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New Study Projects Low Restaurant Sales In Utah On Mother's Day

Transactions on all 365 days of the 2017 calendar year were analyzed to identify consumer spending patterns. Last year, Mother’s Day was one of the worst days for sales at local, independent restaurants in Utah.
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Mother’s Day is among the best sales days of the year nationally for local restaurants but ranks 298th in Utah, according to new data analysis from Womply.

Brad Plothow, vice president of marketing and communications at Womply says transactions on all 365 days of the 2017 calendar year were analyzed to identify consumer spending patterns. Last year, Mother’s Day was one of the worst days for sales at local, independent restaurants in Utah.

“Sunday is only 6 percent of the week’s revenue for Utah restaurants,” Plothow said. “That’s about a third of what you see nationally. Then you see these big boosts on Monday and Saturday.”

Sales are low because Utahns typically just don’t eat out on Sunday’s.

“The fact that Mother’s Day falls on a Sunday, the consumer behavior is fundamentally different in Utah compared to everywhere else in the country," Plothow said.

I asked people eating breakfast at Stacked Pancakes in Logan if they stay at home or eat out on Mother’s Day.

“My birthday lands on the weekend of Mother’s Day. Half of it we celebrate my birthday and half of it we celebrate my mom.”

That’s Bryce Jorgensen college student at USU.

Q: Do you have any specific plans you know you’re going to do this weekend?

A: For my birthday we go to Tucanos and for Mother’s Day we always go to Outback.

Casey and Kari Gore eat out at restaurants every year on Mother’s Day.

Q: It sounds like you don’t have a plan set in stone yet or at least maybe a surprise plan. Hopefully, I don’t blow it for you. What are your plans for Mother’s Day?

A: Yes, I do plan on going out to eat. I haven’t decided where yet though. I have a couple places in mind, but I’m going to run them by Kari first.

Q; Smart man. Do you normally go out on Mother’s Day?

A: Yes, usually we go to brunch. We went to Elements once and somewhere else, I can’t recall.

Q: Why do you go out to restaurants on Mother’s Day?

A: Primarily because I don’t want to cook.

Q: Kari, is this something you look forward to on Mother’s Day, spending time with your husband?

A: Yes, and my kids. I like to hang out with my family.

Q: Sounds like he’s going to run some ideas past you. Do you have any ideas in mind?

A: No, I’ll probably just leave it up to my kids.

Utah restaurants might not be as full as other days, but for those avoiding dishes the wait for a table won’t be very long on Mother’s Day.