MUM’S THE WORD WHEN IT COMES TO MOTHER’S DAY PANIC BOOKINGS

Time pressed families are leaving it to the last minute to book for Mother’s Day. According to online bookings service, liveRES the next few days will see a flurry of restaurant reservations, with this year seeing an 12% increase in bookings being made with just a week to go, compared to last year.

Whilst Mother’s Day bookings may be up on previous years, the number of offers being used has dropped by almost 4% [Source: liveRES data 2016 v 2015].

And the ratio of women making reservations compared to their male counterparts is almost 50:50, demonstrating a shift in family dynamics. However, remaining constant as the most popular table size is the traditional family of four.

liveRES managing director, Olivia FitzGerald, said: “Mother’s Day is as popular as ever, but our stats support overall evidence that we are becoming a ‘last minute’ society, with planning ahead becoming a thing of the past. The adage ‘cash rich, time poor’ seems to be true, and having on-the-go technology at our fingertips helps feed our habit for doing things on the move and as they pop into our heads. At liveRES we are seeing an increasing appetite for online reservations when out and about and travelling to and from work.

“The use of offers for big occasions, such as Mother’s Day, also become less significant with last minute bookings, as customers are more focused on finding somewhere with availability.”

liveRES is part of the Marketing Technologies division of Zonal Retail Data Systems, the UK’s leading provider of hospitality solutions to over 8,000 leisure and hospitality businesses across the UK. For over 35 years, the company has been working closely with clients to enhance the customer experience through market leading technology, experienced people and a partnership approach to business.