Fun Mother’s Day promotion ideas for restaurants

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Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year for restaurants. You definitely don’t want to miss out on the opportunity of a Mother’s Day promotion, so a marketing campaign long in advance is well in order. That said, you also need something to market. So … what should you market? What Mother’s Day promotion ideas stand out from the crowd or, at least, give your establishment enough of a boost to draw in a sizable customer base?

We’ll cover some of the most popular Mother’s Day marketing ideas as well as ways to use the day to boost brand awareness. Your target audience usually either has a mother, is a mother, or has a mother figure, so reaching out to them is a solid plan.

Yes, yes, you can go with the standard last-minute marketing campaigns, limited-time offers, and so on. But really, you want to build brand loyalty so that your customers will bring someone they hopefully truly love—their mother—to your restaurant because they love them and not because they think it’ll save them a bit of cash.

Overall, demonstrating to your customer that their mother deserves your brand involves a bit of savvy, including social media savvy.

So, let’s dive into some of the best Mother’s Day promotion ideas and look at ways to expand your brand beyond this particular day and hopefully make it part of Mom’s restaurant repertoire instead of just a one-off.

Social media marketing: Mother’s Day campaign

Many people get emotional about their mothers on the big day. That’s not a bad thing. Tapping into that maternal love is a great way to target social media posts as well as email marketing. Offer your establishment as an opportunity for guests to show their moms, aunts, and grandmothers they love them and want to do something nice for them. That’s what it’s all about anyway, isn’t it?

Share wholesome messaging about mothers (and grandmothers, of course) loving their families and enjoying a pleasant day together. Market special menu offers on social media with hashtags like #freecocktail or #freewine (hey, who doesn’t want free alcohol?) as well as via email lists.

Of course, you’ll be in competition with lots of other restaurants out there, so you’ll want to hop on your social media marketing campaign early. Here’s a hint: If you’re a restaurateur, describe what Mother’s Day means to you. Speak from the heart. Encourage your employees to do the same. Try a short video interviewing employees about what Mother’s Day means to them, for example. Have your staff share their favorite thing about their mom, or highlight the moms on your team.

Even those with strained relationships with their mothers will likely still want to have a good Mother’s Day, so keep it simple. Human relationships are complicated, and the more we can simplify them, the happier people are likely to be.

Make moms feel special

True story: Just earlier, I asked a mother of a grown child (not mine) what she wanted for Mother’s Day. Her response? “To not have to pay.” Now, that’s just one mom’s reaction, but the message here can be extrapolated: You need to make mothers feel special.

So do just that. Make a special Mother’s Day gift price where mothers eat free, or offer a Mother’s Day gift card in advance to loyal customers wishing to bring their beloved maternal figures to your establishment. If a loyal customer can show off their favorite restaurant to their family, you’ve likely earned yourself a customer for life. And lifelong customers are the lifeblood of restaurants.

You can go further here, though. Even something simple as a free gift for mothers like skincare products or coupons to local beauticians can put you in a good light with both your customers and other businesses in your area.

More Mother’s Day themed gift ideas and promos

Here’s a quick list of other ideas for restaurants to celebrate moms:

• Flowers are expected on Mother’s Day—it’s classic. So, go with it and work with local florists to help support both businesses.
• Use social media or email to provide your last-minute diners with a Mother’s Day gift guide ahead of time. Feature local artisans, favorite products of moms on your staff, your own restaurant merch, and of course, your gift cards.
• Offer discount codes to regular customers or host a Mother’s Day giveaway bundle to encourage regulars to bring their mothers to your restaurant.
• For a promo that gives back, offer to make a donation to a women’s shelter or other nonprofit in Mom’s name with a purchase.
• Offer a free glass of wine, cocktail, or mocktail to moms or grandmothers when they check in at the host stand or kiosk.
• Team up with social media influencers to push Mother’s Day gifts and promos you’ll be offering.

Mom-ify your website and Yelp listing

Anyone trying to coordinate a Mother’s Day meal should be able to easily find what they need on your website and Yelp listing. Feature your Mother’s Day specials or prix fixe menu on your homepage and make sure to include it in your content marketing done via email lists. Note any special hours or reservation policies.

Making an infographic of what customers can expect of your service on the special day is a great way to get eyeballs on the special events your establishment may be featuring.

Using Yelp Connect to help promote Mother’s Day is a great way to get the word out about your offerings and boost your social media campaign. You can also send text messages to regular customers whose numbers you have on file.

Make Mother’s Day special

Above all, make sure your service is top notch and that every mother involved has a happy Mother’s Day.

Yelp Guest Manager helps ensure your front-of-house service is in tip-top shape and ready for the day. Whether you’re serving brunch or are open all day, you’ll want the best software on your side. Take a look at Yelp Guest Manager and reach out to us if you want a free demo.

No matter what you’re offering, whether it’s freebies, great gifts, or simply amazing food, you’ll want to put your best foot forward in service to ensure new customers become regulars.