The Lehigh Valley area offers several promotional opportunities and complimentary items for mothers during the Mother's Day period, primarily centered around dining experiences and sporting event giveaways. Data from 2018 indicates that Mother's Day is the highest restaurant spending day of the year, with 84 percent of adults expected to celebrate. In the Lehigh Valley, various establishments offered specials to accommodate this demand.
Complimentary Dining Offers
Specific restaurants provided free meals or significant discounts for mothers on Sunday, May 12.
- Quaker Steak & Lube: Located at 1304 Route 22, Pohatcong Township, this establishment offered a complimentary meal for all mothers. The promotion was valid on Sunday, May 12, from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. The menu included options such as boneless wing salad, grilled boneless wings, and mac & cheese skillet.
- Iron Lakes Country Club and Golf Course: This venue offered a complete buffet featuring a carving station, omelet station, bakery and sweets station, pasta station, salads, and juice. The buffet was available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mothers could also purchase specialty drinks for toasting.
- Top Cut: This restaurant provided an upscale dining experience with entrees including USDA PRIME grade Tomahawk steaks, South African lobster tails, King Salmon, Dover Sole, Frenched chicken breast, and Colorado lamb chops. Raw bar options were also available. Dining hours were from noon to 8 p.m.
Sporting Event Promotions and Giveaways
Local sports teams, specifically the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and the Charlotte Checkers, scheduled promotional giveaways and events coinciding with the Mother's Day timeframe.
Lehigh Valley IronPigs Promotions
The Lehigh Valley IronPigs hosted a Mother's Day game on Sunday, May 13, at 1:35 p.m. The promotional details included:
- Cosmetic Bag Giveaway: A cosmetic bag giveaway was scheduled for the first 2,000 women aged 18 and older who attended the game. This event was presented by Lehigh Valley Aging in Place.
- Postgame Activities: Following the game, a "Kids Run the Bases" event was presented by Lehigh Valley Children's Hospital.
- Ticket Availability: Tickets for the game were available online, by phone, or at the Coca-Cola Park ticket windows.
Charlotte Checkers Mother's Day Pack
The Charlotte Checkers, a hockey team, offered a specific Mother's Day promotion for a game scheduled on Saturday at 6:00 p.m.
- Mother's Day Pack: The team offered a package for $45 total, which included two tickets and a t-shirt for mom.
- Family Discount: A separate Family Discount was available, offering savings of 40 percent off the box office price.
General Promotional Calendar Context
The provided source data includes a broader promotional calendar for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs for the 2018 season. While not exclusively related to Mother's Day, these promotions highlight the types of giveaways commonly offered at the venue, which may be of interest to consumers seeking free items.
- May Promotions: Other May events included Military Appreciation Day (May 29), featuring a military-style IronPigs cap for 3,000 adults, and Jewish Heritage Night (May 30).
- June Promotions: Upcoming giveaways in June included a fleece blanket presented by Capital BlueCross (June 11) for 3,000 adults and a youth cap presented by AAA East Central (June 1) for 1,500 kids.
- August Promotions: Later in the season, the team planned to distribute a 2019 Wall Calendar (August 24) and a 2019 Magnet Schedule (August 26).
Conclusion
The Lehigh Valley region provided distinct free and promotional opportunities for Mother's Day in 2018. Consumers could access complimentary meals at specific restaurants, such as Quaker Steak & Lube, or purchase bundled ticket packages that included merchandise, like the Charlotte Checkers Mother's Day Pack. Additionally, local sporting events served as a source of physical freebies, including cosmetic bags and other promotional items distributed to attendees.