🌸 Making the Most of Mother’s Day: 5 Smart Service Tweaks for Cafés & Restaurants

Ben Maher
May 9
2 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

How to survive the rush, protect your margins, and give Mum a great time (without burning out your team).

Mother’s Day is like hospitality’s version of the Grand Final.Big bookings. Big emotions. And a whole lot of smashed avo.

Whether you're a café, bistro, or full-service restaurant, this is one of the busiest Sundays of the year — and the difference between a smooth service and total chaos often comes down to prep.

Here are 5 smart tweaks to help your venue run smoother and more profitably on Mother’s Day — without driving your team into the ground.

1. 📋 Set Up a Pre-Order or Set Menu Option

Trying to offer your entire menu on the busiest day of the year? That’s a recipe for a ticket jam.

Instead, consider:

A pre-booked set menu (with 2–3 options max)
A Mother’s Day special menu with high-margin dishes
Limited-time pre-orders for things like high teas, grazing platters, or takeaway treats

This speeds up service, simplifies prep, and lets you batch-cook smart.

Pro Tip: If you’re doing set menus, collect dietary needs in advance. The fewer surprises on the day, the better.

2. 👩‍🍳 Rethink Your Kitchen Flow for Volume

You might not need a full menu rework, but you do need a shift plan.

Simplify your station setup
Pre-portion or partially prep key components the day before
Designate a “floater” role to help where needed — they’ll save your shift

Mother’s Day isn’t the time to wing it with the junior on the pass.

3. 💸 Add a Little Upsell Power

It’s a premium day — and customers are expecting to spend a little more. Use it.

Feature a premium wine pairing or “Mum’s Mimosa” bundle
Offer gift packs or desserts to-go
Suggest add-ons that feel like treats (not pushy)

A few well-placed upsells can significantly increase average spend — without adding pressure to your kitchen.

4. 👥 Over-Communicate With Your Team

The best service happens when your staff know what’s coming:

Run a pre-shift briefing on timing, bookings, specials, and known dietary needs
Share a quick-hit checklist for FOH & BOH roles
Emphasise patience, empathy, and teamwork — especially when stress runs high

"Service with a smile" is easier when everyone’s on the same page.

5. 🌼 Make It Memorable — But Manageable

You don’t need rose petals on every plate — but small thoughtful touches go a long way:

A complimentary mini flower or chocolate
“Happy Mother’s Day” written on the bill or takeout box
A photo station or social media shoutout wall for families

Keep it simple, photogenic, and replicable.

Final Word: You Deserve a Smooth Service Day — Every Time

Mother’s Day might be the big one — but these strategies work just as well for:

✔️ Father’s Day

✔️ Valentine’s Day

✔️ Public holiday weekends

✔️ EOFY functions or event-heavy Sundays

A few small service tweaks can mean:💨 Faster turnaround😁 Happier customers🧠 Less kitchen chaos💰 Better margins

If you’d like help getting your systems tight before your next peak trade day, that’s exactly what I do.

Let’s chat ahead of your next big rush.

Bambam Culinary Consultants works with cafés and restaurants across QLD to turn pressure days into profit days.

📩 Reach out anytime, or browse more tips here:👉 www.bambamculinaryconsultants.com/blog