5 Mother's Day Restaurant Ideas & Promotions to Entice Diners

Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days in the restaurant business. A 2018 study from the National Restaurant Association estimated that nearly 87 million American adults go to a restaurant for the occasion, which is nearly one-third of the U.S. adult population.

This is the perfect opportunity to get people to come to your establishment, order a catered meal and utilize delivery. So how can you entice your customers? We have some easy Mother’s Day restaurant ideas and promotions to try in 2022.

Bring on Brunch

Mother’s Day and brunch go hand in hand. In fact, the same 2018 study from the National Restaurant Association said that 24 percent were expected to dine out for brunch. Setting up a Mother’s Day buffet is always a solid option. The standard brunch hours usually go from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., allowing you to capture the breakfast and lunch crowds as well.

Make sure to have some special options as well. For instance, consider having an area to serve up delicious mimosas or smoothies. You can even dedicate an entire spot for a fully stocked yogurt bar, featuring granola, fruit and other tasty fixings.

Fix a Prix-Fixe Dinner

Don’t want to do brunch? Separate your restaurant from the other places by offering a gourmet, yet affordable, prix-fixe dinner menu. Make it simple by offering a three-course meal, featuring an option of a light soup or salad, an entrée and a dessert. A two-course meal without dessert works perfectly too. If your establishment is a bit more casual or relaxed, feel free to swap out the selection of soups and salads with some of your popular appetizers.

A prix-fixe menu allows you to showcase your best items. By offering everything at a set price, it creates an enjoyable yet affordable experience for your patrons. That certainly can help bring diners back in and potentially grow your customer base. And the best part is that prix-fixe dinners are perfect for takeout and delivery, making your Mother’s Day meal even more convenient.

Make It a Family Affair

The holiday is geared toward families, so make all your specials and deals enticing for everyone. The brunch and prix-fixe dinner ideas above definitely cater to that, but you also should consider offering family-style dishes. Come up with a variety of shareable entrees fit for the whole family, whether it’s helpings of pasta and meatballs or beef and potatoes.

For younger families, think of ways to keep the little ones happy. For example, if you’re going the brunch route, have chocolate chip waffles and fun cereals that kids enjoy. If your place has a more relaxed atmosphere, have some take-home games and activities packs available that the entire family can enjoy while they wait for their order or to take home for a catered feast.

Offer the Mother of All Deals

An easy way to make moms feel special is by giving them a gift. But instead of flowers, candy and a hokey picture frame, give her a free meal. By letting moms eat free, it might encourage other members of the family to spend more on their meals or order that appetizer before getting entrées.

If giving moms a free meal seems like too much, you always can offer some other types of discounts. Think about giving mothers 50 percent off their entrées, or offer moms a free dessert with their meals.

Go With Grand Giveaways

Aside from deals and discounts, give away some great gifts to the moms who visit or order. Partner with some local businesses to create some sweet gift bags. Make a spa day bag filled with lotions, scrubs and a coupon for a free massage, or give away coupons or gift cards to a nearby movie theater.

You also could hold a raffle online where all mothers are eligible to win a $100 gift card to a local shop or a redeemable voucher to host a party at your restaurant. Whatever giveaway you go with, make sure it somehow includes some type of coupon or gift card to your place. That always gives customers an easy way to return for another visit or order again.

These promotional tips and deals should help you hit the mother lode this Mother’s Day. But if your kitchen experiences any hiccups before, during or after the holiday, Parts Town has you covered with the most in-stock OEM parts on the planet to repair your commercial equipment.