Mother's Day Opportunities for Restaurants
by Helen Lammers-Helps
Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants. This creates not only an opportunity to boost business on the day itself, but also for repeat business, according to Michael Miner, Flanagan Foodservice Territory Manager. “You’ll get people who aren’t normally coming to you...who are looking for something special,” he says, adding that if they have a positive experience, they are more likely to come back.
When it comes to Mother’s Day, simply providing a pleasant dining experience isn’t enough. “It’s about creating a memory,” says Miner. There are many ways to make the day extra special for mom. For example, moms could be given a card, a gift, a chocolate, or a flower, courtesy of your restaurant.
Mother’s Day also means there will be lots of children and it’s hard for moms to enjoy themselves if the kids aren’t happy. Keeping the kids entertained could mean providing the usual crayons and colouring pages or you could go the extra distance by providing a craft that the kids could make for mom, suggests Susan Trianos, Ontario Territory Manager with General Mills. One possibility would be to decorate cookies with icing and sprinkles. Of course, one would have to consider the messiness of the craft, she cautions. Another way to keep the kids occupied would be to provide tableside entertainment such as a magician, adds Miner.
Create a memorable experience by having a special menu - for example, a pre-packaged special which includes an appetizer, entrée, dessert and coffee at a good price. Another option is to add interest to common foods by using heart-shaped pans or using sprinkles to make something colourful and fun, says Trianos.
Both Miner and Trianos state that service is as important as the food. “You need to have lots of staff so you can serve people quickly and efficiently,” emphasizes Trianos. Miner agrees: “Be prepared for the volume of people by having extra staff scheduled,” he says. “It will come back to you ten-fold.”
There are many ways to get the word out about your restaurant and special Mother’s Day promotions. Using social media such as having a fan page on Facebook or sending messages using Twitter is free and can be a good way for smaller independent restaurants to advertise, says Trianos. “You can post messages about specials or have printable coupons,” she explains. Some restaurants have gone away from web pages and just have fan pages on Facebook now, she continues. However, when it comes to advertising, Miner still likes print and radio ads. “Print advertisements in the newspaper are number one,” he believes.
With some forethought and planning, restaurants can capitalize on Mother’s Day. By offering special menus or kids’ activities while being fully prepared with sufficient staff for one of the busiest days of the year, restaurants can create a memorable occasion for families that will keep them coming back time and time again.
