Open on Christmas?

[mhsjax]

I'm cooking for Christmas Eve so I'm not interested in cooking again on
Christmas. It looks like McCormick & Scmick's is open in my area. It looks like that may be the place to go.

But have you ever been to a McCormick & Scmick. Over priced plate of crap is my personal opinion. Service, well what service. We waited 1 hour for our food, literally and our waitress wouldn't even come to our table because the order got messed up. And the food not worth the price of McDonalds. Unless you happen to love it, I would look for somewhere else.

 

[MIGrandma]

Around here there are no restaurants open on Christmas Day, except for Chinese restaurants. Grocery stores offer fully cooked dinners (turkey or ham with all the trimmings) and you can get those as late as Christmas Eve Day so that is probably what I would do, just get a dinner and then re-heat it on Christmas Day.

 

[RUDisney]

Are you suggesting I take my friend to a shelter/soup kitchen for Christmas dinner? Um... no thanks. We were looking for a nice place to have dinner out together and we've found one (see post above). We are both very gainfully employed. Why would I eat a free meal that could have gone to someone who needs it?

No, that's not what I was suggesting. Many churches do these meals around here. Like I said, they are for the poor, BUT they are more for those who don't have anywhere else to go but want to be with other people for the holiday.

They even send out people to pick up older people who can't drive anymore so they don't have to stay at home.

I was just offering an option in case nothing else was open.

 

[MIGrandma]

Thank you for your suggestions, however, I think you missed the question. We want to go out. We don't want to sit around my house for the day.

I did some searching on the Open Table reservations system and found tons of nice places open (although not the chains I mentioned). We decided on McCormick and Schmick's (ALL locations are open) and made a reservation for a mid-afternoon dinner. It's right near a theatre, so we can see a movie afterwards as well.

In your OP you didn't say anything about not wanting to sit around your house for the day. If you would have clarified that, people wouldn't be suggesting at home options.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

I'm not going "home" this year to celebrate with family. Instead, I'm just going to hang out for the day with a friend. Does anyone know what restaurant chains (not fast food) are open on Christmas day? Cheesecake Factory? Outback? Olive Garden? Etc.

I live in Northern VA, too...... come hang out with our crazy famil;y!!1

 

[Tina]

In your OP you didn't say anything about not wanting to sit around your house for the day. If you would have clarified that, people wouldn't be suggesting at home options.

I'm sorry my orginal post was not that clear. I assumed the request for open restaurants would communicate the fact that we want to go out for dinner.

So to clarify: we are two adult, gainfully employed women. One is not religious, the other is Muslim. We want to eat a nice dinner together, not at home, prepared by someone else, but not in a church or homeless shelter. And preferably at an establishment that does not have a drive-thru window. Holiday theme is optional because neither of us care or are offended.

I think we found one. Thanks.

 

[Tina]

But have you ever been to a McCormick & Scmick. Over priced plate of crap is my personal opinion. Service, well what service. We waited 1 hour for our food, literally and our waitress wouldn't even come to our table because the order got messed up. And the food not worth the price of McDonalds. Unless you happen to love it, I would look for somewhere else.

I've been there once or twice and didn't have any complaints. But I live near DC, where overpriced is the norm. I don't recall them being that much more expensive than other restaurants in the area (of that caliber). I recall having salmon there and liked it. My friend is a crab cake junkie, and its hard to do those wrong in this area. In comparison to the options open that day, I think we'll be happy enough. Beats Denny's. Or the shelter. Although, I will say I do have a strange love for Dennys' superbird sandwich.... not sure why.

 

[Tina]

I live in Northern VA, too...... come hang out with our crazy famil;y!!1

Thanks for the offer. Crazy family is the REASON I'm not going "home" this year!! Ha Ha!

 

[dakcp2001]

Awfully snarky for someone asking for advice imo. If you dont like peoples suggestions, just ignore them and move on.

 

[Jennasis]

Shocking, but here in NC our local Ruby Tuesdays is open on Christmas Day. In fact, we tried to go there one year for dinner but found an hour and 45 minute wait when we got there. There were empty tables inside so I believe the problem was they understaffed themselves for the day. Then customers who were leaving as they finished eating passed the word to us in the waiting area that the restaurant was running out of food! I guess they didn't anticipate the huge crowd. They literally had NO hamburgers left!

We drove around (5 very grumpy adults) until I found a local italian place (owned by Muslims) that was open. It was pretty good.

 

[Tina]

Awfully snarky for someone asking for advice imo. If you dont like peoples suggestions, just ignore them and move on.

I'm sorry you're offended. I like to have a sense of humor about things. Perhaps you don't. There's no reason to be so serious on a silly forum. But if you don't like my responses, just ignore them and move on.

 

[Tina]

Shocking, but here in NC our local Ruby Tuesdays is open on Christmas Day. In fact, we tried to go there one year for dinner but found an hour and 45 minute wait when we got there. There were empty tables inside so I believe the problem was they understaffed themselves for the day. Then customers who were leaving as they finished eating passed the word to us in the waiting area that the restaurant was running out of food! I guess they didn't anticipate the huge crowd. They literally had NO hamburgers left!

We drove around (5 very grumpy adults) until I found a local italian place (owned by Muslims) that was open. It was pretty good.

Thank you for pointing that out. I'm glad we made a reservation. I'm positive we are not the only ones heading out on Christmas day.

 

[Jennasis]

Thank you for pointing that out. I'm glad we made a reservation. I'm positive we are not the only ones heading out on Christmas day.

I envy you. Wish we were going out to eat this year, even with a potential hour+ wait. My MIL can't cook worth a darn.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

But have you ever been to a McCormick & Scmick. Over priced plate of crap is my personal opinion. Service, well what service. We waited 1 hour for our food, literally and our waitress wouldn't even come to our table because the order got messed up. And the food not worth the price of McDonalds. Unless you happen to love it, I would look for somewhere else.

Wow - I would love to have a M&S around here. The one in Baltimore was great!

I've been there once or twice and didn't have any complaints. But I live near DC, where overpriced is the norm. I don't recall them being that much more expensive than other restaurants in the area (of that caliber). I recall having salmon there and liked it. My friend is a crab cake junkie, and its hard to do those wrong in this area. In comparison to the options open that day, I think we'll be happy enough. Beats Denny's. Or the shelter. Although, I will say I do have a strange love for Dennys' superbird sandwich.... not sure why.

Who wouldn't love a Superbird??

 

[kaytieeldr]

Awfully snarky for someone asking for advice imo. If you dont like peoples suggestions, just ignore them and move on.

The response to RUDisney was interestingly snooty. We're not mindreaders. When somebody says, "I don't want to cook Christmas Day, what restaurants are open?" and most of us know that few are, and we provide well-intentioned alternatives, we do that because we take the question at face value (and because other responses have already listed the few alternatives, refused by the original poster ).

 

[Dax]

I'm not going "home" this year to celebrate with family. Instead, I'm just going to hang out for the day with a friend. Does anyone know what restaurant chains (not fast food) are open on Christmas day? Cheesecake Factory? Outback? Olive Garden? Etc.

Being in Orlando area, we got lots open, but I know Ruby Tuesday, and sometimes Fridays are both open on Christmas day. Also Golden Corral is usually open as well.

Good Luck! I go out every year too, but we have the luck of going to Disney..LOL

 

[Tina]

The response to RUDisney was interestingly snooty. We're not mindreaders. When somebody says, "I don't want to cook Christmas Day, what restaurants are open?" and most of us know that few are, and we provide well-intentioned alternatives, we do that because we take the question at face value (and because other responses have already listed the few alternatives, refused by the original poster ).

I assume you are referring to the last line of my response (the only snooty part) where I repeated the exact phrase the RUDisney had posted to me. And I agree, it was snooty, and that's why I repeated it back.

I'm sorry that I did not jump at all of the suggestions made, but I have since clarified exactly what I was looking for. I'm also sorry if my not choosing your suggestion offended you. It was not intended that way. If you and your family choose to attend a free community dinner at your local church or shelter on your holiday, that is certainly your perogative and I have no beef with that. However, that is not how I'd like to spend the day with my friend. Have a happy holiday and enjoy your free community dinner with your family/friends/neighbors/etc.

 

[RUDisney]

Are you suggesting I take my friend to a shelter/soup kitchen for Christmas dinner? Um... no thanks. We were looking for a nice place to have dinner out together and we've found one (see post above). We are both very gainfully employed. Why would I eat a free meal that could have gone to someone who needs it?

Actually, your whole response to me was snarky. I didn't suggest that you go to a homeless shelter for dinner. I also said that it was not for just poor people. I said it was to foster a sense of community and that it was free (an added benefit even if you could afford dinner out.)

This type of dinner is for anyone who wishes to attend. You wouldn't be taking a meal away from someone who needs it. It is for everyone.

No, that's not what I was suggesting. Many churches do these meals around here. Like I said, they are for the poor, BUT they are more for those who don't have anywhere else to go but want to be with other people for the holiday.

They even send out people to pick up older people who can't drive anymore so they don't have to stay at home.

I was just offering an option in case nothing else was open.

As I said above, I was just offering an alternative if nothing else was open. I don't know of anything in my area (other than Chinese) that is open on Christmas.

 

[Tina]

I'm sorry, in my last post I confused the snooty post by dakcp2001 with the post by RUDisney. THAT was the post I was referring to. I was at work when I responded and read quickly.

But as for my original response to RUDisney's suggestion, I stand by my response. It DID appear to me that a free meal at a shelter or church was being suggested. I've never heard of such a thing here that was not a charity sort of thing. Perhaps this is big in your area, but it's not in mine.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

We are looking for an open restaurant too. My DS is turning 9 on Christmas, and he really wants to go out to eat for his birthday this year. I told him we would see what we could find.