Mother’s Day this year witnessed an extraordinary influx of diners across all types of restaurants, surpassing the usual footfall seen on occasions like New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day, as well as regular Sundays. Multiple restaurant owners have reported record-breaking bookings, signalling a remarkable shift in consumer behaviour.
EazyDiner, a prominent table discovery, reservation, and payment platform boasting over 15,000 listed restaurants, confirmed the surge in bookings. Kapil Chopra, founder of EazyDiner, noted a substantial increase in bookings compared to the previous year, with lunch and dinner reservations up by 62% and 198%, respectively. This surge in bookings resulted in an impressive average restaurant occupancy of 92%, marking an exceptional day for the food and beverage industry.
Chopra emphasized that Bengaluru witnessed the highest growth this year, closely followed by Mumbai and Delhi, reflecting a nationwide trend of increased dining-out activity on Mother’s Day.
Restaurant owners echoed similar sentiments, expressing delight at the overwhelming response. Zorawar Kalra, founder of Massive Restaurants, which owns popular brands like Masala Library and Farzi Cafe, described it as the “best turnout” in a long time, with restaurants operating at full capacity nationwide. Anjan Chatterjee of Speciality Restaurants and Riyaz Amlani of Impresario Hospitality & Entertainment also reported significant spikes in sales, attributing the success to special Mother’s Day offerings and deals.
Even large hotel chains joined in the celebration, offering curated brunches and discounts to honour mothers. Courtyard by Marriott Navi Mumbai, for instance, extended a special brunch with wellness treatments as a gesture of appreciation.
The surge in diners was accompanied by a notable increase in average spending per diner, with EazyDiner recording a 35% rise compared to the previous year.
In addition to restaurants, food aggregator platforms also witnessed brisk business, with Mother’s Day emerging as a higher-volume day than New Year’s Eve for the first time ever. Deepinder Goyal, founder and CEO of Zomato, shared the excitement on social media, highlighting the bustling activity at their offices to cater to the surge in orders.
Overall, Mother’s Day 2024 proved to be a landmark occasion for the food industry, underscoring the enduring significance of celebrating and honouring mothers through shared dining experiences.