OpenTable reservations trending up double digits
- OpenTable said Mother’s Day dining demand is rising again in 2026, with bigger parties and earlier dinner bookings both climbing as families plan restaurant celebrations. - The sharpest signal is a 13% jump in parties of 6+ last Mother’s Day and a 14% rise in 5 p.m. bookings. - That matters because Mother’s Day is already one of restaurants’ busiest reservation holidays, with nearly 60% of bookings made four days early.
Mother’s Day brunch is not just a nice little seasonal bump for restaurants. It is one of the biggest reservation events on the calendar — and this year the demand looks even more organized, more group-heavy, and a little more dinner-oriented than the old brunch-only script. OpenTable started flagging that shift in late April, when it rolled out its 2026 Mother’s Day dining trends and its annual Top 100 Brunch Restaurants list. ### What actually changed this year? The clearest update is that OpenTable is seeing stronger momentum around dining out as the Mother’s Day plan itself, not as a fallback if someone forgets flowers. In its 2026 release, 42% of moms and mom figures said they would rather go out to eat with family than get breakfast in bed, and 62% of Americans said dining out is an important part of Mother’s Day celebrations. That is the core story — restaurants are the gift now, or at least a big piece of it. (opentable.com) ### Why are people calling this a brunch story? Because brunch is still the center of gravity. OpenTable said 12:00 p.m. remained the most popular dining time for Mother’s Day, and it used more than 10 million diner reviews, plus ratings and reservation demand, to build a 2026 Top 100 Brunch Restaurants list meant to catch that traffic. California landed 19 restaurants on the list, and New York had 12. So yes, brunch still dominates the holiday imagination. (opentable.com) ### But is it only about brunch now? Not really — and that is the more interesting wrinkle. OpenTable said 5:00 p.m. dining rose 14% on Mother’s Day in 2025 versus the year before. Basically, families are stretching the occasion beyond late-morning eggs and mimosas. Some of that is probably practical — easier table times, more multigenerational groups, less pressure on the brunch crush. But it also means restaurants that treat Mother’s Day like a one-service event may be leaving money on the table. (opentable.com) ### Why do bigger parties matter so much? Because larger groups change everything — table layouts, staffing, pacing, menu design, and how fast a dining room fills. OpenTable said parties of 6+ rose 13% on Mother’s Day in 2025 from the year before, while 38% of Americans said they planned to celebrate with multiple generations. That sounds simple, but it is the operational headache and the revenue opportunity at the same time. One six-top is not just three two-tops glued together. (opentable.com) It is slower, louder, and harder to slot. ### How early are people booking? Earlier than a lot of casual diners probably assume. OpenTable said nearly 60% of Mother’s Day bookings last year were made at least four days in advance. More than 72% of seated reservations were for parties of 2 to 4, but nearly 16% were still for groups of 6 or more. So the rush is not only last-minute panic — a lot of it is planned demand hitting reservation systems well before the holiday. (opentable.com) ### What does this mean for restaurants? It means Mother’s Day is becoming less of a generic “busy Sunday” and more of a specialized service day. OpenTable’s advice to restaurants was pretty direct — open reservations early, put waitlists online, and consider prix fixe or family-style menus to keep service moving. That is the catch with all this demand: full books are great, but only if the kitchen and floor can survive them. (opentable.com) ### So what is the bottom line? The headline is not just that reservations are up. It is that Mother’s Day dining is getting more intentional. More people want the restaurant outing itself, more families are booking in larger groups, and dinner is gaining ground on brunch. For diners, that means procrastination is riskier. For restaurants, it means this weekend is less about vibes and more about execution. (opentable.com 1) (opentable.com 2)
