Mother's Day: Mum's the word

We don’t need an excuse to spoil our mums, but if there’s one day to go all out in the spoiling stakes it’s Mother’s Day. Give your customers a helping hand to make the day special and they’ll help your profit margins in return

Us Brits love our mums and while last Mother’s Day was very different for obvious reasons, it didn’t stop people from pushing the boat out, albeit in more creative ways. No matter what type or size of business you operate, Mother’s Day is a key chance to boost sales and your profile too as what better way to show mums how much they mean to others than with good food? Mother’s Day falls on 14 March and while we expect to still be in national lockdown that doesn’t mean you can’t plan for any eventuality.

PREPARE TO SUCCEED

Maximise on the demand for wanting to treat mum and seriously boost your bottom line by extending your offer across the whole weekend and consider menus that span

the entire day. By covering breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, you can squeeze even more out of the occasion by filling the gaps between standard dining times.

Prepare and promote well in advance as customers will want to plan ahead. Advertise your offering and any deals on social media to extend your reach as far as possible.

VALUE IS ESSENTIAL

Consumers will be looking for deals and value for money. Can you throw a promotional offer or two out there? It’ll help raise awareness of your venue too. If you’re able to open…

» Offer mums a free drink with their meal.

» For every main meal ordered, get a free pudding.

» Run a ‘buy one main meal get a second half price’ offer. If your doors are closed…

» Free cupcake with the purchase of a hot drink to take away. This could also tempt others with mum to buy a cake for themselves. Or could you make a small donation to a local charity on behalf of every mum who visits or for every takeaway order?

Bring on the roast

Roast dinners are always popular on Mother’s Day, whether it’s full-on or scaled-down. And it’s one of the nation’s favourite meals.

IF YOU’RE ABLE TO OPEN…

» Create a special roasts menu that includes beef, pork, chicken and lamb with all the trimmings.

» Pair with drinks suggestions to maximise incremental sales.

» Promote a three-course Mother’s Day special menu to boost that bottom line, bearing in mind social-distancing measures may mean fewer customers.

IF YOUR DOORS ARE CLOSED…

» Boxed-up roasts proved popular last year. If you can’t stretch to a full roast, go for roast pork, beef or chicken with apple sauce, horseradish or stuffing in a ciabatta.

» Meal kits continue to be a lockdown favourite and will stay in demand after, so put together the ingredients for a special meal with instructions for people to cook at home. Mintel research has shown that a fifth of Brits have bought chef meal kits, with a further 3 in 10 interested in buying, having not already tried them.

Choices choices

Afternoon tea is a staple for Mother’s Day and great for your profit margins. Simple to put together, most of the contents can be baked and prepared in advance and easily transportable for takeaway and delivery. Offer sweet and savoury options, and a children’s version. A gourmet selection using speciality breads and home-made preserves can carry a higher price. Or simply create a box of sweet treats, such as a piece of cake, a cupcake, a slice of traybake, for example, brownies, flapjacks or millionaire’s shortbread, and a special extra such as macarons.

IF YOU’RE ABLE TO OPEN…

» Offer a glass or bottle of fizz or wine, or a themed cocktail to encourage customers to trade up.

IF YOUR DOORS ARE CLOSED…

» Think about hiring out your china cups, teapots, plates and cake stands to make it a truly special treat (just remember to take a deposit).

» Team up with a local florist to add flowers for a complete gift solution.

» Encourage customers to trade up with a selection of premium teabags or ground coffee bags, or even a mini bottle of fizz.

Did you know?

CONSUMERS SPEND 48% MORE ON ‘SPECIAL’ MEALS, HIGHLIGHTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRADE UP *

Finishing touches

It’s the tiny touches that customers will remember and will make you stand out, so don’t forget the details when you’re thinking big picture. By making mums feel special, you’ll be their first choice for the future. IF YOU’RE ABLE TO OPEN…

» Make mums feel special by putting thought into decorations. Hang pastelcoloured bunting, put small vases of flowers on tables and choose a colour scheme for napkins and table coverings.

» Present each mum with a complementary gift, such as a mini bottle of fizz, posy of flowers or locally made chocolates.

IF YOUR DOORS ARE CLOSED…

» Add decoration to takeaway boxes, such as ribbon or a fresh or dried flower. Use stickers to not just promote your outlet but to convey ‘Happy Mother’s Day!’.

» Include a little something unexpected in takeaway parcels just for mum, for example, a foil-wrapped chocolate or a mini, decorated biscuit or cupcake.

Early treat

Providing breakfast and brunch menus means you can tap into demand from those early risers.

IF YOU’RE ABLE TO OPEN…

» A dedicated breakfast menu will tick all the boxes for hot and cold choices.

» Offer free refills on hot drinks to draw customers in.

» Encourage trading up with buck’s fizz and bloody Marys.

IF YOUR DOORS ARE CLOSED…

» Offer breakfast boxes containing pastries, savoury muffins and fresh fruit or hot options, such as a classic bacon sandwich.

» Add the option of coffee beans, coffee bags or speciality tea in gift bags.

TOP TIP

RUN A COMPETITION FOR CUSTOMERS TO SHARE PICTURES OF THEIR FOOD AND POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA, TAGGING YOUR VENUE, AND OFFER A PRIZE FOR THE WINNER. THIS WILL SPREAD THE WORD AND ENSURE LOCALS THINK OF YOUR VENUE FOR OTHER SPECIAL OCCASIONS, SUCH AS FATHER’S DAY