Australia spends big on Mother’s Day 

With increasing cost-of-living pressure, Australians have become more intentional around dining out. Restaurant and Catering Australia reports that while Australians are dining out approximately 12% less than pre-2020, spend per head has increased up to 15%. 

Pulling back on spontaneous spending has left more room in patrons' budgets for special occasions, and Mother’s Day is arguably the pinnacle, for some venues being the biggest trading day of the year. These special occasions create opportunity for additional revenue through things like upsells and add ons, such as adding a glass of champagne or other package.  

According to data from ANZ, Australians spend on average 20% more on the Mother’s Day weekend than on a normal weekend. For the hospitality sector, this is great news, with taking mum out for a meal being one of Australia’s favourite ways to celebrate the day.  

This intentionality means capturing bookings on occasional weekends, like Mother’s Day, have become increasingly important for venues.  

Changes in booking behaviour 

According to data from OpenTable, patrons need to get organised early to have their pick of bookings, with over half of bookings made more than 5 days in advance. Last-minute bookings still play a big role however, with close to 30% of Mother’s Day bookings made in those last three days.  

These trends in booking behaviour mean venues can expect weeks of elevated enquiries in the lead up to Mother’s Day.  

For venues, ensuring these enquiries translate to bookings is key to making the most of Mother’s Day. Enabling patrons to book online is an important part of the equation. However, industry data indicates that 69% of diners prefer to call a restaurant to make a booking. 

Increased calls, sustained over weeks, puts significant pressure on front-of-house staff. Juggling face-to-face service, while managing incoming phone calls to capture high-value bookings for one of the busiest days of the year.   

Takeaway still has a role to play 

Dine-in might be the hero on Mother’s Day, but takeaway orders are hardly taking a back seat. Like dine-in on the day, these orders tend to be higher-value on average, when compared to a normal weekend.  

Plenty of patrons are still calling venues to place takeaway orders, preferring to celebrate mum at home. 

Creating calm in the chaos 

Restaurant Voice AI solutions, like Sadie, help venues handle the increased enquiries in the lead up to Mother’s Day, without putting additional pressure on staff.  

Acting as a virtual receptionist, Sadie handles incoming phone calls for venues, and integrates seamlessly with online booking platforms. Sadie can even promote upsells and add-ons to patrons calling to book, creating additional marketing opportunities. 

Ensuring every phone call is answered, even outside of staffed hours, means venues don’t miss out on valuable Mother’s Day bookings; while powerful integrations with booking platforms keeps those bookings well-organised and optimised for table turnover.  

Venues offering Mother’s Day specific offerings can customise Sadie to easily handle experience bookings and limited menus. Smart integrations mean Sadie can also handle takeaway orders, further reducing the pressure from incoming phone calls.  

Making Mother’s Day memorable 

When Mother’s Day weekend itself arrives, venues are inundated with phone calls, thanks to last-minute booking changes and other enquiries. With Sadie handling these calls, staff are free to focus on providing memorable experiences to patrons in-venue. 

Good hospitality in-venue is always important, driving repeat business and all-important positive reviews, and the stakes are seldom higher than on Mother’s Day weekend; when doting sons and daughters seek to celebrate one of the most important people in their lives.