Last week, we predicted a minimum 10 percent increase in restaurant sales and traffic on Father’s Day Sunday compared to other Sundays in June. We chose that number based on the average increase in previous years which fell between 7 and 15 percent. Now that the holiday is behind us, we did a follow up report to see how our prediction compared the actual numbers.
As it turns out, our prediction was safely under the actual average increase. In fact, this year’s Father’s Day performance precisely matches that of 2017, with a same-store sales increase of 14 percent and an increase in covers of 15 percent both years.
Comparing Mother’s and Father’s Day Sales and Traffic
Interestingly, the sales and traffic increases on Mother’s Day in 2018 were only one percent higher than they were in 2017. Though Mother’s Day increases are around 10 percent stronger than Father’s Day numbers overall, sales and traffic on both holidays remained steady compared to 2017.
Even with strong Father’s Day sales and traffic increases over the last four years, in a contest between the two holidays, Mother’s Day reigns supreme in overall increased sales for restaurants.
The difference in restaurant popularity between the two holidays may be attributed to the likelihood of warmer weather on Father’s Day as compared to Mother’s Day. More families may opt to stay home for grilling and celebrations in outdoor spaces on Father’s Day, where as early spring weather on Mother’s Day may be more conducive to restaurant outings.
It may also have to do with many mothers’ aversion to cooking for the family and hosting meals in the home on Mother’s Day. Regardless of which parent is celebrating though, the numbers clearly show both are important holidays for restaurants.
It’s a good idea to analyze your sales from both Mother’s and Father’s Day to see how your restaurant’s performance tracks with the Avero Index. Looking at your data can also help you see important details about your operations, like which servers excel at making family celebration days special, which items sold out, which items didn’t sell at all, and more. Find out how effective your promotions were so you can make adjustments next year if necessary. And make sure to take detailed notes in your Avero Logbook so you’ll remember important details as you prepare for next year’s holidays.
