Whether you forgot to thaw the turkey or simply don’t feel like preparing a full Thanksgiving spread, you’ve got plenty of options for eating out on Turkey Day. A surprising number of restaurant chains will keep their doors open, offering everything from coffee to comfort food.

In general, restaurants that pride themselves on being “always open” are sticking to that promise for the holiday. Others, however, will close some—or all—of their locations. Because many chains include independently owned franchises, hours can vary from place to place.

Restaurant Chains Closed on Thanksgiving

Most locations for the following chains are expected to close for the holiday, though a few exceptions will remain open:

• Cheesecake Factory — Select locations, including Arundel Mills (Hanover, MD) and The Forum Shops at Caesars (Las Vegas), will be open.

• Chili’s

• Chipotle

• Culver’s

• In-N-Out

• Jersey Mike’s

• KFC

• LongHorn Steakhouse

• Noodles & Company

• Olive Garden

• Outback Steakhouse

• Raising Cane’s

• Red Lobster — Times Square (NYC) will stay open.

• Red Robin

• Taco Bell

• Texas Roadhouse

Restaurant Chains Open on Thanksgiving

If you’re hoping to grab a hot meal—or just a quick coffee—these chains have confirmed that most or all of their locations will be open on Thanksgiving Day:

• Arby’s

• Buca di Beppo

• Burger King

• Cracker Barrel

• Denny’s

• Domino’s

• Dunkin’

• IHOP

• Jack in the Box

• McDonald’s

• Panera

• Pizza Hut

• Starbucks

• Waffle House

• Wendy’s

Before You Head Out…

Holiday hours can vary widely, even within the same chain. Before driving over, it’s a good idea to call ahead or check online to confirm whether your local restaurant is open and if they’re operating on reduced hours.

Local, independently owned eateries may also choose to close or maintain limited service on Thanksgiving, so plan accordingly.

And if all else fails, many convenience stores and gas stations stay open year-round—perfect for a quick snack or last-minute necessity.

Disney fans are about to meet a whole new kind of magic: a fully self-walking Olaf. The lovable snowman from Frozen is set to debut at international Disney Parks, bringing an unprecedented level of realism and personality to character interactions.

The reveal came on Monday from Bruce Vaughn, president and chief creative officer of Walt Disney Imagineering, and Natacha Rafalski, president of Disneyland Paris. Guests will soon be able to spot Olaf roaming the World of Frozen areas at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and at Disney Adventure World in Disneyland Paris.


Image Credit: disneyparksblog.com

So how does Olaf walk on his own? Walt Disney Imagineering used reinforcement learning — a type of artificial intelligence that teaches robots to make decisions based on trial and error. IBM describes it as a process where “autonomous agents learn to make decisions by interacting with their environment.”

In the newest episode of We Call It Imagineering, Disney’s creative team explains how they used this technology to help robotic characters learn to walk, balance, and move more naturally.

This isn’t Disney’s first foray into autonomous robotics. Last year, the parks introduced BD-X droids at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. These little droids can dance, hop, bow, and even gently nudge guests like friendly pets. More recently, a self-balancing H.E.R.B.I.E. — inspired by The Fantastic Four: First Steps — made special limited-time appearances at Disneyland.

As for bringing Olaf to Disneyland in California or Walt Disney World in Florida, nothing official has been announced yet. However, Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro previously teased the possibility of bringing immersive lands based on Frozen, Black Panther, and Coco to life at the U.S. parks.

For now, international visitors will be the first to witness Olaf’s new AI-powered charm — but with Disney’s robotics innovations accelerating quickly, it may just be a matter of time before he waddles his way stateside.

VOTE HERE

Image Credit: acdc.com

AC/DC expanded their Power Up World Tour into 2026 with South American and North American dates. The Pretty Reckless will provide support for the legendary Australian rockers. 

The tour started earlier this year and takes its name from AC/DC’s 2020 album, Power Up. The group currently includes founding member strong>Angus Young on lead guitar and longtime vocalist Brian Johnson, with Stevie Young on rhythm guitar, Matt Laug on drums and Chris Chaney on bass.

The stadium run starts on February 24 in São Paulo, Brazil at MorumBIS, followed by March stops in Chile and Argentina. April starts with a concert in Mexico City, launching the North American leg that includes shows in Charlotte, Columbus, Denver, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston, Montreal, and New York. The 21-city excursion concludes on September 29 in Philadelphia.

Tickets for AC/DC’s Power Up World Tour 2026 on sale now. GET TICKETS HERE

To connect with AC/DC:

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AC/DC 2026 Tour Dates:

• 07/11/26 – Charlotte, NC @ Bank of America Stadium
• 07/15/26 – Columbus, OH @ Ohio Stadium
• 07/19/26 – Madison, WI @ Camp Randall Stadium
• 07/24/26 – San Antonio, TX @ Alamodome
• 07/28/26 – Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High
• 08/01/26 – Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium
• 08/05/26 – Santa Clara, CA @ Levi's Stadium
• 08/09/26 – Edmonton, AB @ Commonwealth Stadium
• 08/13/26 – Vancouver, BC @ BC Place
• 08/27/26 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium
• 08/31/26 – Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium
• 09/04/26 – South Bend, IN @ Notre Dame Stadium
• 09/08/26 – Saint Louis, MO @ The Dome at America's Center
• 09/12/26 – Montreal, QC @ Parc Jean Drapeau
• 09/16/26 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium
• 09/25/26 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium
• 09/29/26 – Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field