Open: Chinese restaurants, diners, movie theaters, gas stations, convenience stores, some CVS/Walgreens (limited hours), and hotel restaurants. Closed: Banks, post offices, most malls (though outlet malls sometimes break the rule), government buildings, and big-box grocery stores. You have been warned.
Here’s a wild card: some independent bookstores stay open on Easter, particularly if they’re in a tourist-heavy area. They operate under a “people need stories” philosophy, which is frankly adorable. If you find one open, buy a paperback as a good deed.
For the drinkers among us: bars and breweries in city centers often stay open, especially if they have a brunch license. But rural pubs? Likely closed until the evening. The rule is: if it’s near a church, it’s probably closed; if it’s near a train station, it’s probably open.
Is Lowe's Open on Easter Sunday 2026?
The Modern Twist: Delivery and Ghost Kitchens
If you’re glued to your couch, DoorDash and Uber Eats run a reduced fleet, but expect longer wait times and higher fees. Ghost kitchens—those faceless digital-only restaurants—often run a normal schedule because they have no street presence. You might end up with a burger from a place you’ve never heard of, but it will arrive hot.
Fun fact: The Sonic Drive-In is almost always open on Easter, because their half-robot, half-sonic model doesn’t really do holidays. They’ll serve you a Route 44 with a smile—or at least with a voice crackling from the speaker. A true American institution.
And Starbucks inside Target? That’s a loophole worth knowing: since Target is closed, the Starbucks inside is also closed. Do not fall for the “but it’s inside a Target” trap—you will be foiled by a locked cart corral. Stick to standalone drive-thrus.
