The most popular holiday for dining out is almost here! Businesses throughout the U.S. are getting ready to launch their Mother’s Day restaurant promotions as millions of consumers are planning to treat Mom to a special brunch, lunch or dinner. Last year, the National Restaurant Association estimated 92 million Americans, or 37% of U.S. consumers, ate out on Mother’s Day, and an additional 21 million, or 8%, ordered for takeout or delivery.
This year when families are making plans to treat the special ladies in their lives to brunch, lunch or dinner, will your Mother’s Day restaurant promotions entice them to choose your establishment for their celebrations? Here are four ways you can make your restaurant their preferred destination and increase revenues on Mother’s Day—and maybe even beyond.
1. Create a Mother-Approved Menu
Mother’s Day dining is sure to involve entire families, from kids to grandparents, so make sure your restaurant offers menu items that appeal to all ages. Consider offering a buffet with options that please kids as well as the most discriminating adult pallets—and that may make handling a high volume of customers easier on your staff. Spread the word about your menu and Mother’s Day restaurant promotions through advertisements, social media, and alerts through your loyalty rewards app.
2. Expertly Manage Reservations
Your guests won’t want to disappoint Mom by not having a table for her when she arrives at the restaurant, so you will likely be juggling more reservations for Mother’s Day than on a usual Sunday. Your restaurant may be receiving reservations through your website or app, through third-party websites, over the phone, or in person, so make sure you are using a system that synchronizes all reservations in an organized manner and avoids over booking. Realize that most people won’t make their reservations early; 86% plan less than one month before Mother’s Day.
If your restaurant doesn’t accept reservations, plan in advance to manage a larger-than-normal demand, providing accurate wait times and seating guests as promptly as possible.
3. Bring in the A-Team
Anytime your restaurant is experiencing a high volume of customers, you need your most capable staff on the job. If you aren’t sure which staff members you can count on to get the job done, use data from your point of sale (POS) system to identify top performers.
Warning: Mother’s Day is definitely a day you won’t want to be understaffed, but you certainly don’t want to lose margin by paying out excessive overtime. Use your POS system to evaluate sales data from Mother’s Day last year and other days with similar sales and customer counts to accurately forecast the labor you will need.
4. Devise Irresistible Mother’s Day Restaurant Promotions
A Mother’s Day restaurant promotion can differentiate your business from your competitors. Choose a promotion that aligns with your restaurant’s theme, your brand, and with customer preferences you’ve identified from POS system data. Here are some ideas to inspire you:
- Flowers: Partner with a florist to present a rose or spring bloom to mothers.
- Sweets: Offer Mom a free dessert or boxed petit fours to take home.
- A Grown-Up Drink: Mom may enjoy relaxing with a fancy coffee drink, a glass of wine or a craft beer.
- A Creation from Her Favorite Artist: Help kids create a work of art for Mom and give them a refrigerator magnet with your logo to display it at home.
- Family Fun: Arrange a cross-promotion with another business so families can enjoy an activity such as a movie or museum tour together.
- Loyalty Rewards: Provide premium points on Mother’s Day.
- An Invitation to Dine Again: Present Mom with a gift card for her next visit to your restaurant, encouraging repeat business.
With so many dining options available to families, their decisions to choose your establishment may ride on the effectiveness of your Mother’s Day restaurant promotions. Grow your business by providing great customer experiences centered on celebrating Mom and helping her enjoy her special day with her family.
