One of the most beloved American customs is Thanksgiving, when family and friends gather for a warm, happy celebration. Thanksgiving is known for its hearty foods, like pumpkin pie, golden roast turkey, buttery mashed potatoes, spicy stuffing, and tangy cranberry sauce.
Labor Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on November 23, is a national holiday that honors workers for their hard work. In Japan, its considered as the last public holiday of the year.
Thanksgiving in the United States is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of November. The holiday will be on November 27, 2025. Families all over the country will get together to eat filling meals, think about their gifts, and spend special time with each other. Today’s events center on getting together with family, but the holiday’s roots go back to ancient harvest ceremonies in which people thanked God for a good crop.
Federal, state and local buildings, as well as most government services, will be closed for the day. On Friday, things will get back to normal. The New York Stock Exchange and other financial markets will also be closed on Thanksgiving. They will return the next business day. Many state services stop for a short time, but critical services and digital payment options continue to operate.
Roots in a ritual for the imperial harvest
The holiday has its roots in Niinamesai, an old Shintō ceremony held at the royal court. In this ceremony, the emperor gives newly collected grains to the gods to thank them for the year’s harvest and ask for more wealth in the coming year. This practice is very important to Japan’s culture of growing rice and has been passed down through the years.
Niinamesai was marked on November 23 before Japan’s 1948 Act on National Holidays was made law. When the rule was made, the day was made less religious and kept separate from royal religious events.
The spirit of the holiday—thanking both the crop and the people who worked hard to make it possible—was kept alive with the new name, Labor Thanksgiving Day. It’s not very connected to the labor movement, though. The labor movement is most busy on May 1 (which isn’t a holiday) and during the spring pay drive when workers negotiate with management.
Shrines all over Japan still hold Niinamesai events where the grains of the year are given to the gods as thanks for a good harvest. On this day, towns and local governments also hold events like harvest festivals, farmers’ markets, and food shows with local foods and goods.
Even though things have changed, Japan’s Labor Thanksgiving Day still shows how much they value hard work and the benefits of nature.
Restaurants open on Thanksgiving Day 2025.
In 2025, many well-known food brands will be open for business on Thanksgiving Day. Many places may have different hours, and since some offices are privately run, it’s best to check with the ones closest to you for exact times. Here are some well-known chains that let you eat in or take out:
Where to Eat on Thanksgiving 2025
- Applebee’s- Some locations will serve customers, but hours vary a lot.
- Arby’s- A lot of places will open, but the hours will depend on how things are run in each area.
- As for Baskin-Robbins, each shop is independently run, so the hours are different.
- Burger King availability varies, customers should check with the location closest to them.
- Boston Market is open in more than one place, and many of them are offering special Thanksgiving food deals.
- BRIO Tuscan Grille is serving a specially chosen three-course Thanksgiving meal, and you can also pick it up.
- Buca di Beppo welcomes visitors for both dine-in and takeout orders.
- Cracker Barrel is open in a number of places, but the hours may vary from one shop to the next.
- Del Frisco’s Grille has a set Thanksgiving menu for people who want to eat something fancy.
- Dunkin’ Donuts, most shops will stay open, but all of them will have different hours.
- Fogo de Chão, several locations will be open, serving their favourite holiday dishes.
- IHOP is open for breakfast and holiday meals, but the hours may change.
- Jimmy John’s is open mainly, but you should call ahead because their hours change sometimes.
- Kona Grill is serving a special Thanksgiving menu from November 27 to 30.
- Krispy Kreme is open, but most of them are planning to close early around 2 p.m.
- Maggiano’s will open with a Thanksgiving-themed meal and usually close at 8 pm.
