You’re hungry. It’s December 25th. Maybe the oven broke, or maybe you just can't stomach the thought of washing another mountain of roasting pans. You start thinking about a Magnificent Seven breakfast or a massive slice of Silk Pie. Naturally, the big question hits: is Perkins open on Christmas Day, or are you stuck with whatever happens to be in the back of your freezer?
The answer isn't a simple yes or no. It's more of a "probably, but don't bet your entire morning on it without checking."
Perkins Restaurant & Bakery has a long-standing reputation for being the neighborhood reliable. They’ve been around since 1958, starting as a pancake house in Ohio, and they’ve built a brand on being there when other places aren't. But Christmas is the one day where corporate mandates often take a backseat to local reality. Most Perkins locations are franchised. This means the person who actually owns your local spot—the one near the highway or the one in the shopping center—gets to decide if their staff stays home to open presents or comes in to flip omelets.
Historically, a huge chunk of Perkins locations do stay open. They know that Christmas morning is one of the busiest times for people who don't celebrate, travelers on the road, or families who have made a Perkins breakfast their specific holiday tradition.
Tracking Down a Perkins Open on Christmas Day
If you’re looking for a Perkins open on Christmas Day, you have to be a bit of a detective. You can't just trust a random third-party website that says "holiday hours may vary." That's a trap. Usually, if a location is open, they’ll run on a limited schedule. Instead of the typical 24-hour service some spots still maintain, you might see them open at 6:00 AM and shut the doors by 2:00 PM or 4:00 PM.
Why the early close? It’s a compromise. It allows the restaurant to catch the massive breakfast and brunch rush—which is their bread and butter—while letting the kitchen crew get home in time for dinner.
I’ve seen it happen where the parking lot is jammed at 10:00 AM, and by 3:00 PM, the "Closed" sign is flipped. If you show up at 5:00 PM expecting a turkey dinner, you might be staring at a dark dining room.
The most reliable way to verify is the official Perkins store locator on their website. They usually update this about a week before the holiday. However, even that can be slow to reflect last-minute changes due to staffing. Honestly? Just call them. A thirty-second phone call on December 23rd saves you a depressing drive on the 25th. Ask specifically about "holiday hours" because sometimes they’ll be open but only serving a limited menu.
Why Some Locations Choose to Close
Staffing is a nightmare on Christmas. Let’s be real. Not every manager can find enough people willing to work the holiday shift, even with the promise of holiday pay or high tips. In regions where Perkins has a smaller footprint, or where the local culture leans heavily toward total business shutdowns on the 25th, you’re more likely to find a locked door.
In some states—think the Upper Midwest where Perkins is king—the demand is so high that they basically have to stay open. In places like Minnesota or Pennsylvania, Perkins is a cultural staple. Closing on Christmas in those areas would be like the local grocery store running out of milk before a blizzard. People would notice.
Then there’s the "corporate vs. franchise" divide. Corporate-owned stores have more pressure to stick to a standardized holiday schedule. Franchisees, however, have to look at their overhead. If the cost of heating the building and paying time-and-a-half to the staff outweighs the projected pancake sales, they’ll stay shut.
The Christmas Day Menu: What to Expect
Don’t expect the full, sprawling menu if you find a Perkins open on Christmas Day. While many locations try to offer the classics, some trim things down to keep the kitchen moving fast.
- The Breakfast Staples: You’ll almost always find the Tremendous Twelve or the Magnificent Seven. Eggs, sausage, bacon, and those signature pancakes are the easiest things for a skeleton crew to crank out.
- The Bakery: This is the secret weapon. Even if the dining room is closed, some locations keep the bakery counter open for "grab and go" orders. If you forgot to buy a pie for your family dinner, this is your literal savior.
- Limited Entrees: You might not find every burger or steak tips option available. Many spots pivot to a "Holiday Plate" featuring turkey or ham to streamline service.
It’s worth mentioning the pies. Perkins sells an astronomical amount of pies in December. We’re talking French Silk, Lemon Meringue, and various fruit pies. If you're planning on picking one up on Christmas Day, you are playing a dangerous game. Most people pre-order these days in advance. If you walk in at noon on Christmas hoping for a whole Pumpkin Pie, you might walk out with a single muffin and a lot of regret.
The Crowd Factor
If you go, prepare for a wait. It won't be like a normal Sunday morning. It will be busier.
The crowd is usually a mix. You’ve got the seniors who have been eating there every morning for twenty years. You’ve got the families with three kids in pajamas who didn't want to cook. You’ve got the travelers who are halfway through an eight-hour drive and just need a cup of coffee that isn't from a gas station.
Service might be a little slower. The servers are often working hard on a day they’d rather be elsewhere. A little patience goes a long way. And for the love of everything, tip well. If someone is bringing you hash browns on Christmas morning, they deserve that extra few bucks.
Holiday Hours and Logistics
Across the board, the most common hours for a Perkins open on Christmas Day tend to fall between 7:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
Some locations in high-traffic areas, like near major airports or trucking routes, might stay open 24 hours. But those are the outliers. In the post-2020 world, the "always open" model has largely disappeared for many chains, and Perkins is no exception. Labor shortages hit the casual dining sector hard, and many managers have used holidays as a way to give their remaining staff a much-needed break.
Check the Perkins app too. Sometimes they’ll run "App Only" deals for the holidays, or at least provide a more real-time update on which locations in your zip code are active.
What if your local Perkins is closed?
If you strike out, you aren't totally out of luck. Usually, if a Perkins is closed, people look toward Denny’s or IHOP, which are more consistently open 24/7 across all locations. But the vibe isn't the same. There's something about the Perkins bakery and that specific smell of fried potatoes and pie crust that hits different on a cold December morning.
If you are a regular, talk to your favorite server a week or two before. They usually know the schedule before it’s even posted on the door. They’ll tell you the "real" deal—not just if they’re open, but how early you need to get there before the line wraps around the building.
Actionable Steps for Your Christmas Meal
Planning is the difference between a great breakfast and a hungry drive home.
- Call the restaurant directly on December 22nd or 23rd. Don't call on Christmas Eve; they’ll be too busy to give you a clear answer. Ask for the exact opening and closing times for Christmas Day.
- Pre-order your pies. If you want a whole pie to take home, call at least 48 hours in advance. Do not assume they will have extras in the case.
- Aim for the "Early Bird" window. If the restaurant opens at 7:00 AM, try to be there by 7:30 AM. The "church crowd" and the "late sleepers" usually collide around 10:30 AM, creating a massive bottleneck.
- Check the "Holiday To-Go" options. Some Perkins locations offer entire heat-and-serve holiday meals. You usually have to pick these up on Christmas Eve, but it’s a solid backup plan if you want the Perkins taste without the Christmas Day crowd.
- Verify the menu. Ask if they are serving the full menu or a "Limited Holiday Menu" so you don't have your heart set on a specific sandwich only to find out they're only doing breakfast.
The reality of finding a Perkins open on Christmas Day is that it’s highly likely, but never guaranteed. Treat it like a "trust but verify" situation. If you do find one open, enjoy the pancakes, grab a slice of pie for later, and remember that the people working are making your holiday a lot easier. That’s worth the extra effort of a phone call and a generous tip.