Mother’s Day spending hits record, restaurants and florists see strong demand

Americans keep saying their budgets are squeezed, yet Mother’s Day remains one of the rare occasions they protect with real spending, from brunch tables to bouquet orders. The National Retail Federation says consumer spending on the holiday is expected to hit a record $38 billion this year, while florists expect another surge in flower sales.

Restaurants are at the center of that spending. OpenTable said Mother’s Day was restaurants’ biggest day of 2025, and its reservation data show why operators keep leaning into the holiday. Demand for 10 a.m. bookings grew 19% in 2024, even though noon remained the most popular dining time. The platform said its Mother’s Day planning data drew on more than 10 million diner reviews and reservation metrics, a volume that shows just how deeply the meal has become a national ritual.

Flowers are proving just as durable. The Society of American Florists says Mother’s Day flower sales are expected to reach $3.2 billion, and in 2025, 38% of Americans bought flowers or plants for mom, matching the highest level in the 13-year history of the SAF-Ipsos poll. Nearly half of surveyed florists reported higher sales than the year before, a sign that consumers may trade down in some parts of the budget while holding firm on gifts that carry emotional weight.

That resilience is showing up against a tougher cost backdrop. Higher gas prices can pressure discretionary spending, but higher-income households have been more able to absorb those increases without cutting back sharply, helping preserve spending on occasions like Mother’s Day. For restaurants and florists, that makes the holiday less like a promotional afterthought and more like a dependable demand spike that households are reluctant to abandon, even when they are feeling the strain elsewhere.

The restaurant industry is entering the holiday with measured optimism. The National Restaurant Association projects 2026 restaurant and foodservice sales of $1.55 trillion nationwide and expects operators to add more than 100,000 jobs. At the same time, the group warns that persistent cost pressures and cautious household spending will continue to squeeze margins, a reminder that strong Mother’s Day traffic does not erase the broader pressure on the business.