CGA’s Managed Volume Pool from 2019 shows that food sales were 44% higher on Mother’s Day than the average March Sunday. Restaurants saw the sharpest uplift in sales at 71%, well clear of both bars (47%) and pubs (40%). The treat nature of the occasion meant that premium venues achieved the highest upswing in sales at 51%, ahead of mainstream (up 40%) and value (up 35%) venues.
As on Valentine’s Day, many operators opted for set menus – 28% more venues offered this option than an average Sunday in March. These three-course menus helped to lift sales of starters and desserts by 81% and 84% respectively.
CGA’s MealMetrics service, the source of dish-level daily sales data from the On Premise, shows how seafood, chocolate and cheese tend to dominate Mother’s Day starters and desserts. Among starters, sales of salmon dishes (up 381% on the average March Sunday), fishcakes (up 318%) and prawn cocktails (up 250%) all rocketed—as did chocolate desserts (up 178%) and cheeseboards (up 230%).
The On Premise will also miss the major uptick in drinks sales that comes with Mother’s Day. Wine and Champagne sales were 44% higher on Mother’s Day 2019 than on the average Sunday, with Prosecco (up 67%) and cocktails (up 25%) big winners. Total drinks sales by value were up 17%.
The loss of two big celebratory occasions, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, is a blow to the On Premise. But a well-researched takeaway, delivery or meal kit offer can help operators and suppliers to recover at least some of the lost food sales,” says CGA client director Fiona Speakman.
By properly understanding consumers’ treat mentalities and positioning and packaging special menus or meal kits well, suppliers and restaurants have a great chance to win spend from retailers.”
CGA’s MealMetrics service uncovers dish-level insights into eating-out in Britain, tracking value and volume rate of sale, pricing, distribution and much more. Drawing on £4bn of aggregated food till sales data from more than 7,000 pubs, bars and restaurants, it is designed to help businesses understand trends in meal choices and pricing, and improve category strategies and sales propositions.
To learn more about MealMetrics, contact Fiona Speakman at fiona.speakman@cga.co.uk.
