Mother’s Day weekend offered a huge sales boost, at least for those restaurant operators that were open amid the pandemic.
Consumer spending at restaurants soared 103% on Mother’s Day Sunday and 63% on Saturday, compared to average daily revenue throughout the coronavirus crisis, according to an analysis of transaction data at 48,000 local restaurants by software and data firm Womply.
Throughout Mother’s Day weekend, though, one-third of local restaurants were closed or otherwise not doing business, Womply found.
Anecdotally, restaurants large and small around the country reported a busy, and in some cases chaotic, Mother’s Day this year, with numerous viral videos showing long lines of cars and crowds of waiting customers.
For restaurants that were still open, Mother’s Day weekend provided the best revenue days since most states curbed dine-in operations in mid-March.
The restaurant sales boost stands in stark contrast to other types of consumer spending amid the pandemic, Womply found. Consumers overall spent 69% less on Saturday and 72% less on Sunday of Mother’s Day weekend, compared to overall spending the prior year.
Womply has previously found that Mother’s Day is a top sales day for independent restaurants.
Pent-up consumer demand for celebration while self-quarantining could signal strong restaurant sales for upcoming holidays and special events such as Memorial Day, graduation season and Father’s Day.
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