Mother’s Day is an F&B staple on any hotel
calendar, but with more competition
than ever, it’s never too early to begin
planning for the next one.
At the Crowne Plaza Ottawa, where Mother’s
Day covers can run around 400 despite competition
from approximately 60 neighboring outlets,
Executive Chef Christopher Marz and F&B Manager
Louis Nickopoulos have seen growth of 60 to
80 covers each year.
BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET
Be innovative, but remember the bottom line, advises
Nickopoulos. For several years, he staged the
Mother’s Day brunch buffet “extravaganza” in the
Crowne Plaza’s penthouse rooms, complete with à
la minute and flambé stations. But after four sellout
years, he moved brunch back to the restaurant.
“The costs were higher in banquet rooms, which
impacted our P&L contribution,” he explains.
With the economic climate in mind, Nickopoulos
lowered 2009 prices. “Our competitors didn’t drop
theirs as much, and we generated many more covers
because of it.” And, because a more economical
menu was used, his contribution remained the
same as in past years. “Manage your costs,” says
Nickopoulos, “and there is no reason Mother’s Day,
or any other holiday, can’t be profitable.”
TRENDS
Nickopoulos is always aware of and responsive
to trends. To address interest in sustainability, he
held a locally themed Mother’s Day event. “We
promoted local farmers and their products, and it
received a lot of media coverage.”
While working in Ireland earlier in his career,
Nickopoulos bucked the one-size-fits-all trend,
offering a restaurant buffet while introducing an
à la carte service in the ballroom. The result was
a restaurant sell-out, plus 300 covers for the more
costly plated service. “Families are looking for
different ways to treat mothers,” he says. “The sitdown
lunch really helped drive revenue.”
CATER TO THE KIDS
Don’t just focus on Mom though, says
Nickopoulos, who created a separate kids’
area in a room off the restaurant one year,
supervised by staff members. There were
movies, games, and a buffet with favorites
such as macaroni and cheese, pizza, and
chicken wings. The kids also got to make
their own sundaes—with a little help from
an adult, of course. “The kids’ buffet tables
were half height, as was the seating,” he adds.
MARKETING AND PR
Marz and Nickopoulos are strong advocates of
marketing. They capitalize on every opportunity,
including advertising their Mother’s Day brunch
by partnering with a new store in Ottawa’s largest
shopping mall. “We’ve even stood at parking garage
entrances and handed out coupons,” Nickopoulos
says, noting that their local capture rate is
high. “Easily 70 percent are from outside the hotel
and are returning customers.”
As for public relations, having a catchy theme is a
bonus. An Italian-themed Mother’s Day this year was
a big hit, Nickopoulos recalls. As an accordion player
serenaded mothers with traditional Italian songs,
pasta station choices included tagliatelle, duck ravioli,
and gnocci. All were made fresh in-house, as were the
panna cotta and tiramisu finishing touches.
Julie Tereshchuk is an Austin, Texas-based freelance writer
who also blogs on travel, art, and architecture.
