Restaurants Open on Christmas?

Echoing what S. H,. wrote - you can order a nice holiday dinner from a grocery store and pick it up in advance or plan on Chinese take out.

Throw a ham in the oven and put in some baked potatoes and a quick veggie. Prep time about 10 minutes.

Google, Places to eat in Springfield, Ill, Christmas Eve, 2013

There were a few places listed, but you need to make reservations.

Otherwise Google, places to pick up food for Christmas Eve.. in Springfield, Ill, Christmas Eve, 2013. Looks like a good list. Again call and place an order to verify you will have food.

I've had some lovely holiday meals in hotels. Maybe try a nice one in your area?

Chinese restaurants are usually open.

Also, at least in my city, the major grocery stores, have holiday food package deals. ie: with turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, and side dishes. You pick it up, bring it home and heat it up. Even Whole Foods does this. And it is very good. BUT you have to order it, PRIOR to the Eve. So you need to plan ahead and not wait until it is too late.
Just call around your grocery stores, and see if they offer this.

Many Middle Eastern restaurants are open (the ones owned by Muslims, but not those owned by Christians).

Honey Baked Ham. My best friend on Christmas.

Order ahead, and pick it up the day (or two days) before. Just a ham (or turkey) or add whatever sides if you don't want to make those. Same with desserts.

Easy peasy.

We are having the Christmas dinner buffet at the Ramada Inn on Christmas day.

are you really in Springfield, IL?

this place has multiple locations...this one has several in Illinois.
http://www.bucadibeppo.com/locations/

I would call around to restaurants that you enjoy and see if they will be open Christmas day...I know there are some that are open...

Merry Christmas!

There are restaurants that are open on Christmas Day. I would recommend checking around to your favorite restaurants to see what their hours are. There are some open outside of fast food restaurants. Some are only open for several hours during the day so you can pick up your pre-ordered meals and pies, Marie Callender's comes to mind for picking up pies.

Chinese restaurants are usually open. My husband is working on Christmas. I will probably make soup in the crock pot and buy some good bakery bread.

All of the upscale grocery stores near us have pre-assembled meals that you can buy. They come in a big box with either a ham or a turkey (you choose), and whatever side dishes you order. There's an instruction sheet inside telling you what to do and when, and it's very easy. I did that one year because we had been traveling and I hadn't had a chance to plan, prep, or grocery shop, and was jet-lagged. Anyway, it turned out just fine. That's what I'd recommend. Make your husband and kids help if you don't enjoy cooking. It's not so miserable when you have help. ;)

I don't know about the immigration patterns in your area, but are there any immigrant groups in your area who don't traditionally celebrate Christmas, and who own restaurants?

The old-school Jewish tradition is to spend Christmas playing cards and eating Chinese food, but where I live, South Asian (Indian and Pakistani) restaurants are more likely to be open than Chinese.

Our sink was backed up last year and we couldn't really cook a big meal (no way to clean up!) so we went out for Chinese. I think we will be doing that from now on!

Depending on where you live not all chain restaurant's are open, even here (just outside Disney) the biggest chains are closed Christmas day. I do know that places like Denny's, Golden Corral or maybe diners are open then. I would call your local super market and see if they do holiday catering. A lot of them do it now, I know the our local supermarket does and their food is really good.

I tried to do that last year and discovered that no restaurants in my area are open on xmas. I can't remember what we had, but it was far from a nice xmas dinner!

I suggest you call around before xmas.

One Christmas, when I live alone with my mother, our plans fell through, and we had no where to celebrate Christmas dinner (my brothers all went to their in-laws to celebrate). So we went to a very nice suburban hotel for a nice dinner. You really better call around first, and make some reservations, if you are going to a nice place.

On the Christmases that we don't travel or host, we like to get Chinese takeout for dinner.

We often go see a movie in the afternoon if there is something family-friendly showing. Our home-for-Christmas tradition wasn't our idea, we copy what my Jewish friends do that day.

Years ago after dealing with a long drawn out dinner at the in-laws and having to spend most of the day in the kitchen, I put my foot down and said no more. I wanted to spend Christmas with and enjoying my family. So we eat at home, we make a very simple dinner, I put a roast or a ham, in the oven with some potatoes (baked). A few days before, I wash and cut up some veggies so they can been steamed.

Yes, there are restaurants that are opened for Christmas. Often restaurants that are known for staying open 24 hours will remain open. Also, you can check in your area for ethnic restaurants that are owned and operated by those that don't celebrate Christmas.

In our area, most of the grocery stores will prepare a dinner for you. Although you need to order in advance and will probably need to pick it up the afternoon before Christmas.

I'm not sure if you have a Bob Evans near you but I do know you can pre-order a turkey dinner with all the trimmings including dinner rolls and dessert. If the restaurant is closed Christmas day they will have you pickup the night before. All you need to do is warm and serve.

Or consider doing an Italian Christmas. Make a tray of lasagna or stuffed shells this weekend. Grab the fixings for a nice salad and a loaf of garlic bread. All you have to do is throw it in the oven Christmas day.

Peace and Blessings,
Mom2M&M's

Go to a Luby's or a soul food place on Christmas Eve. Get take out for Christmas.

I will be alone news years eve. It's so amazing how that does not bother me anymore. I actually turned down invites because I don't like crowds.

Happy holidays

I don't know where are you leaving but most restaurant are closed on Christmas ( I worked in restaurant many years, my husband still does) but I always look on the internet or new community
Hope it will help
Have. Merry Christmas
May you also can find great take out dinner on the 23 for the 24 :))
Blessing

Ihop & Denny's usually are.

I would call around to some restaurants you like in your area & ask them if they are open on Christmas!

If I were you, I would probably order something now. Some grocery stores will make your whole dinner for you! I know what you mean though - I'm not much of a cook either. And I'm hosting 14 people this year! I started stressing out about it and finally decided to order a really nice deli platter. I'll get some fun sides and that's it. Hope my family likes sandwiches for Christmas dinner :)

My Jewish friends go out for Chinese on Christmas, because Chinese restaurants are often open. You could do worse than dim sum for brunch. If you have a Chinese place that you like, call them and see if they'll be open.

I do not have a Boston Market close to me, but when I did I loved ordering stuff from them for the holidays. I think they are opened on Christmas, but double check your location.

Also, if you want fancier, you can always go to a nice hotel. They usually are opened over the holidays and often have specials (brunch or Christmas dinner).