Midlands restaurants open on Christmas
In 2016, Denny’s restaurants welcomed more than 1.6 million guests on Dec. 25, making Christmas Day the diner’s busiest day for the seventh consecutive year.
“As America’s diner we pride ourselves on being able to serve our guests whatever they want, whenever they want it and Christmas Day is no exception,” said John Dillon, chief marketing officer for Denny’s, which is headquartered in Spartanburg. “We understand that the holidays can be extremely hectic so that’s why we keep our doors open and continue to offer great food and service for those looking for a delicious meal for the entire family or a convenient bite to eat while traveling.”
This year, Denny’s guests can try its new limited-time holiday menu featuring new buttermilk pancakes in four festive flavors--salted caramel and banana cream, pumpkin cream, sticky bun and Rudolph. Denny’s Build-Your-Own Grand Slam--the restaurant’s best-selling menu item at Christmas--will also be available all day Dec. 25.
But Denny’s won’t be the only restaurant open Christmas Day. Here is a sampling of both locally owned and chain restaurants where you can dine out in the Midlands on Monday.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
924-A Senate St., Columbia
803-212-6666
Christmas Day hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Ruth’s Chris will offer its full dinner menu – one that includes the upscale restaurant’s lobster bisque, steaks and chops, and shrimp and grits, as well as sides such as sweet potato casserole, creamed spinach and sautéed mushrooms. Be sure to call for reservations, though. Holiday seatings fill up quickly.
The British Bulldog Pub
1220 Bower Pkwy.
(803) 227-8918
Christmas Day Hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The British Bulldog off Harbison Boulevard has been open on Christmas Day every year since.
“We’ve done a good bit of business on Christmas Day,” said manager Steven Kendricks told The State in 2016. “We find that by the afternoon, folks have been in the house all day and around their family all day, and they just want to get out a little bit.”
Diners will be able to enjoy most of the usuals on the menu, including fish and chips and the ploughman’s platter, as well as chicken wings and burgers.
Buffalo Wild Wings
All locations though holiday hours may vary
The sports bar affectionately known as B-Dubs will be open on Christmas Day, serving up plenty of football games and those beloved wings.
Shoney’s
Most locations
Most locations of Shoney’s will be open Christmas Day serving their buffet from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
IHOP
All locations though holiday hours may vary
All IHOP locations will be open Christmas Day where kids and adults alike can try the restaurant’s new Fluffy the Snowman made out of -- you guessed it -- pancakes.
Others
All locations of these chain restaurants are also slated to be open Christmas Day (though hours may vary by location):
Starbucks
McDonald’s
Waffle House
Dunkin’ Donuts
Panda Express
Restaurants not open Christmas Day ...
It may surprise you to know that these restaurants won’t be open Dec. 25:
Cracker Barrel
Boston Market (some of the chain’s national locations will be open, but no such luck in SC)
Chuck E. Cheese (again, many of the chain’s locations are open nationally, but not here)
This story was originally published December 19, 2017 at 10:49 AM with the headline "Midlands restaurants open on Christmas."