P.F. Chang's is opening its U.S. restaurants nationwide on Christmas Day for the first time, the chain confirmed as it launched its "Bright Nights. Festive Flavors." holiday campaign on November 4. The move extends a full dining window — 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dine-in, takeout, and third-party delivery — and signals a deliberate push to capture holiday meal occasions that casual-dining operators have historically ceded to fast food and home cooking.
The Seasonal Menu
P.F. Chang's is backing the Christmas Day play with a limited-time menu running through January 26, 2027. New additions lean into premium, tableside-theater formats that reward the dine-in channel: King Crab Gyoza served with dashi miso butter sauce; Dashi Risotto with Seared Hokkaido Scallops finished with truffle oil and dancing bonito flakes; Fire-Roasted Crispy Duck with warm roti and hoisin; and a Honey Sesame Crème Brûlée torched tableside — available for dine-in only. On the bar side, a Fortune & Fire Cocktail combines WhistlePig PiggyBack 6-Year Bourbon with Disaronno, pomegranate, lemon, and Fever-Tree ginger beer, while a Belle Glos "Las Alturas" Pinot Noir joins the wine list as a pairing for the duck. Fall menu holdovers — Duck Wings, Wagyu Egg Rolls, and Duck Fried Rice — remain through the season. All new food items are available for dine-in, online ordering, and third-party delivery, except the tableside crème brûlée.
Pricing and Catering
The chain is also leaning into group and corporate occasions with a structured prix fixe and a new catering SKU. The three-course holiday meal starts at $30 per person, covering a soup or salad, an entrée drawn from a list that includes Chang's Spicy Chicken, Miso Glazed Salmon, Mongolian Beef, and Ma Po Tofu, with an upgrade path to premium proteins like Dashi Risotto with Hokkaido Scallops or NY Prime Strip Steak Tataki, and a choice of three desserts. For off-premise gatherings, the new Fire-Roasted Crispy Duck Catering Package — priced from $195 and designed to serve four to six guests — includes the duck alongside Chicken Fried Rice, Chili Garlic Green Beans, and Crab Wontons.
"A great meal gives people a reason to slow down and spend time together, especially during the holidays," said Jim Mazany, Chief Executive Officer of P.F. Chang's. "Opening nationwide on Christmas Day for the first time gives us another opportunity to welcome families and friends around our tables."
The campaign features actor Harry Shum Jr., whose personal connection to restaurant hospitality — his parents owned a Chinese restaurant — aligns with the brand's family-gathering narrative. Select locations will be transformed with holiday light installations inspired by Japan's winter illuminations, creating an in-restaurant atmosphere designed to drive social sharing and repeat visits. A gift card promotion offers a $10 bonus reward for every $50 purchased online through December 29, with redemption valid January 6 through March 31, 2027.
The holiday push reflects broader restaurant industry trends around LTO menu strategy and premium seasonal pricing that operators across casual dining have embraced to protect average check and dine-in traffic during a period when delivery and at-home options remain competitive. For coverage of how foodservice brands are using beverage innovation to elevate seasonal menus, see our beverage industry analysis.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
