14 Recipe Ideas for Mother’s Day To-Go Meals

You know what moms would like for Mother’s Day? A break from cooking.

Many operators scored a welcome success with Easter-themed to-go meals over the recent holiday weekend. With shelter-in-place orders continuing, it’s a smart idea to begin planning how you can make Mother’s Day delicious for moms in your area, while bringing in some additional revenue.

For starters, the Simplot Culinary Team has selected 14 Mother’s Day recipes that could be offered as regular takeout for fun family-style meals, or as meal-kits your patrons finish at home.

From exotic Thai Shrimp and Rice to comforting Chicken & Dumplings, you’ll find a range of tasty main courses and sides to get your special Mother’s Day menu off to a strong start. But don’t stop there!

Turn your Mother’s Day menu into a complete experience
Mother’s Day during a pandemic—when many retail stores and gift shops are closed—offers up additional opportunities to make mom’s day and make some extra money in the process.

Here are a few additional ideas of things you can offer beyond food:

• Flowers—How about a dozen roses or a spring bouquet to go with those fine dumplings?
• Mother’s Day cards—Save Dad and the kids a trip to the drug store. They’ll love you for it!
• Champagne or wine—Or both! Mom has certainly earned it.
• An online cooking class with purchase—Make this meal the gift that keeps on giving and build stronger relationships with your customers.
• Housemade chocolates—That moms love chocolate is a fact confirmed by scientists.
• Local crafts—Team up with local artists to offer that little something special.

Get the word out now
With Mother’s Day falling on May 10^th this year, the time to start marketing your Mother’s Day offerings was yesterday. Here a few tips to jumpstart your communications:

Email: Your email list is a direct line of communication to people who already like your restaurant. We recommended sending the announcement of your Mother’s Day promotion multiple times to ensure they get the message. Include personal remarks to let your best customers know how you’re doing and how much you appreciate their continued business (more on this below). Be sure to list any and all of your special Mother’s Day offerings, like flowers.

Social media: This is prime territory to appeal to moms, dads and kids (moms have been known to give their family a “hint” of what they would like). Use photos and videos to show customers all of your special Mother’s Day offerings and add-on’s. Consider a small budget to promote your posts to the most likely audiences to ensure they’re seen. And make sure to update your Yelp! profile to include your off-premise service.

Website: Add your Mother’s Day promotion prominently on your home page and include a link to your delivery menu. Make sure the announcement takes up enough real estate on-screen so it can’t be missed.

Exterior banners: If you’re located along a commuter corridor, take advantage of your visibility to promote your Mother’s Day promo with large banners. Make sure the lettering is big with strong contrast between the type and the background color. Include your phone number and web address.

Flyers and postcards: if you have a mailing list, use it. If you don’t, distribute flyers around your neighborhood.

Don’t forget to emphasize your sanitation and safety measures

Recent research shows that “clean and sanitary” have overtaken “great taste” as the top reason for choosing a restaurant. Go out of your way in your social media posts and other communications to show patrons that you’re taking their safety concerns seriously.

Make Mother’s Day heroes out of your customers

For many people, choosing just the right Mother’s Day gift can be a task riddled with anxiety. By combining great food with a little imagination, you can transform your customers into heroes at home and deepen your relationships with them—profitably.