The Best U.S. Cities To Dine Out During the Holidays [2024 Data Study]

Key Takeaways

• Across 50 major cities, an average of 38% of restaurants remain open on significant holidays.
• New Year’s Eve has the most availability, as 90% of restaurants in these cities remain open. New York City has the lowest availability on this night, with only 63% of its restaurants open.
• Christmas Eve is the holiday with the highest restaurant availability after New Year’s Eve, with approximately 45% of establishments remaining open across these cities.
• Christmas Day sees the lowest availability for holiday reservations, with only 34% of restaurants open on average across all 50 cities.

As the holiday season approaches, we know many travelers and locals are looking for the ideal place to enjoy a festive meal without the hassle of cooking. We conducted a data-driven study to identify the best U.S. cities for dining out on major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. By analyzing OpenTable data across 50 cities, we’ve highlighted where most restaurants are accessible on major holidays, making it easier for you to plan a perfect seasonal meal out.

The Best and Worst U.S. Cities for Securing a Holiday Reservation This Year

We analyzed OpenTable data for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day in 2024 to find the best and worst cities for securing a holiday reservation. We focused on cities with the highest average percentage of restaurants open on these dates, comparing holiday availability to a typical, non-holiday day in the same month.

Top 5 Cities for Dining at a Restaurant on a Holiday:

1. Buffalo, New York — 63.6%
2. Richmond, Virginia — 62.8%
3. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — 59.8%
4. Louisville, Kentucky — 56.6%
5. Virginia Beach, Virginia — 55.4%

Buffalo leads as the best city for holiday dining, with nearly 64% of restaurants available on OpenTable, followed closely by Richmond and Oklahoma City. These cities maintain a strong dining culture during the holidays, with over half of their restaurants open for those who prefer to dine out rather than cook. 

Bottom 5 Cities for Dining at a Restaurant on a Holiday:

1. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — 22.1%
2. San Francisco, California — 22.4%
3. Boston, Massachusetts — 22.5%
4. Atlanta, Georgia — 23%
5. Chicago, Illinois — 23.1%

In contrast, Philadelphia and San Francisco are among the most challenging cities to secure a holiday reservation, with restaurant availability below 23%. Cities like Boston and Atlanta also see limited options, which may be due to local traditions of at-home celebrations. Planning ahead is especially critical for those hoping to dine out in these areas.

Whether you’re looking for the best city to enjoy a holiday meal out or seeking alternatives in lower-availability areas, this list highlights where securing a reservation is easiest — and where it might require a bit more planning.

Dining Out by Holiday

This section dives into individual holiday data to highlight the cities with the highest and lowest restaurant availability. Explore each holiday to see which cities keep dining options open for celebrations — and where it might be harder to secure a reservation.

The Best and Worst Cities To Dine Out on Thanksgiving 2024

Top 5 Cities:

1. Buffalo, New York — 59.2%
2. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — 57.5%
3. Richmond, Virginia — 56.2%
4. Louisville, Kentucky — 54.4%
5. Las Vegas, Nevada — 54.3%

Bottom 5 Cities:

1. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — 19.1%
2. Atlanta, Georgia — 19.8%
3. Seattle, Washington — 20.2%
4. Austin, Texas — 20.3%
5. San Francisco, California — 20.7%

Thanksgiving has relatively low restaurant availability, with only 35.3% of restaurants open, on average. Buffalo and Oklahoma City stand out with over 50% availability, while major cities like Philadelphia and Atlanta offer limited options, suggesting that in these areas, locals are more likely to celebrate at home.

The Best and Worst Cities To Dine Out on Christmas Eve 2024

Top 5 Cities:

1. Buffalo, New York — 75%
2. Richmond, Virginia — 62.5%
3. Virginia Beach, Virginia — 59.5%
4. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — 59.5%
5. Louisville, Kentucky — 58.8%

Bottom 5 Cities:

1. Portland, Oregon —- 31.4%
2. Minneapolis, Minnesota — 31.9%
3. Nashville, Tennessee — 32.1%
4. Boston, Massachusetts — 32.2%
5. Columbus, Ohio — 32.5%

Christmas Eve sees an uptick in restaurant availability, with 44.6% of restaurants open. Cities like Buffalo provide plenty of dining options, with three-quarters of establishments open. However, availability in cities such as Portland and Minneapolis falls below the national average, indicating that holiday dining may be less accessible in these areas.

The Best and Worst Cities To Dine Out on Christmas Day 2024

Top 5 Cities:

1. Richmond, Virginia — 71.4%
2. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — 62.5%
3. Buffalo, New York — 58.8%
4. Louisville, Kentucky – 56.8%
5. Virginia Beach, Virginia — 56.8%

Bottom 5 Cities:

1. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — 10.5%
2. Atlanta, Georgia — 12%
3. Chicago, Illinois — 12.2%
4. Boston, Massachusetts — 12.8%
5. San Francisco, California — 13.1%

Christmas Day has the lowest overall availability, averaging only 34.2%. Nearly two-thirds of restaurants in Richmond and Oklahoma City remain open, catering to those who prefer dining out. However, securing a reservation can be a significant challenge in cities like Philadelphia and Atlanta, where fewer than 15% of restaurants are open.

The Best and Worst Cities To Dine Out on New Year’s Eve 2024

Top 5 Cities:

1. Milwaukee, Wisconsin — 97.1%
2. Detroit, Michigan — 94.8%
3. Indianapolis, Indiana — 94.3%
4. St. Louis, Missouri — 94.2%
5. Cleveland, Ohio — 94.1%

Bottom 5 Cities:

1. New York, New York — 62.7%
2. San Jose, California — 79.4%
3. Virginia Beach, Virginia — 82.1%
4. Buffalo, New York — 82.1%
5. San Antonio, Texas — 82.8%

New Year’s Eve is by far the busiest night for dining out, with an impressive average of 89.8% of restaurants open. Milwaukee and Detroit lead with nearly all establishments open, providing abundant options. However, even on this popular holiday, New York City has lower availability than expected, with only 63% of restaurants open.

The Best and Worst Cities To Dine Out on New Year’s Day 2024

Top 5 Cities:

1. Richmond, Virginia — 71.4%
2. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — 62.5%
3. Buffalo, New York — 58.8%
4. Virginia Beach, Virginia — 56.8%
5. Louisville, Kentucky — 56.8%

Bottom 5 Cities:

1. San Francisco, California — 21.9%
2. Cleveland, Ohio — 24.6%
3. San Jose, California — 24.8%
4. Seattle, Washington — 25.3%
5. Detroit, Michigan — 26.7%

New Year’s Day shows a decrease in availability compared to New Year’s Eve, with an average of 40.6% of restaurants open. Richmond leads with over 70% open, but cities like San Francisco and Cleveland fall below 25%, indicating limited options for diners.

Methodology

To identify the cities with the highest number of restaurants open on key holidays in 2024, we utilized OpenTable reservation data for 5 major dates: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day (2025). Our analysis focused on dinner reservations for 2 people across 50 major cities. For each holiday, we recorded the number of available restaurants around typical dinner times. 

To establish a baseline for comparison, we compared these figures to the number of restaurants available on the same day and time during the week preceding each holiday. Specifically for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, we referenced the same day 2 weeks prior instead of the immediate week before to account for the overlap with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day festivities. 

This comparative approach enabled us to assess the variation in restaurant availability on OpenTable between standard days and the selected holiday dates, thereby highlighting which cities maintain greater dining options during these peak times.

Data was accurate as of October 2024.

Final Thoughts

These insights reveal how restaurant availability varies widely by city and holiday. For travelers and locals alike, cities like Richmond, Buffalo, and Oklahoma City consistently offer greater options, while planning is key in cities like Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Atlanta, where holiday dining options are more limited. Whether you’re traveling to a new city or celebrating close to home, our study helps you find the best places to secure a holiday reservation and make the most of your festive season.