Memorial Day 2025 is observed on Monday, May 26. The federal holiday honors US military personnel who lost their lives in service to the nation. While the day serves as a solemn occasion of remembrance, it also marks the unofficial beginning of summer, with many Americans using the long weekend for travel, leisure, and shopping deals.
No — federal offices, courts, and most government agencies will be closed.
USPS will not deliver mail; FedEx and UPS services will be limited.
No — most major banks will be closed for the holiday. Branches of major banks such as Capital One, Bank of America, PNC, Truist, Citibank, and JPMorgan Chase will be closed.
Wall Street will observe Memorial Day, with both the Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange closed on Monday, May 26. Trading will resume on Tuesday, May 27. The next scheduled closure will be on June 19, in observance of Juneteenth.
Many retail stores remain open on Memorial Day, allowing consumers to shop ahead of the summer season. Major retailers such as Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Macy’s, and Kohl’s will be open with varied store hours depending on location. Sam’s Club will be open for Plus members from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and for Club members from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, Costco will remain closed for the holiday.
Many popular restaurant chains will remain open on Memorial Day, offering Americans plenty of dining options during the holiday. Favorites such as Starbucks, McDonald’s, Dunkin’, Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, and Taco Bell will serve customers throughout the day. Casual dining spots like Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, IHOP, Applebee’s, and Longhorn Steakhouse will also welcome guests, making it easy for families and friends to enjoy meals together while commemorating the day.
Though Memorial Day is widely seen as the unofficial kickoff to summer and a time for sales and travel, it remains “the nation’s foremost annual day to mourn and honor its deceased service men and women.” Established officially as a federal holiday in 1971 and observed on the last Monday in May, it originated as Decoration Day after the Civil War, when Americans decorated the graves of fallen soldiers.
The Memorial Day weekend often sees record numbers of Americans traveling. Meanwhile, retailers capitalise on the holiday with major promotional sales, making it one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.
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