Mother’s Day isn’t just a big deal for all the great mums out there. On average, restaurant transactions are 30% higher on Mother’s Day. Truth be told, it’s one of the busiest days of the year, which is why we’ve put this handy guide together so you can ensure the big day goes down a treat at your spot. Read on and find out how to maximise Mother’s Day for your guests with these ideas.
Remind past guests about the day
Plan in advance by sending a ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ email to your regulars, reminding them that your restaurant is the place to celebrate with their mums this year. Whet their appetites by letting them know about any special menus or promotions you’re running on Mother’s Day and increase your chances of advance bookings. In our recent Diner Survey we found that 79% of people are likely to return to a restaurant that makes them feel like a regular, and a simple email after letting them know about your Mother’s Day menu can help build the relationship.
Go the extra mile on OpenTable
You’ll want to show guests the latest happenings at your restaurant, so make sure your OpenTable profile is up to date with all your relevant information ready to get diners booking a table. Display the latest menus, takeaway and delivery availability, letting guests know what’s happening at your spot. Then upload the latest photos to showcase your restaurant in its best light.
Create an Experience to remember
Use OpenTable to offer a Mother’s Day Experience your guests won’t forget. Whether it’s a special menu, Mother’s Day brunch or afternoon tea, highlighting exclusive occasions at your place can excite guests and get them booking and pre-paying to secure a table. Make the occasion a memorable one with Experiences.
Ramp up your marketing efforts
Get people thinking about Mother’s Day nice and early by ramping up your marketing efforts well in advance of March 19th. Send emails letting people know they can book Mother’s Day and post on social media platforms like Instagram using OpenTable’s custom Mother’s Day filters and photo tips to get diners in the mood. You can even create content, penning an article for your newsletter about Mother’s Day and what it means to the whole team at your spot.
Measure success
Use OpenTable’s marketing tracking to create unique URLs showing which channels and campaigns work best. That way, you can track your ROI on specific aspects related to your restaurant, such as automated email campaigns, to get better insights into how your marketing efforts perform.
Provide small gestures
Go all out and offer nice little touches here and there to make mum feel extra special. From offering her favourite bottle of bubbly to a few extra chocolates with coffee, little touches can go a long way and show guests how much you care about their Mother’s Day experience at your restaurant.
Run a boost campaign
With OpenTable’s Boost Campaign, you can get more eyes on your spot’s profile and turn undecided diners into booking guests. Increase your reach and benefit from more visibility in OpenTable search to drive Mother’s Day reservations.
Customise your restaurant
Think about creating a floor plan just for Mother’s Day, offering more spaces for small groups to make families feel special. Our Diner Survey also shows that 73% of people want restaurants to offer outside seating space, so don’t forget to include outdoor options for anyone who wants to enjoy their meal outside – weather permitting, of course.
Take the stress away from turns
Run a smooth front of house operation by setting up turn controls in OpenTable to serve as many guests as possible. Automate table statuses by course when you connect to the POS, giving hosts an overview of which guests are having starters or dessert without the need to leave the host stand.
Offer takeaway
While Mother’s Day is one of the busiest celebrations for restaurants, not everyone wants to dine out. 72% of diners would like restaurants to continue offering delivery and takeaway services. Cater for those who fancy celebrating mum indoors by offering a takeaway service so they can enjoy your food in the comforts of their own home. Make sure your customers know how to order and get them choosing a dish in just a few clicks, whether it’s via a third party or directly on your website.
Provide a waitlist for guests
Avoid crowded waiting areas with an online waitlist. Guests can get in line before they arrive and know when their table is ready with text message notifications.
Don’t forget about the kids
With mums come children, big and small. Aim to make your spot child-friendly for the younger ones, so they stay entertained. Create a supervised kids area if possible, or simply offer some colouring books for the table. Think about adding some child-friendly dishes to your menu, too – if you haven’t already.
Make it a Mother’s Day weekend
If you find that you’re particularly busy on March 19th, think about offering alternative Mother’s Day meals on Friday and Saturday. After all, mum’s deserve more than one day or night out. You can even advertise nights just for the mums, with live music and a mum-only complimentary drink.
Gift cards and merch
Offer gift cards to Mother’s Day guests via OpenTable and other channels so they keep
your restaurant in mind for their next special occasion. And don’t forget to promote restaurant merch around the big day, whether it’s clothing, mugs or ingredients on your menu.
Show your appreciation
When the dust settles and another Mother’s Day is in the bag, don’t forget to email everyone who spent the special day at your restaurant. Say a big thank you for choosing your spot as the place to celebrate and invite them back soon, perhaps with the first drink on the house.
Respond to reviews
Hit the reviews and say thank you to those who left feedback, whether it was overwhelmingly positive or constructive. Showing your appreciation to people for coming and leaving feedback will go a long way to helping build trust and getting them to return to your restaurant.
Capitalising on Mother’s Day to boost bookings at your spot
Mother’s Day is the big celebration before Easter and a chance to maximise bookings at your restaurant. Ensure that your place is where everyone wants to be with these tips that’ll make it an unforgettable day for mum and the entire family.
