Mother’s Day is the busiest restaurant day of the year

Mother’s Day is taken very seriously by mothers in North America. It is big business. Fathers beware, you could be eating your meal in the doghouse for that occasion. Moms cook all year round. It is only fitting that the most cherished person in the household gets a break for Mother’s Day. Every year, families rush to make reservations to ensure they have a table for the special second Sunday of May. Mother’s Day is the busiest restaurant day of the year, with over one-third of American adults competing for a spot to celebrate their mothers.

Despite the ongoing economic challenges, Americans are expected to spend over $3.6 billion more on Mother’s Day this year, bringing the total spending to over $30 billion in 2023. This includes purchases such as flowers, dining, greeting cards, and homemade gifts like cherished macaroni necklaces.

Flowers:  According to the U.S. Flower Industry, Mother’s Day fresh flower/plant purchases make up 25% of their yearly dollar volume (the same as Valentine’s Day!).  According to one source, we spend $1.9 billion dollars on flowers – just for Mother’s Day.

Greeting Cards:  According to Hallmark, Mother’s Day is #3 in card-sending occasions, and Americans send 133 million cards.  

Eating Out:  The National Restaurant Association (www.restaurant.org) reports that Mother’s Day is the most popular occasion to dine out, even surpassing Valentine’s Day.  An estimated 75 million Americans go out to eat on Mother’s Day.

• 40% of adults say they plan to use a restaurant for a special Mother’s Day meal. 30% plan to go out to a restaurant, 13% plan to order food in, and 3% will both dine out and order in for two different meal occasions.
• The business will be hopping all day with diners planning to dine out: 10% plan to go out for breakfast, 35% for brunch, 40% for lunch and 43% for dinner.* If they’re dining out, nearly 60% say they’ll be bringing kiddos under the age of 18.
• For those planning to order, via takeout or delivery, dinner is the winner with 49% buying the evening meal. But 40% will order for lunch, 21% for brunch and 19% for breakfast.

In France, the Fête des Mères is celebrated on the final Sunday of May, while in the United States, Mother’s Day is observed on the second Sunday of May. On this occasion, French mothers are accustomed to receiving various gifts such as cards, handwritten poems, flowers, perfumes, cosmetics, jewelry, chocolates, and handmade presents. Interestingly, French florists make a considerable portion of their annual revenue on Mother’s Day. Additionally, children usually make craft projects at school for their mothers, including the iconic dried pasta necklace known as “un collier de pâtes.”

Fun Fact: In the former Yugoslavia, children would tie up their mothers on Mother’s Day. In order to be freed she had to pay them with treats.