35+ Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving Day 2017

If you're not excited about the prospect of having to cook Thanksgiving dinner, here's something to be particularly thankful for: There are plenty of restaurants open on Thanksgiving 2017.

Many buffets and other national restaurant chains are open for Thanksgiving dinner this year, and several are serving traditional Thanksgiving menus with turkey and all the trimmings. The list of restaurants open for Thanksgiving include Cracker Barrel, IHOP, Denny's, Bob Evans, and Home Town Buffet, as well as fancier dining venues like Ruth's Chris, Legal Seafoods, and McCormick and Schmick's.

If you're more in the mood for coffee or fast food at some point on Thanksgiving, don't worry: Most McDonald's, Starbucks, and Burger King locations are also open on Thanksgiving Day, albeit sometimes with limited hours. (On the other hand, some major restaurant chains, like Olive Garden, are closed on Thanksgiving.)

What Restaurants Are Open on Thanksgiving?

Applebee's: A representative told Money that select Applebee's are open on Thanksgiving and serving special Thanksgiving meals with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and such. But not all locations are open, so check locally to see if your nearby Applebee's is open or closed.

Bob Evans: Restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, and the chain also has a take-away "Turkey Farmhouse Feast" that serves eight people for $110.

Black Angus Steakhouse: A special Thanksgiving menu is available on Thanksgiving, with a full traditional holiday feast priced at $19.99 for adults and $9.99 for kids.

Boston Market: A special Thanksgiving menu is available on the holiday for customers who want to dine in or take their orders to-go.

Buca di Beppo: Restaurant locations open at 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day for dine-in and to-go orders. Catering options start at $199.99 for a Thanksgiving feast that serves 10 people.

Burger King: Most locations are open on Thanksgiving, though hours may be limited.

Capital Grille: A traditional Thanksgiving dinner is priced at $39 for adults, and $15 for children at Capital Grille, which is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday. Drinks and dessert cost extra.

Chart House: Select Chart House locations are open and serving traditional Thanksgiving dinners with all the trimmings on the holiday.

Claim Jumper: Most locations are open on Thanksgiving Day, with operating hours from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. "The Feast," which comes with a combination of turkey, ham, tri-tip steak, and multiple sides, costs $28.99.

Cracker Barrel: Cracker Barrel says Thanksgiving is its busiest day of the year. The Homestyle Turkey n' Dressing Meal costs $12.99 for adults and $7.99 for kids, and to-go holiday meals start at $67.99 for enough food to feed six. You can also pick up fresh-baked pies for $8.99.

Denny's: Locations are open nationwide on Thanksgiving.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse: A prix fixe Thanksgiving dinner is available on Thanksgiving Day, with prices varying by location. The children's prix fixe Thanksgiving dinner costs $15 and up.

Fogo de Chao: Most locations are open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving. Children 6 and under are free, and kids ages 7 to 12 pay half of the adult price.

Golden Corral: The Thanksgiving Day buffet includes fried chicken, pot roast, glazed ham, and three kinds of turkey, as well as more than a dozen sides and a choice of three different desserts.

Hooters: Most Hooters restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, though hours may be limited.

Home Town Buffet: Restaurants are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving, with a special Thanksgiving menu.

IHOP: IHOP locations are generally open on Thanksgiving, and the menu includes options like the roasted turkey dinner.

Krispy Kreme: The majority of locations will be open with normal hours on Thanksgiving Day.

Legal Seafoods: A turkey dinner with stuffing, mashed potatoes, butternut squash, gravy, and cranberry sauce is priced at $24.95 for adults and $8.95 for kids 12 and under on Thanksgiving. Most Legal Seafoods locations open at 11 a.m. or noon on the holiday.

Maggiano's: Special four-course Thanksgiving dinners are being served on Thanksgiving Day, with dine-in prices generally at $39.95 per adult, $17.95 per child.

Marie Callender's: A variety of dine-in and to-go Thanksgiving options are available for the holiday.

McCormick and Schmick's: A roasted turkey dinner, with roughly half a dozen sides, is available on Thanksgiving, alongside the normal menu. Prices vary by location.

McDonald's: Most locations are open on Thanksgiving, though hours may be limited.

Morton's Steakhouse: Restaurants are open for Thanksgiving dinner, though hours may vary based on location.

Old Country Buffet: Restaurants are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, and the menu features steak, carved roast beef, carved ham, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, buttered corn, green beans, cornbread—and of course, carved turkey.

Pizza Hut: Most locations are open on Thanksgiving.

Ponderosa Steakhouse: Restaurants are open on Thanksgiving, and customers can dine or order ahead for "heat and serve" holiday meals to go.

Romano's Macaroni Grill: The three-course Thanksgiving dinner comes with soup or salad, turkey, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and pumpkin pie for dessert, for $24.99.

Ruth's Chris: The three-course turkey dinner costs $39.95 on Thanksgiving, and the children's menu has meals for $12.95.

Ryan's: Like corporate siblings Home Town Buffet and Old Country Buffet, Ryan's is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving and is serving a special holiday buffet.

Starbucks: A public relations representative told us that select stores are open on Thanksgiving, and holiday hours vary at different Starbucks "based on business and customer needs." Use the Starbucks store locator to check the hours of nearby Starbucks locations.

Steak 'n Shake: Most locations are open on Thanksgiving.

Ted's Montana Grill: More than 40 locations around the country are open on Thanksgiving, and the Thanksgiving Roast Turkey Feast is priced at $29. Check for hours at your nearest location.

TGI Fridays: According to a Fridays spokesperson, restaurant operating hours vary by location for Thanksgiving. Some are open, but you should call your local TGI Fridays to check on opening and closing hours for the holiday.

Waffle House: Without a doubt, yes! Every Waffle House location is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including Thanksgiving and Christmas.

White Castle: All locations around the country are open on Thanksgiving. White Castle even has turkey sliders on the menu now, and, if you're daring enough to go there, it recommends a White Castle stuffing recipe that incorporates 10 to 12 of its regular sliders shredded into pieces and mixed with celery, broth, and spices.