News Release | National Restaurant Association

News Release

Mother's Day Dining Fact Sheet

April 30, 2009
Contact: Annika Stensson (202) 973-3677, Mike Donohue (202) 331-5902

Mother's Day is the most popular day of the year to dine out, with 38 percent of consumers reporting doing so, according to National Restaurant Association research.*

More than six out of 10 Americans (62 percent) who celebrate Mother's Day with a special meal enjoy it in a restaurant. Those who visit a restaurant on Mother's Day are most likely to do so for dinner with their spouse and/or mother or mother-in-law.*

Some have more than one restaurant meal on Mother's Day: 59 percent of those who dine at a restaurant on Mother's Day celebrate the occasion at dinner; 51 at lunch/brunch; and 22 percent at breakfast.*

In addition, 62 percent of adults who celebrate Mother's Day with a special meal do so with their spouse, and 62 percent also do so with their mother or mother-in-law. Sixteen percent observe the day with their grandmother or spouse's grandmother, while 18 percent share the day with someone else.*

"Despite the challenging economy, many Americans still celebrate special occasions like they previously have - by dining at one of the nation's nearly one million restaurants," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of Research for the National Restaurant Association. "We expect to see continued demand this Mother's Day, which remains the most popular day of the year to dine out. While some consumers may adjust their restaurant selections according to their personal budgets, many restaurants are offering a host of value specials, including prix fixe menus and discounts."

* Source: 2006 National Restaurant Association survey of 1,037 U.S. adults.

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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of 945,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

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