In this blog post, we’ll list four Mother’s Day tips for restaurants that you can implement prior to this busy day.
1. Make Sure You’re Well-Staffed
If you’re short-staffed or are lacking employees in certain areas (hosts, servers, chefs, etc.), it could lead to major operational delays and customer complaints. So, if you haven’t already, create your Mother’s Day weekend staff schedule. In addition, to avoid any last-minute issues, make sure that you keep a few additional employees on-call, in case an employee doesn’t show up or has a last-minute emergency.
By making sure that you have enough staff members scheduled for Mother’s Day, you can avoid slow service, kitchen mishaps, and other problems that arise from not having enough employees.
2. Offer Specials
Before Mother’s Day, you should consider how you can stand out from nearby dining establishments. If your restaurant offers the menu items and overall experience that you typically provide, that likely won’t be enough to attract more patrons than any other weekend. For instance, we suggest that you craft a marketing campaign that publicizes any special prix fixe menus, family discounts, or entertainment like a live band that you’ll be providing for Mother’s Day. These specials will entice new customers to check out your restaurant for Mother’s Day, and hopefully will spread the word to their friends and family.
3. Start Marketing Early
To generate significant sales, you should begin promoting your Mother’s Day offers and reservations as soon as possible. To do this, publish information about it on your website, share the details on social media, post flyers, or try any other marketing format that is typically successful for your restaurant. The more that you can promote your Mother’s Day specials, the more likely that you’ll be able to receive as many reservations as possible.
3. Confirm Reservations
When Mother’s Day is a few days away, have someone on your staff call each person to confirm their reservation. This will allow you to ensure that canceled reservations can be given to last-minute patrons, and you won’t be holding a table for someone who isn’t going to show up. In addition, you should make sure that you didn’t accidentally forget to add a reservation to your schedule, or overbook a time slot. This can happen if you take reservations through multiple mediums, such as via telephone, on your website, and through apps like OpenTable or Resy. Stay organized, so that your Mother’s Day reservations can go as smoothly as possible!
Celebrating Mother’s Day at Your Restaurant
When Mother’s Day comes around, you and your restaurant staff should be ready to handle the rush. It’s a busy day in the restaurant industry, and it’s pivotal that you provide strong customer service, a great meal, and an overall satisfying experience. If you are a restaurant owner that has had success on Mother’s Day in the past, share your tips with us in the comment section below.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
