ANZAC Day 2026: When are shops open, can you buy booze and are there surcharges?

Anzac Day is this weekend, and if you’re already wondering what’s open, whether you can buy alcohol, or if you’ll get stung with a surcharge, things are a little different to your usual Saturday.

Under NZ trading laws, most shops have to stay closed until 1pm on Anzac Day. It’s one of just a few days a year where trading is restricted under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990 - along with Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day.

Because Anzac Day falls on Saturday, April 25 this year, it’s also getting 'Mondayised' - meaning many workplaces will observe the public holiday on Monday too.

Shop trading restrictions still only apply on April 25 itself, not on Monday (although some businesses may choose to stay closed anyway).

What shops are open on Anzac Day?

Some places can open in the morning, including essential and some smaller businesses, including dairies, small grocery shops, service stations, pharmacies, cafes, and restaurants.

Anything without an exemption has to stay closed until 1pm - and businesses can be fined up to $1,000 if they open earlier.

Buying alcohol on Anzac Day

Bottle stores will be shut in the morning, but venues with an on-licence (like bars and restaurants) can now operate under their normal licence conditions, following the recent law changes.

Previously, if you were heading out to a bar or restaurant on a public holiday, alcohol rules under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 were pretty strict.

You could only be served alcohol if you were dining in or staying there, and you had to order a “substantial” meal alongside it.

Off-licences, including bottle stores and supermarkets, are still not allowed to sell alcohol on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, or Christmas Day, and can only sell after 1 pm on ANZAC Day.

The change came at a great time as Christchurch gets ready for a massive weekend of sport, with Super Rugby Pacific’s Super Round taking over the new One NZ Stadium this ANZAC weekend.

With pubs and bars no longer having their trading hours restricted, fans planning on heading out after the games don’t suddenly need to be kicked out at midnight.

Surcharges for Anzac Weekend

If you’re heading out for a brunch or coffee on Saturday, don’t be surprised if there’s a little extra cost added to your bill. Cafes and restaurants can add a public holiday surcharge (usually around 10-15%) to help cover higher wage costs for staffing.

They have to be upfront about it, though. The Commerce Commission says businesses need to clearly tell customers before they order, whether that’s signage out front or info online. 

So, as the weekend is quickly approaching, plan ahead, check what’s open before making your after-Dawn Service plans.