companies emphasize giving employees a deserved break during this season.
Regular service will restart on December 26. Before Christmas, both chains often offer special menu items and gift card deals for those seeking a festive dining experience.
Potential Early Closures on Christmas Eve
"Depending on the amount of business on the day before these holidays, the restaurants may close early," Olive Garden stated on its website. "We leave this decision to the discretion of the management team."
Customers are encouraged to contact their local restaurant to confirm hours on Christmas Eve and the day before Thanksgiving.
Trend of Businesses Closing for Holidays
The practice of staying open on Thanksgiving for early shoppers is becoming less common, though not entirely disappeared. In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, many stores closed on Thanksgiving to protect customers and employees, as noted by blackfriday.com.
"In 2021, retailers took note of consumers' positive responses from the previous year and once again closed" for Thanksgiving, blackfriday.com reported.
Since then, numerous major retailers, such as Best Buy and Walmart, have continued to close on Thanksgiving, citing family time for employees. Publix closes annually for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Other Restaurants That May Close on Christmas
Several restaurants typically close for Thanksgiving, but hours can vary by location, and not all have announced plans for 2025. Most fast-food outlets remain open, but it's wise to check hours in advance. Examples include Bonefish Grill, Carrabba's Italian Grill, The Cheesecake Factory, Chick-fil-A, Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster, and Texas Roadhouse.
Alternatives for Holiday Dining
For those avoiding cooking, consider picking up meals from restaurants or grocery stores beforehand and reheating them on Christmas. Order early, as many places post menus online and may close early before the holiday. If Italian cuisine is desired, options include Bravo! Italian Kitchen, Brio Italian Grill, Maggiano’s, and Romano’s Macaroni Grill. Other choices for a no-cook holiday are Applebee’s, Bob Evans, Cracker Barrel, Denny’s, Golden Corral, Hard Rock Cafe, Ruby Tuesday, and TGI Fridays.
Olive Garden Locations in Florida
As of September 10, Olive Garden has 943 locations nationwide, according to scrapehero.com. Florida ties with California for the second-most restaurants, behind Texas: Texas has 116, Florida and California each have 79, Ohio has 37, and Pennsylvania has 37.
LongHorn Steakhouse Locations in Florida
LongHorn Steakhouse operates 622 locations as of October 20, 2025, per scrapehero.com. Florida leads with the most locations, followed by Georgia: Florida has 83, and Georgia has 71.
