Mother’s Day by the numbers: What restaurants should plan for

Mother’s Day isn’t just another day on the calendar—it’s the mother of all dining days for the hospitality industry, packed with last-minute reservations, group gatherings, and high demand. For restaurants, being prepared can make all the difference in maximizing revenue and delivering a memorable guest experience.

We crunched the numbers on Mother’s Day booking trends from 2024 to help you get ahead of this year’s rush. From when bookings were made to what kind of experiences diners were looking for, here’s what you need to know—and how to turn these insights into a winning strategy for your restaurant.

Get ready for last-minute bookings

Mother’s Day is one of the busiest dining days of the year—and last-minute reservations are the norm. In fact, almost 70% of bookings were made within two days of the occasion last year, according to OpenTable data. Here’s a breakdown:

• Day-of: 41% of bookings
• 1 day before: 22% of bookings
• 2 days before: 5% of bookings

How your restaurant can prepare

1. Release last-minute booking slots – Since most bookings happen 1-2 days in advance, keep your availability updated to attract those late planners, and consider releasing additional reservation slots closer to the holiday.
2. Offer your waitlist online – Let last-minute planners get in line before they get to your restaurant by offering your waitlist online. Not only does it help your restaurant get seen regardless of availability, it’ll free up congestion at your host stand during the busy day.

Parties of 2 people dominate Mother’s Day

Last year, Mother’s Day saw a wide variety of party sizes dining—but most people dined in groups of two (over half of all bookings). Still, larger groups of 3-4 people made up nearly an additional 30% of Mother’s Day reservations. Here are last year’s seated reservations by party size:

• 1 person: 4% of reservations
• 2 people: 55% of reservations
• 3 people: 17% of reservations
• 4 people: 13% of reservations
• 5 people: 4% of reservations
• 6+ people: 6% of reservations

How your restaurant can prepare

1. Prioritize two-tops – Customize your floor plan to reflect the demand for parties of two people.
2. Reduce no-shows by engaging guests early – Communicate with guests via emails, SMS messages, or customizable direct messages to keep people engaged and minimize last-minute cancellations and no-shows.
3. Leverage prix fixe menus to help increase efficiency – Offering prix fixe menus can help streamline operations by allowing for better inventory control and faster service, especially during peak times.

Dinner reigns supreme

You might think Mother’s Day brunch is when to expect the most bookings, but last year’s data makes it clear: dinner brought the biggest crowds. Most (80%) of all Mother’s Day bookings were between 6 pm and 9 pm.

How your restaurant can prepare

1. Staff up for dinner – Ensure you have enough coverage for dinner and focus your efforts on your dinner menu.
2. Optimize table turnover – The key to handling peak times is table turnover. Consider capping dining times at 1.5-2 hours to maximize your seatings and integrate your POS so tables can be statused automatically.
3. Drive demand during off-peak times – Run OpenTable digital marketing campaigns to fill slower Mother’s Day shifts—think 3:00 – 5:00 PM. Only ever pay for seated guests. Incentives like a discount or free app can also help attract diners during these hours.

The bottom line

A successful Mother’s Day comes down to preparation. By knowing the peak reservation times, experiences that attract bookings, and more, you can tweak your restaurant’s strategy to make the most of the occasion.

Source: OpenTable looked at (seated diners / seated reservations) from online reservations for all active restaurants on the OpenTable platform in the UAE on March 21, 2024. Experience types, party size, and time slots were also analyzed. Experience types are determined by the restaurant.