It’s no secret that Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year for restaurants, caterers, and other foodservice establishments. Year after year, many families have made it a tradition to take moms out for brunch or dinner on this special day to celebrate. However, with many restaurants having shut down their dine-in services due to COVID-19, this tradition will be temporarily transitioning to a take out or delivery model.
Restaurants need to think outside the box to capitalize on this lucrative holiday. Many families are still seeking ways to celebrate this holiday and create a special experience, meaning they’ll be likely to order meals for curbside pickup or delivery. We’ve created a detailed guide with a number of tips to ensure that your business is prepared for the big day.
Create A Special Mother’s Day Menu
Having to look at an online menu with multiple pages can be stressful for customers and families looking to order a Mother’s Day meal. They are forced to scroll through pages in order to find the perfect meal for each family member. Creating a special Mother’s Day menu allows customers to easily view all of your offerings and quickly place orders.
Having a special menu is also beneficial for establishments because it allows you to get ready for the increase in orders that are to be expected. It provides your business with the opportunity to prepare in advance and stock your kitchen with all the necessary ingredients and prep meals ahead of time. When creating a Mother’s Day menu for delivery, there are a couple of different types of menus to consider.
Offering A Prix Fixe Menu
It is a popular practice for restaurants to create a prix fixe menu for holidays and special events. This offers each customer a multi-course meal at a fixed price, allowing all members of a party to order something that they’ll enjoy. While customers may not be dining at your restaurant, having a Mother’s Day prix fixe menu for pickup or delivery still sets a special tone.
Offering A Family-Style Menu
Many restaurants like to offer family-style meals for holidays and special events. It allows large parties to serve themselves whatever they’d like and enjoy a variety of dishes. Since the majority of families will be enjoying their Mother’s Day brunch or dinner remotely, offering family-style meals allows them to enjoy their food from the comfort of home.
When creating your Mother’s Day family-style menu, it’s important to include the number of people each meal serves. It allows small and large families to place orders accordingly. The menu should also be very specific as to what each order brings. For example, if a family-style meal includes 8 biscuits, be sure to include this information so customers know what to expect with their order.
Accept Orders In Advance
Once you’ve posted your Mother’s Day menu on your website, social media accounts, and third-party
delivery apps, inform customers that they can place orders in advance. Allowing customers to order weeks
or days prior to the big day will help the flow of your business. You will be able to purchase all the
necessary ingredients, prep orders ahead of time, and ensure you have enough staff on hand to deliver
customers’ orders.
Additionally, establishments should consider creating a pre-order deadline for Mother’s Day to make it easier for staff to prepare meals on time. Accepting orders on Mother’s Day could cause your kitchen to fall behind schedule due to the higher number of orders you will receive. Potentially longer wait times and delivery times may lead to unhappy customers and your restaurant receiving poor reviews.
Offer Mother’s Day Drink Specials
When creating a Mother’s Day brunch menu for delivery, it’s essential to include popular brunch beverages, like juices, coffees, and other refreshments. However, to attract more customers, it’s important to add a fun twist to your Mother’s Day menu.
With many states lifting alcohol delivery bans due to the pandemic, restaurants can now include alcoholic beverages in their take out menu. Restaurants should take advantage and get creative with their Mother’s Day drink menu because this provides a perfect opportunity to increase sales.
Cocktail Ideas For Mother's Day Brunch
A great idea for Mother’s Day brunch menus is including DIY brunch cocktail kits so customers can enjoy their favorite drinks with their meals. This provides your customers with a fun and interactive way to make cocktails and creates an additional incentive for ordering. When creating a DIY cocktail section for your brunch menu, here are some popular cocktail kits to consider:
- Mimosas
- Bellinis
- Bloody Marys
- Kir Royales
- Sangrias
Cocktail Ideas For Mother's Day Dinner
Since many customers are accustomed to pairing their meals with an alcoholic beverage or two, you will want to include a variety of wine, beer, and cocktail options to accompany your Mother’s Day dinner menu. To cater to customers that prefer cocktails, consider including DIY cocktail kits alongside your dinner menu to maximize profits. The following list includes some of the most popular cocktails that should be considered when creating DIY kits:
- Margaritas
- Old Fashioneds
- Martinis
- Moscow Mules
- Daiquiris
- Negronis
- Manhattans
Add A Special Touch To Every Order
The goal for every restaurant’s Mother’s Day service is to celebrate moms and provide a memorable dining experience for guests. Although the majority of families will not be physically dining in your restaurant this year, you can still find ways to think outside the box to make their celebrations special.
Include A Flower
Many restaurants work with local florists to ensure that every mother in their establishment receives a
flower. Restaurants can still give flowers to mothers by placing a flower inside of every delivery bag.
Your customers will appreciate and remember the extra special touches that took your Mother’s Day menu
above and beyond.
Focus On Food Presentation
Customers eat with their eyes. Set the precedence for the quality of your food by putting thought into how you package your take out orders. Consider using higher-quality take out containers that ensure your orders look as good as they taste. Beautifully plated food, even in a to-go setting, enhances the perceived value and flavors of your meals.
Include A Complimentary Drink Or Dessert
If your establishment receives a large Mother’s Day order, you can include a complimentary bottle of wine, appetizer, or dessert. It’s a way to show guests that you appreciate their business and may be the reason why they order food from your establishment for the next major holiday.
You’re Officially Ready For Mother’s Day!
Your establishment’s dine-in services may be shut down or limited for Mother’s Day, but you now have all the information needed to capitalize on the holiday in a to-go environment. Start by creating a brunch and dinner menu that’s easy to navigate and allows your customers to effortlessly place orders ahead of time. And of course, don’t forget to get creative and add a charming touch to every order to make mothers feel special.
