Milwaukee Pizza & Delivery Guide: Christmas 2025

Planning Christmas pizza in Milwaukee? Here's what you need to know: Most national pizza chains will be open Christmas Eve until 5-6 PM but closed Christmas Day, while local pizzerias require individual verification. Your best bet for Christmas Day pizza is Domino's (select locations), third-party delivery apps with limited options, or ordering take-and-bake from Papa Murphy's on Christmas Eve. For the most reliable Christmas Day food delivery, Chinese restaurants remain the gold standard—a tradition Milwaukee families have counted on for decades.

This guide covers the greater Milwaukee area including the North Shore communities (Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Fox Point, Bayside, Glendale, Mequon), Downtown, East Side, Wauwatosa, Brookfield, and surrounding suburbs.

National pizza chains

When it comes to holiday pizza, the big chains are your safest bet—they have predictable hours and multiple ordering options. However, nearly all close Christmas Day, so plan accordingly.

Domino's Pizza stands out as one of the few chains with locations potentially open Christmas Day, though most close by 6 PM on Christmas Eve. Milwaukee has 10+ Domino's locations spread across Downtown (719 W. Wisconsin Ave), East Side (1828 N. Farwell Ave), Wauwatosa, Brookfield, and Glendale. Order via the app, website, phone, or even text message. Their Mix & Match deal at $5.99-$7.99 per item makes feeding a crowd affordable, and the app shows real-time holiday hours for each location.

Pizza Hut locations typically operate 11 AM to 6-8 PM on Christmas Eve before closing for Christmas Day. Multiple Milwaukee-area locations offer delivery, carryout, and dine-in, with some featuring the Hut Lane drive-thru. Use the Pizza Hut app to verify your specific location's hours.

Little Caesars closes earliest on Christmas Eve, typically by 5 PM, making it ideal for a quick lunch pickup. Their Hot-N-Ready concept means you can grab a pepperoni pizza for $6.49-$7.49 without waiting, perfect for families needing fast, budget-friendly food. The Bay View location (2976 S. Chase Ave) and Oakland Avenue location (2831 N. Oakland Ave) serve the East Side and South Side well.

Jet's Pizza, known for their Detroit-style deep dish, has five Milwaukee-area locations including Glendale (6813 N. Green Bay Rd) and Brookfield (2491 N. 124th St). They're open Christmas Eve with reduced hours but closed Christmas Day. Their 8-Corner pizza with free crust flavoring (garlic, sesame, turbo crust) is worth the trip.

Toppers Pizza, a Wisconsin-born chain, offers late-night delivery that makes them popular with families who eat dinner late. The East Side location (1903 E. Kenilworth Place) normally stays open until 3-4 AM. Through December 23, they're running a buy-one-get-one-free deal on large pizzas—stock up on Christmas Eve for leftovers.

Papa Murphy's offers a unique solution: take-and-bake pizza that you pick up on Christmas Eve and bake fresh Christmas Day. It's the only way to get hot, freshly-baked pizza on December 25 without relying on delivery.

Local Milwaukee pizzerias

Milwaukee's beloved independent pizzerias generally don't announce holiday hours until closer to December 25. Call 1-2 weeks before Christmas to confirm hours and ask about pre-order requirements—many local spots require advance orders for holiday pickup.

Balistreri's (both Wauwatosa and Bluemound locations) emerges as the most likely local option to be open during the Christmas season. Customer reviews specifically mention visiting during Christmas with festive decorations throughout the restaurant. The Wauwatosa location at 812 N. 68th St (414-475-1414) serves their award-winning thin crust pizza alongside famous fried eggplant strips. The Bluemound Inn at 6501 W. Bluemound Rd (414-348-5183) features an outdoor patio with fire pits that's especially magical during the holidays. Both locations are family-friendly with full menus beyond pizza.

Zaffiro's Pizza has been serving Milwaukee's signature cracker-thin crust since 1959. The original location at 1724 N. Farwell Ave (414-289-8776) notes "Holiday Hours May Vary" on their website—call to verify. Their Mequon location at 11700 N. Port Washington Rd (262-241-8484) serves the North Shore communities. Expect to pay $11-19 for their legendary thin crust pies.

Ian's Pizza operates three Milwaukee locations with typically late hours, suggesting possible holiday availability. The Downtown location (146 E. Juneau Ave) features 16 arcade games, making it a hit with kids. Their famous Mac n' Cheese pizza and extensive vegan/gluten-free options accommodate diverse dietary needs. The North Ave location near UW-Milwaukee may have modified hours during winter break.

Classic Slice in Bay View (2797 S. Kinnickinnic Ave) serves giant New York-style slices for $6-7 and Detroit-style pan pizza. Their website notes hours may vary on holidays—call (414) 238-2406 to check. The casual atmosphere includes board games and local craft sodas.

Transfer Pizzeria Café at 101 W. Mitchell St offers over 30 distinctive pizza varieties in a beautiful historic pharmacy building. They feature live jazz on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Since Christmas Eve 2025 falls on a Wednesday, call (414) 763-0438 to confirm they'll be open.

For the North Shore specifically, check Calderone Club in Fox Point (known for their unique Calabrian Crust family recipe), Upper Crust Pizza near the Whitefish Bay border (delivering to Fox Point, Shorewood, and Whitefish Bay), and Lou Malnati's in Fox Point for Chicago-style deep dish (typically open Christmas Eve until 5 PM based on corporate patterns).

Delivery apps will be running, but expect limited options

All major delivery platforms—DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub—operate on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day throughout the Milwaukee metro area. However, DoorDash data reveals an interesting paradox: Christmas Day is their #1 busiest day by orders per open restaurant, yet Christmas Eve ranks among the slowest days of the year.

The catch is that 70-80% of restaurants close Christmas Day, severely limiting what's actually available. Chinese restaurants are consistently the most reliable option—a tradition dating back over a century when Jewish and Chinese families, both not celebrating Christmas, would dine together.

DoorDash covers Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Glendale, Wauwatosa, West Allis, Fox Point, Oak Creek, and surrounding areas. Standard delivery fees start at $3.99, though DashPass members get free delivery on orders over $35. No special holiday surge pricing applies. Use the "Scheduled Order" feature to plan ahead, and filter by "Open Now" on Christmas Day to see what's actually available.

Uber Eats may implement surge pricing during high-demand periods. Uber One members get $0 delivery fees on eligible orders. The app shows approximately 500+ restaurants on typical days, though expect this number to drop dramatically on December 25. Evening hours (5 PM onwards) offer the best selection on Christmas Day.

Grubhub includes a Grubhub Guarantee—$5 off your next order if food arrives late—which provides some peace of mind when ordering during unpredictable holiday conditions. Grubhub+ members earn 5% back in credit on pickup orders.

Pro tip: Order early in the day, allow extra time for delivery (driver availability is reduced), and tip generously—25% or more—to thank drivers working while you're celebrating with family. All platforms pass 100% of tips directly to drivers.

Chinese food remains the Christmas Day MVP

For families wanting a hot meal delivered on Christmas Day, Chinese restaurants are far and away the most dependable option. Confucius House in Hales Corners has confirmed Christmas Day hours of 3 PM to 8 PM with delivery available throughout West Milwaukee and surrounding areas. Order at orderconfuciushouse.com.

Other Chinese restaurants likely available on Christmas Day via delivery apps include Huan Xi, JJ Chen's, No. 1 Chinese, Hong Kong Express, and China Gourmet. Check DoorDash or Uber Eats on December 25 for real-time availability.

Beyond Chinese food, several other restaurant types traditionally stay open Christmas Day:

Indian restaurants like Maharaja are accepting Christmas Day reservations via OpenTable. Bawi Korean BBQ Mequon provides an interactive family dining experience. Hotel restaurants including Mason Street Grill at The Pfister (prix fixe menu at $81/person, 1-8 PM Christmas Day) and Tre Rivali at Kimpton Journeyman (buffet at $85 adults, $35 children, 10 AM-3 PM) offer upscale Christmas dining.

National chains confirmed open Christmas Day include Denny's (24 hours), IHOP, McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee's, Boston Market (11 AM-6 PM), P.F. Chang's, and Benihana (4-9 PM). Make reservations early for sit-down restaurants—they book up quickly.

Grocery delivery needs to happen on Christmas Eve

Every major grocery delivery service operates on Christmas Eve but none deliver Christmas Day because stores are closed. Plan ahead to stock up on December 24.

Instacart partners with Pick 'n Save, Metro Market, Costco, Fresh Thyme, Target, and CVS throughout Milwaukee. Most stores close by 6 PM Christmas Eve, so schedule your delivery window early. Instacart+ members get free delivery on orders over $35. December 23 is historically their busiest day of the month—order by then for guaranteed availability.

Walmart+ Delivery offers express delivery until 5 PM Christmas Eve. Their one-click holiday meal baskets simplify ordering everything you need for Christmas dinner in a single purchase.

Shipt (used by Target and Meijer) has a 4 PM Christmas Eve deadline for same-day delivery. Target stores operate 7 AM-8 PM on December 24.

For Pick 'n Save and Metro Market locations directly, stores and pharmacies close at 6 PM on Christmas Eve and remain closed Christmas Day. Use picknsave.com, metromarket.net, or Instacart for delivery.

Meal kits require ordering by December 16-19

If you want a stress-free Christmas dinner without leaving home, meal kit services deliver everything you need—but orders must be placed 1-2 weeks in advance.

Gobble's Christmas Dinner Box is the most comprehensive option, serving 4-6 people with a complete prime rib feast including roasted Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, creamed greens with bacon, rosemary-Gruyère biscuits, warm chocolate cakes, and all the sauces. Orders close December 16 at 11:59 PM—don't miss this deadline. Total cooking time is approximately 2.5 hours. Order at gobble.com/holiday.

HelloFresh offers a special Holiday Box available as a one-off purchase (no subscription required) featuring prime rib with rosemary jus and creamy horseradish sauce. Order by approximately December 17-19 for Christmas week delivery. New customers typically receive $100+ off their first order.

Factor delivers fully prepared, chef-made meals that require just 2-3 minutes of heating—no cooking required. This is the easiest option for families who want a nice meal with zero effort. Their 35+ weekly options include keto, high-protein, vegetarian, and calorie-smart meals. Order by December 17 for holiday delivery. Current promotion: 50% off plus free breakfast for a year.

Home Chef features a special Christmas menu available the week of December 21, including spiral-cut bone-in ham with classic holiday sides.

Holiday ordering deadlines at a glance

Service Type Christmas Eve Deadline Christmas Day National pizza chains Most close 5-8 PM Mostly closed (Domino's select locations only) Local pizzerias Call to confirm Mostly closed Grocery delivery Stores close ~6 PM Not available Walmart Express 5 PM Not available Shipt/Target 4 PM Not available Gobble meal kit December 16 N/A HelloFresh/Factor December 17-19 N/A Restaurant apps Real-time Limited options

Family planning checklist for Christmas success

One week before Christmas: Call your preferred local pizzeria to confirm holiday hours and ask about pre-order requirements. Make reservations at any sit-down restaurants. Place meal kit orders if desired.

December 23: Order groceries for Christmas Eve delivery. Stock up on frozen pizzas as backup. Download delivery apps and confirm your address is saved.

Christmas Eve morning: Verify specific store hours via apps or quick phone calls. Order pizza early (before 3 PM) for best availability. Consider Papa Murphy's take-and-bake for Christmas Day.

Christmas Day: Check delivery apps by 10 AM to see what's open. Chinese restaurants typically open around 3 PM. Evening hours (5 PM+) offer the best restaurant selection. Have backup frozen pizza ready just in case.

Contact numbers for quick reference: Domino's Downtown Milwaukee (414-271-8990), Balistreri's Wauwatosa (414-475-1414), Zaffiro's Original (414-289-8776), Classic Slice Bay View (414-238-2406), Transfer Pizzeria (414-763-0438), and Confucius House (order online for Christmas Day Chinese delivery).

Conclusion

Christmas pizza in Milwaukee requires planning but isn't impossible. Christmas Eve offers abundant options from national chains and local favorites—just order early and expect reduced hours. Christmas Day is dramatically limited, with Domino's select locations, Chinese restaurants, and delivery app availability being your primary options. The smartest strategy combines Christmas Eve pizza pickup (or Papa Murphy's take-and-bake), delivery app flexibility, and realistic expectations about December 25 availability. When in doubt, embrace the Chinese food tradition—it's delicious, reliable, and brings families together around something a little different.