Are there any restaurants and food places that are open on Christmas? Specifically asking about the Philadelphia area.
Chinatown?
Also:
https://mommypoppins.com/philadelphia-kids/christmashanukkah/philly-area-restaurants-open-christmas-day
Quote from: Dough4872 on December 18, 2025, 04:39:03 PMAre there any restaurants and food places that are open on Christmas? Specifically asking about the Philadelphia area.
Almost all full service restaurants that are in hotels will be open.
Pat's and Geno's are both open 24/7.
Sheetz (made to order food), at least along I-81 SW of Harrisburg.
Quote from: oscar on December 18, 2025, 05:46:25 PMSheetz (made to order food), at least along I-81 SW of Harrisburg.
Sheetz doesn't come close enough to Philly though. Nearest ones are like an hour away.
Are there any restaurants besides Chinese open on Christmas?
Quote from: Dough4872 on December 18, 2025, 07:23:25 PMAre there any restaurants besides Chinese open on Christmas?
Have you even read people's replies? All of our replies have included non-Chinese restaurants. In fact, I think I'm the only one who mentioned Chinese food (other than the YouTube, which was not actually a reply to your question).
Quote from: Rothman on December 18, 2025, 06:25:30 PM
In the original story by Jean Sheppard, it was Easter dinner, not Christmas dinner, that the dogs stole.
Also, my mon and I end up at a Oklahoma casino for Christmas dinner. Which, obviously, is a long way from Philly.
Quote from: Rothman on December 18, 2025, 06:25:30 PM
The restaurant used for the exterior shot is in Toronto and is now a French restaurant.
Quote from: kphoger on December 18, 2025, 08:05:14 PMHave you even read people's replies?
Welcome to the Dough4872 experience.
More specifically, are there any fast food/quick service chain restaurants or convenience store chains in the Philadelphia area that are open on Christmas?
Quote from: Dough4872 on December 19, 2025, 12:40:16 PMMore specifically, are there any fast food/quick service chain restaurants or convenience store chains in the Philadelphia area that are open on Christmas?
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 18, 2025, 05:19:33 PMPat's and Geno's are both open 24/7.
Quote from: Dough4872 on December 19, 2025, 12:40:16 PMMore specifically, are there any fast food/quick service chain restaurants or convenience store chains in the Philadelphia area that are open on Christmas?
This is difficult to answer because franchise owners may be able to set their own holiday schedules. I recommend calling individual Burger King restaurants to see which ones are open on Christmas.
Quote from: Dough4872 on December 19, 2025, 12:40:16 PMMore specifically, are there any fast food/quick service chain restaurants or convenience store chains in the Philadelphia area that are open on Christmas?
Wawa?
Quote from: hbelkins on December 19, 2025, 01:53:40 PMQuote from: Dough4872 on December 19, 2025, 12:40:16 PMMore specifically, are there any fast food/quick service chain restaurants or convenience store chains in the Philadelphia area that are open on Christmas?
Wawa?
I would be stunned if Wawas (or whatever other major gas stations Philly has) aren't open. Convenience stores are the most reliable answer to this question. Even in rural America many are open for at least a partial day on Christmas.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on December 19, 2025, 04:08:13 PMI would be stunned if Wawas (or whatever other major gas stations Philly has) aren't open. Convenience stores are the most reliable answer to this question. Even in rural America many are open for at least a partial day on Christmas.
When I was in Sacramento, the office building I worked out of faced US-50 in a suburb of Sacramento. It would surprise me the amount of traffic that was on that freeway at 6-8 AM in the morning when I left the office. I suspect the following:
- Families making an early start on Christmas Day travels
- Divorced parents who were taking kids to the ex-spouse's house, thus splitting parent duties between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- People headed to work
- People headed to the ski areas
Why wouldn't a gas station/convenience store be open? Of course, a Wawa/Racetrack/QT is much better than a Arco AM/PM.
Quote from: 1995hoo on December 18, 2025, 10:07:04 PMQuote from: Rothman on December 18, 2025, 06:25:30 PM
The restaurant used for the exterior shot is in Toronto and is now a French restaurant.
I can relate to Ralphie from the film because I've worn glasses since I was a little boy, the state I grew up in borders his to the west, and my dad drove an Oldsmobile (as would I myself once I learned how to drive). But OTOH, as many things that I've asked Santa for in years past, that toy gun was not one of them because everybody knew I would shoot my eye out!
Jack in the Box has been open on Christmas in the past while other fast food places like McD's were closed. The line of cars one year, good lord.
Quote from: Road Hog on December 21, 2025, 03:00:25 AMJack in the Box has been open on Christmas in the past while other fast food places like McD's were closed. The line of cars one year, good lord.
Jack in the Box on Christmas seems kinda logical for whatever reason. Just something about an egg roll on Christmas I guess?
I generally try to avoid patronizing any non-online business which is open on holidays, even if it's not a holiday I particularly care about (like Christmas). The reason is that if a business is open, it requires employees to be at work, possibly causing them to miss out on celebrating the holiday. I had to miss too many family Thanksgivings, because of a boss deciding his business was more important than my family was, to be okay with that. By refusing to spend money on the holiday, I make it less profitable to be open, hopefully making it more likely the business will just close down and give everyone the day off.
Quote from: Scott5114 on December 21, 2025, 12:34:47 PMI generally try to avoid patronizing any non-online business which is open on holidays, even if it's not a holiday I particularly care about (like Christmas). The reason is that if a business is open, it requires employees to be at work, possibly causing them to miss out on celebrating the holiday. I had to miss too many family Thanksgivings, because of a boss deciding his business was more important than my family was, to be okay with that. By refusing to spend money on the holiday, I make it less profitable to be open, hopefully making it more likely the business will just close down and give everyone the day off.
You and I both live in places that rely heavily on tourism to support the local economy, and both places try to draw visitors for multi-night stays over major holiday weekends. Visitors need significant availability of services such as restaurants. Days when everything in Topeka is closed can be among our busiest days of the year. Give the employees double-time and let them rake in the tips. Closing is unrealistic.
Quote from: gonealookin on December 21, 2025, 01:46:57 PMQuote from: Scott5114 on December 21, 2025, 12:34:47 PMI generally try to avoid patronizing any non-online business which is open on holidays, even if it's not a holiday I particularly care about (like Christmas). The reason is that if a business is open, it requires employees to be at work, possibly causing them to miss out on celebrating the holiday. I had to miss too many family Thanksgivings, because of a boss deciding his business was more important than my family was, to be okay with that. By refusing to spend money on the holiday, I make it less profitable to be open, hopefully making it more likely the business will just close down and give everyone the day off.
You and I both live in places that rely heavily on tourism to support the local economy, and both places try to draw visitors for multi-night stays over major holiday weekends. Visitors need significant availability of services such as restaurants. Days when everything in Topeka is closed can be among our busiest days of the year. Give the employees double-time and let them rake in the tips. Closing is unrealistic.
This is true, and my view on this is heavily colored by decades spent in a non-tourist economy. Still, though, while I agree that staying open and raking in the tips is appropriate on Las Vegas Boulevard, I'm not exactly sure that mindset also makes sense on Rainbow Boulevard, y'know? (Though I suppose there's an argument to be made that someone working a grueling Christmas shift on the Strip should be able to hit up a McDonalds on their way home.)
Quote from: Scott5114 on December 21, 2025, 12:34:47 PMI generally try to avoid patronizing any non-online business which is open on holidays, even if it's not a holiday I particularly care about (like Christmas). The reason is that if a business is open, it requires employees to be at work, possibly causing them to miss out on celebrating the holiday. I had to miss too many family Thanksgivings, because of a boss deciding his business was more important than my family was, to be okay with that. By refusing to spend money on the holiday, I make it less profitable to be open, hopefully making it more likely the business will just close down and give everyone the day off.
Looking back on the one time I spent Christmas Eve at work, I realize the problem I had with some of these restaurants isn't necessarily that they're open - it's they stay open later than they should. If the place I worked was open until 3 or 4, whatever. But they have to be open until like 6 or 7 PM, and it's too late to go to any celebrations.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on December 21, 2025, 11:01:10 PMLooking back on the one time I spent Christmas Eve at work, I realize the problem I had with some of these restaurants isn't necessarily that they're open - it's they stay open later than they should. If the place I worked was open until 3 or 4, whatever. But they have to be open until like 6 or 7 PM, and it's too late to go to any celebrations.
Yep. I realized a little too late that Christmas Eve music rehearsal at church is only 45 minutes after I'm my usual clock-out time—and I'll have to drive home across town, change clothes and all that stuff, and then drive back across town to church. I'm fortunate, though, that the bosses are typically really eager to kick us all out early on Christmas Eve—and also that, even if they weren't, I have enough flexibility to leave early anyway.
Waffle House