Many restaurants see a spike in customers on Christmas and Valentine's Day, but savvy restaurateurs look for seasonal opportunities every month. And one that really needs to be part of every restaurant calendar is Mother's Day.

Children, teenagers, singletons, parents and grandparents, and people from all age groups come together to celebrate Mother’s Day in different ways, right from sending greeting cards to gifts, from staycations to celebrations, and from hosting a special evening to going out for a meal. 

As with every special occasion, Mother’s Day presents a great opportunity for restaurants to promote themselves and boost their sales. Promotions, marketing strategies and branding initiatives can take a restaurant to the next level. While there are some obvious but effective strategies that a restaurant can use, dining establishments also have to think out of the box. 

Here are some promotional strategies that a restaurant can use during Mother’s Day week for improving business:

1. Make it sweet

Mothers form the bedrock of society and civilization, thereby thanking them for their contribution and work is absolutely imperative on Mother’s Day. Restaurants can provide free dessert or sweets for all mothers who order or dine in with them. While it might seem like a "give-away", offering free dessert or sweets to mothers makes a restaurant popular and as a result of it, increase sales as well.

2. Special discounts on drinks

Mothers of all ages will come and visit a restaurant and while a lot of them will come with kids, many young mothers can be given a special treat. Having a special discount on drinks, tugged in large quantities, can be a great way to entice new customers to the restaurant and also, heighten the ambiance during Mother’s Day week.

See an example of the complimentary drinks that Park Hyatt Auckland offers mothers on their special day.

3. Host an event/evening to honor mothers

There is a large percentage of female customers that visit restaurants and chances are high that a significant number of them will be mothers. Keeping that in mind, hosting a mothers-only event or special evening can set a restaurant, café, or hotel apart during Mother’s Day week. Not only will it lend an extra edge to the restaurant, but it also gives mothers of all ages a chance to come together, dine and exchange thoughts, and celebrate their special day.

Tip: If you have a special Mother's Day menu, make sure to add it to your reservation page. Try customizing your booking form around this special day. With the TableCheck branded booking form feature, restaurants are able to control their brand and the messaging to their potential clients.

4. Get interactive with mothers on social media

Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok are game-changers these days for brand activity and promotions. During Mother’s Day promotions, restaurants and cafes can go big on a social media campaign for their customers who are mothers, asking them to share videos or messages, which would improve engagement and interaction. Not only will this make the restaurant more popular on social media, it directly affects sales.

TableCheck has integrated with both Instagram and Facebook to help restaurants add a 'Reserve' button.

READ MORE: How to add a "Book Now" button on your Instagram and Facebook pages

5. Organize a charity drive

While sales of a restaurant will naturally skyrocket during a week that includes Mother’s Day, a great way to be different is by going for a charity drive. Be it associating with a charity organization or providing food for the needy, it can be a great way to market a restaurant. Organizing a charity event where mothers meet kids from orphanages can be a great way to promote harmony in society and also make a dining establishment popular.

6. Staff in Happy Mother’s Day T-shirts

Saying things out loud can be massively helpful if you’re a brand looking at improving its visibility or making a name in the market. When a customer comes to dine-in at a restaurant, the staff’s clothing is something they notice immediately. Mothers of kids walking into a restaurant looking at "Happy Mother’s Day" worn by members of the staff will certainly make them happier, thereby enhancing their experience.

7. Special delivery menu

Many mothers, be it those who are single or those who are of old age, might not be able to come out for a dining experience at a restaurant. For mothers who fall into that category, restaurants can curate an exclusive delivery menu that contains items that ordinarily will be only served in a dine-in menu.

TableCheck's Pickup and Delivery feature allows restaurants to add a new revenue stream while saving more than 20% commission.

8. Special cooking class for mothers

Mother’s Day is a great way for restaurants to engage with customers on a higher level than usual ways. Organizing a cooking class for customers that is hosted by a ‘mother chef’ or one that shows mothers how to learn more effective culinary skills can be a great hit for a restaurant. Collaborations with local chefs or even a celebrity can do wonders for a restaurant brand. 

There is no end to the number of ways in which a customer’s experience can be enhanced on Mother’s Day by a restaurant but any establishment needs to be clever while implementing any such ideas because in trying to do too much, sometimes there is a lack of direction.

However, if things are done right and restaurants can apply the right ideas, Mother’s Day is a great way to make a dining establishment popular and improve its brand value.

TablecCheck can help restaurants manage their online reservations, optimize restaurant operations and automate their marketing campaigns through the TableCheck EDM feature. TableCheck is used by more than 7800+ hospitality operators around the world to offer their guests award-winning experiences.

This article was first published on April 27, 2022