Mother’s Day

Make it easy to bring your restaurant home to mums

This year more than ever, people want to celebrate the mums in their lives. While they may not be able to bring their mums out to a restaurant, restaurants can help them bring some of the festive elements of a great restaurant meal to their mums. Here are steps you can take to make Mother’s Day special, share what you’re doing, and encourage people to treat Mum in the future

Help people treat Mum to a great meal at home

Even if guests can’t sit in your dining room, they still want to celebrate Mother’s Day with their families. With great food and restaurant expertise, you can help them do just that.

  • Point out how to create a two-or three-course meal from your a la carte menu.
  • Provide plating and table-setting advice people can follow to create a special ambiance.
  • Share playlists, wine-pairing tips, and virtual backgrounds for video celebrations.
  • Include a handwritten note to mums from the chef.
  • Partner with local florists and wine shops to sell flowers and champagne to accompany your meals.

Connect with past guests and share your Mother’s Day plans

Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days for restaurants, and this year you can continue to be there for your guests and let them know how they can celebrate the day with you.

  • Send guests who dined with you last year a “Happy Mother’s Day” email with a promotion.(see how to export your guest list)
  • Highlight offers such as delivery menus, meal kits, or family-style takeaway items.
  • Add photos to your OpenTable profile to highlight any Mother’s Day dishes.
  • Update your profile with relevant hours of operation and information.

Adapt your delivery and takeaway for the big day

As more guests order delivery and takeaway, you might need to change your menu and processes to account for the increase in takeaway meals.

  • Turn on delivery and takeaway options to let people know they can enjoy your delicious food without going out (see tips for moving to delivery and pickup only). 
  • Consider offering take-and-bake meals for people to complete at home.
  • Test any new dishes and packaging to make sure they travel well.
  • Walk through the pickup process and see how it feels from the guest perspective.

Encourage people to celebrate Mum in the future with you

Now is the time to remind guests of brighter times when they’ll be able to treat Mum to a full-service meal in your restaurant.

  • Remind people to buy gift cards that they can give as a gift to their mums now and use in the future.
  • Offer a free drink voucher via email or social for mums to bring in the next time they’re able to dine in.
  • Encourage people to make future reservations when they can.

Show people you’re prioritising cleanliness

Lean into the new normal of over-communicating your cleanliness standards to diners.

  • Minimise the number of times staff touch takeaway and delivery items.
  • Provide social distance guidance for guests and delivery drivers.
  • Increase sanitation by keeping hand sanitiser at the entrance.
  • Clean counters, handles, and bathrooms more frequently and thoroughly.

To help restaurants reopen, OpenTable is offering new price cuts for 2020 with our Open Door program

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