Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days for restaurant traffic (see also: Valentine’s Day), so you can drive sales in your establishment with some great promotions for Mother’s Day. Moms work hard, so treating them to a great restaurant experience can keep them coming back throughout the year.
According to POS Sector’s “The 17 Best Mother’s Day Restaurant Marketing Ideas,” favorite restaurant types include steak, seafood, and barbeque places, taking over one-third of the voting in a National Restaurant Association (NRA) survey. American cuisine and ethnic cuisine followed in second with 24 and 21 percent, respectively.
You may be thinking brunch leads the way on Mother’s Day for time of day meal choice; however, the same NRA survey indicates that dinner is the most popular choice. If you’re thinking brunch, why not pull out all the stops, especially if you don’t typical serve it? Consider offering brunch once a year and only once a year: on Mother’s Day. Prepare a great menu coupled with exotic and unusual drink offerings, and moms will be eagerly waiting to experience it again in a year.
Other Marketing Ideas for Restaurants on Mother’s Day
Since Mother’s Day is a busy dining out day, a pre-fixe menu is a great solution across the board. It makes menu management and food preparation more streamlined and more easily managed for your wait staff and chefs. Of course, pre-fixe doesn’t mean boring! BuzzTime Business suggests food and wine pairings along with special desserts (“8 Promotion Ideas to Make Mother’s Day Profitable”).
Plus, don’t overlook the price point. Fair and affordable prices will help you attract your share of moms and families without negatively affecting your own bottom line. Attracting new customers who’ll return throughout the year is always a bonus.
Offer moms a special gift. Perhaps flowers or a small plant that includes the name of your establishment. Consider partnering with a nearby florist. The florist may offer flowers at cost or considerable discount along with coupons for future purchases.
Although dinner is the most popular time for Mother’s Day dining, consider something completely different. Swipely’s “Mother’s Day Marketing Ideas for Restaurants” suggests high tea as an alternative to dinner or brunch. Create an elegant event that every mother would enjoy, including an assortment of finger sandwiches, pastries, and assorted beverages. It’s called tea, but that doesn’t mean you can’t include some cocktails on your menu (see Best Cocktails for Mother’s Day for some great ideas).
Whatever Mother’s Day promotion you choose for your restaurant or pub, you’ll want to treat moms royally to keep them coming back and becoming regular patrons.