Brian_in_Charlotte

You won't have any trouble finding gas stations open on Xmas Eve or Day. In addition to Waffle House and Chinese restaurants mentioned above, Hardee's (a low brow fast food chain with surprisingly edible burgers) is open on Xmas. I can tell you from experience trying to eat on a recent Xmas day that most Waffle Houses will have a wait.

starrs

"...Hardee's (a low brow fast food chain with surprisingly edible burgers)..."

Hardee's = "low brow" fast food chain?

I love the things one learns on Fodors.


Hardee's = Carl's Jr on the west coast.

ps - Hardee's does great biscuits in the morning

Brian_in_Charlotte

I agree on the biscuits. Perhaps "lowbrow" and "fast food chain" is redundant. But you only have to watch a couple of Hardee's TV commercials to see what kind of customer they're targeting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHW6QbKzJtw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WKtQZX9TSQ

starrs

Well, this has gotten MORE interesting.

The "low brow fast food" was an interesting read...but the links to those videos makes your premise even more interesting.

Sexy women = "to see what kind of customer they're targeting"

starrs

Re the "kind of customer they're targeting" =

http://blogs.menshealth.com/guy-gour...er/2011/03/28/

Yep, those Mens Health editors are low brow.


Just wondering, Brian...which are the "high brow" fast food restaurants?

Gretchen

Personally at one time or another I like 'em all!! But then I'm so sexy!! BIG LOL

starrs

LOL Gretchen!

It just seems such a strange thing to say? :-?

My parents go for biscuits sometimes. Mama used to make great biscuits but she doesn't cook much anymore (they are in their 80s).

Paris Hilton did the washing a car in a bikini commercial for Carl's Jr.
Women in bikinis = not new for their commercials.
Interesting that kind of marketing = "low brow" though.

spirobulldog

Wow the Christmas road trip is looking much better now

Birdie

Will South of the Border be open on Christmas day? Or will Pedro be too busy opening his gifts?

MLTimes

I skipped over the fast food posts so perhaps this has already been asked: Aren't there any chinese restaurants south of Wilmington? You can even follow it up with a pit stop at a movie theater, and then get some popcorn or a box of candy for dessert.

rascat

My mom works at the McDonald's at I-95 in Titusville, FL. She tells me they will be open both Christmas Eve and Christmas day. She'll probably be working both mornings. She says many of the McDonald's will be open. And don't rule Mickey D's out because you don't eat meat. They offer salads, fruit, and yogurt. I worked there years ago, and we'd get orders for a Big Mac, hold the meat. We could also make a cheese sandwich if asked, which was putting two hamburger bun tops, bottoms facing out, with two slices of cheese in-between, and toasting them in the bun warmer until the cheese melted.

We travel between Charleston and central Florida almost every holiday. Getting gas or food has never been a problem. Now, the I-95 traffic, on the other hand, was miserable last year. Nearly bumper to bumper through three states, with two delays of an hour each due to accidents. I'd keep snacks in the car, just in case you have the same delays.

Oh, and all rest areas were open last Christmas, but most of them do close off access to the vending machines at night, even when its not a holiday.

Gretchen

Chinese restaurants may not be very close to I95 or easy to find. Nor movie theaters.It isn't NYC!! I95 is a pretty "rural" road, bypassing a lot of cities.

MLTimes

Wow, if Gretchen is right, the south really is like a third world country if there isnt even a movie theater in Richmond or Savannah, and GPS and google stop working so you can't find the chinese restaurants ( eg, in Santee, SC, exit 98). I guess I'm now with the crew that suggests stockpiling provisions in a cooler before you cross the mason dixon line.

Tangentially related question: what do jews, muslims and other non-christians do on christmas day in the south?

spirobulldog

They don't eat out. I am in Oklahoma. Movie Theaters will be open here only after like 4:00. I don't think they will be open at all on Christmas Eve, though. I can't think of a single place other than perhaps The Waffle House or Denny's that might be open here. Even Denny's installed a lock on their door here a couple of years ago so they could close on Christmas. The C-stores here open up at Noon, but are closed on Christmas Eve and Morn.

Gretchen

Oh, ML, get over yourself. These folks are driving through to get somewhere on an interstate on THE major holiday of the year. Interstates largely bypass the larger cities and not many restaurants really like to be on the interstate corridors in the large cities. Do you know the road? Where it is not near the large centers it is the boonies!!
And what spiro says is true. It's the South, it can be and is diverse, but things CLOSE on Christmas Day. People actually cook in their homes here no matter their ethnicity/background.

Gabs12231993

Hi...I'm back! First day we packed lunch, ate at the Olive Garden in Florence dinner. Day two we ate lunch at Denny's- very long wait at 2 pm. Dinner was eaten once we got there, and we made it ourselves (stayed with family). It worked out...but next time we might drive another day. It would have been so much easier if Subways had been open.

Ackislander

Thanks for reporting back, Gabs. It is nice to have data.

Did the Olive Garden close early on Christmas Eve?

How about gas stations, rest areas, etc?

And how was the traffic?

Gabs12231993

Olive Garden closed at 8 pm. Gas stations did not seem to be an issue. Interiors of rest stops appeared closed. But the traffic was incredibly...perfect. Nobody was on the road!