Mother's Day Brunch Data: 47% of Mother’s Day Transactions Are During Brunch

This article has been updated with 2024 data. Click here for 2023 Mother's Day data.

Do you have your Mother’s Day brunch reservation alerts set? You should. Restaurants see a big rush between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Mother’s Day. Tables fill up fast as families gather to celebrate the moms, grandmothers, and mother figures. What better way to say thank you than with a soft scramble, sparkling wine, and some quality time?

To help restaurants prepare, Toast analyzed data from full-service restaurants (FSRs) on Mother’s Day 2024 and compared it to an average Sunday in 2024. The results are filled with insights and tips operators can use to turn Mother’s Day into a standout service. Let’s dive in. 

Compared to the average Sunday in 2024:

• Big day for business: Same-store GMV at full-service restaurants was up 52%

• More guests: Total transaction counts increased 14%

• Bigger checks: Check size was up 34%

• Alcohol sales poured in: Total alcohol sales were up 20%

• Mom’s drinking wine: Wine sales spiked 50%

• A tasteful day: Steak sales were up 88% and seafood 83%

• Brunch was the most important meal of the day: Brunch and breakfast platter sales surged 70%

Mother’s Day brunch insights 

Prepare to be busy

Same-store GMV was 52% higher than the average Sunday in 2024. This jump is likely driven by a combination of factors. Restaurants may have raised prices on their holiday menus, and guests likely spent more by ordering additional or higher-ticket menu items. It’s easy to imagine tables splurging on extras, like a fruit bowl to start, a sweet treat to finish, or even premium entrées and cocktails to make the day feel special. After all, Mom deserves top-shelf liquor, not well vodka.

In addition to bigger checks, more people were dining out overall. Full-service restaurants saw 14% more transactions on Mother’s Day compared to a typical Sunday. Whether it was a quick breakfast or a late brunch reservation, families showed up and in greater numbers. It’s a clear sign that treating Mom to a sit-down meal is still one of the most popular —and appreciated— ways to celebrate.

Can’t celebrate all day if you don’t start in the morning

Breakfast, brunch, and early afternoon kept servers busy. The busiest hours of the day saw significant sales spikes, especially in the morning. Many families chose to kick off Mother’s Day with breakfast and maybe a glass of sparkling wine.

At 8 a.m., sales were up 36% compared to the average Sunday, making it the biggest increase of the day. Early birds weren’t just getting the worm, they were beating the brunch rush or grabbing a quiet table before the day picked up. By 9 and 10 a.m., the rush continued, with sales up 21% and 17% respectively. The brunch window stayed consistent through late morning and early afternoon, with sales up 20% at 11 a.m. and holding steady around 18% to 13% between noon and 1 p.m compared to a normal Sunday.

Even mid-to-late afternoon saw above-average sales, with consistent increases between 16% and 19% from 2 p.m. through 4 p.m. It’s likely that families without a reservation found creative ways to celebrate later in the day, or simply took advantage of extended brunch menus and happy hour specials.

Dinner hours still saw a boost, although it was slightly less significant. Sales remained elevated with a 15% increase at 5 p.m., 12% at 6 p.m., and 11% at 7 p.m. By 10 p.m., the celebration had largely wrapped up, with sales up by just 1%.

Brunch was the main course

Not only were sales higher in the morning and early afternoon, but the bulk of transactions also happened during those peak brunch and lunch hours. 

Starting around 10 a.m., the pace picked up: transactions peaked between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., when each hour accounted for 9% to 10% of the total check volume between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. In fact, the entire stretch from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. made up the bulk of Mother’s Day transactions, reinforcing that brunch really is the main event. While dinner hours still brought in solid traffic, holding steady around 9–10% between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., the clear winner was the midday meal.

Save the whiskey — Mom wants wine

When it comes to Mother’s Day cocktail menus, the data sends a clear message: Mom doesn’t want whiskey or beer. Whiskey sales dropped 6%, tequila saw a slight dip (-2%), and beer sales were flat.

Instead, guests overwhelmingly opted for wine, with sales up 50% compared to a typical Sunday in 2024. Gin (+12%) and rum (+7%) also saw boosts. But wine stole the spotlight. Whether it was a glass of chilled rosé at brunch or a bottle of Pinot shared over dinner, wine clearly became the drink of choice for celebrating the occasion with a touch of elegance.

The preference shift points to how diners tailor the dining experience on Mother’s Day. The data doesn’t just say “cheers,” it says “cheers with Chardonnay.”

Mother’s Day menus skew upscale and comforting

When it comes to food, guests weren’t showing up for casual bar fare, they were ordering up. Wings, for instance, saw a slight dip in sales (-2%) compared to the average Sunday. Mother’s Day is about comfort, quality, and something a little more special than finger food. 

So what was on the table? Steak orders surged 88%, and seafood wasn’t far behind with an 83% increase. These are clear indicators that guests were willing to spend more to make the day feel elevated. Pasta orders were also up 77%, suggesting that classic, crowd-pleasing entrées had a major moment.

Brunch-forward dishes led the charge earlier in the day, with breakfast items up 70% and desserts jumping by 66%. Pie sales even rose 65%. Even lighter fare like salads (+41%) and soups (+28%) saw meaningful growth. 

Comfort foods with flair also played a starring role: fajitas (+60%), enchiladas (+61%), and BBQ (+53%) all saw sizable boosts. The data paints a clear picture: guests ditch the everyday staples in favor of something that feels a little more celebratory. Mom deserves better than wings. She deserves steak, seafood, and a slice of pie to finish it off.

Make the most of Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day continues to be a major driver of restaurant traffic and sales, particularly during brunch hours. From the early morning rush to a midafternoon peak in both transactions and sales, families clearly prioritize dining out as a key part of their celebrations. For restaurants, this presents a wonderful opportunity not just to increase revenue, but to create lasting guest experiences.

By planning ahead and tailoring offerings to the unique tone of the day, restaurants can turn Mother’s Day into a well-branded, highly profitable annual tradition.

Methodology: Toast analyzed transactions at full-service restaurants on Sunday, May 12, 2024, and compared them to the average Sunday in 2024.