Mother’s Day is just around the corner. And although we don’t need a date in the diary to tell us to celebrate the most important woman (or women) in our lives, for hospitality businesses, the 27th March can be a very lucrative opportunity. It’s a chance to promote your business, reach a broader audience and even get a little creative.

CREATE AN EXCITING OFFER

Put together an offer that really shows mum (or mum figure) just how special they are. Offer a free glass of Champagne or Prosecco (or even a bottle) when they dine with you, or a free dessert at the end of the meal.

You could even promote Mother’s Day gift cards, they may not dine with you on the day but they’re a promise for future bookings – and a lovely present.

HOST A MOTHER’S DAY AFTERNOON TEA

An afternoon tea could already be something you offer guests but if it isn’t, there’s nothing to stop you putting it on your menu for a day or even the week around Mother’s Day. It doesn’t have to be anything too extravagant: some fresh scones, homemade sandwiches, little cakes and a pot of tea is all you need (and maybe a glass of bubbles too). You can also prepare it ahead of time and simply bring it out when your customers arrive. 

The best thing about afternoon tea is that it’s often eaten when the restaurant is quiet, just after the lunch rush, so it’s a great way to increase your daily sales.

OFFER AN ACTIVITY

People love experiences, and Mother’s Day is no exception. You could host a wine and food pairing or wine tasting, flower arrangement class, or even a baking class – something like macaroons is always fun; simple but effective. If you have a distillery local to you, they’re perfect to partner with for occasions like this.

Don’t feel pressured to do this yourself – running a business is hard enough. You could hire a company to come in and host the classes, just include this in the price of tickets.

CREATE A PLAYLIST

Create a relaxing ambience with a nice playlist. You could even ask customers to share their favourite song when they book and create a playlist based on this. Or Spotify always has some good ideas.

TIME YOUR EMAIL CAMPAIGN

If you don’t send out a regular newsletter, it’s worth looking into this, especially for seasonal occasions, like Mother’s Day. Some people book months in advance, others are last-minute decision-makers. Write an email with your offering and send it out to your mailing list. We’d recommend doing this four weeks before the event, and another one the week of Mother’s Day. 

THE LITTLE TOUCHES MATTER

• Dress the tables with flowers and/or candles.
• Serve a complimentary cocktail with a Mother’s Day twist: serve your champagne with a rose petal, cherry or strawberry on the side of the glass or make up a drink just for Mum.
• Give Mum a present to take home. This could be homemade chocolates, biscuits, macaroons, flowers, or even a discount for their next visit.
• Add a ‘special requests’ box to your booking form and make sure staff know to ask this if taking bookings over the phone. Customers like it when businesses go the extra mile to add a special touch.

SOCIAL MEDIA

You should share your restaurant’s Mother’s Day offering on your social media channels, like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and boost their reach by using relevant hashtags, like #MothersDay. It’s worth searching this hashtag too, so you can see what other hospitality businesses and chefs have done, and use it as inspiration. 

SPREAD THE WORD

A lot of restaurants and hotels these days use PRs. But there are a few ways you can try and spread the word about your offering without investing in the full works. Journalists are always compiling articles about the best places to go for Mother’s Day. You could follow the hashtag #journorequest on Twitter, and send over a press release or even just details of what you’re doing. Help A Reporter Out, is also a good one.

CUSTOMER LOYALTY

Most restaurants have their trusty loyal customers, who they know by name. Why don’t you offer them an early bird rate or discount? It will make them feel special and they may also invite friends, helping to spread the word even further.