Mother’s Day 2019 presented a variety of complimentary offers and promotional deals across the restaurant industry, allowing consumers to celebrate the occasion with free food, discounted meals, and special gifts. The offers, which primarily centered on dining experiences, ranged from complimentary entrees and desserts to bonus gift cards and branded merchandise. Participation and availability frequently varied by location, with many brands requiring specific actions such as purchasing an additional item, signing up for email lists, or using a mobile app to access the benefits. The following guide details the specific offers reported for Mother’s Day 2019, focusing on major restaurant chains and the conditions attached to their promotions.
Major Restaurant Chains and Complimentary Offers
Several national restaurant chains offered direct freebies to mothers on or around Mother's Day 2019, often contingent on the purchase of another item or dining with a group.
Baskin-Robbins hosted a "Fancy Cone Sampling Day" on Sunday, May 12, 2019. Between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., participating locations distributed free 1-ounce servings of ice cream. This treat was served in a waffle cone chip that was dipped in chocolate and decorated with rainbow sprinkles. This was a time-limited event available only during the specified afternoon window.
Hooters provided a significant meal-based offer, giving moms a free entree on Mother’s Day. The promotion was straightforward, requiring no additional purchase beyond the dining party's order, though standard location variances applied.
Beef 'O' Brady's offered a "moms eat free" promotion on Sunday. This deal required the purchase of an item of equal or greater value up to a $10 limit for the mother's meal to be complimentary.
BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse provided a non-food gift for moms dining in on either Saturday or Sunday of Mother’s Day weekend. While supplies lasted, participating locations gave away a free commemorative stemless wine glass. Additionally, BJ's offered a delivery promotion via DoorDash on Sunday, featuring zero delivery fees on orders with a minimum purchase of $19.95 and a free kids' meal included with the promo code "THANKSMOM."
Chicken Salad Chick ran an early promotion on the Friday and Saturday preceding Mother's Day. The first 100 moms to visit each restaurant location received a free long-stem rose. The brand also offered a "Perfect Pair" special during those two days, consisting of two scoops of chicken salad, egg salad, or pimento cheese for $5.99.
Another Broken Egg Cafe incentivized dining by offering a free $10 "Brunch Buck" to moms who dined in on Saturday or Sunday. This voucher was not usable immediately; it was valid for redemption between May 13 and May 26, encouraging return visits after the holiday.
Burger 21 required the purchase of a kid's meal to unlock a free burger for mom on Sunday. This offer was limited to one per person.
Boston's Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar provided a free dessert for mom on Sunday with any purchase.
Arooga's Sports Bar followed a similar structure, allowing moms to eat for free on Mother's Day with the purchase of a full-priced entree.
California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) offered a visual promotion rather than a free meal. From May 9 through May 12, customers could order any of their favorite pizza varieties on a heart-shaped crispy thin crust at no additional charge. Furthermore, CPK participated in a charitable component, donating 20% of food and non-alcoholic beverage purchases to the March of Dimes during this period.
Gift Card Promotions and Bonus Offers
In addition to direct freebies, many restaurants utilized gift card promotions to drive sales and provide value. These offers typically provided bonus cash for future use.
Olive Garden ran a buy-one-get-one style promotion, offering a $10 bonus card when customers purchased a $50 gift card. The brand also noted that they would open early at 10:30 a.m. on Mother's Day for brunch service.
Outback Steakhouse offered a similar deal, giving customers a free $10 gift card with the purchase of $50 in gift cards.
Applebee's offered a $10 gift card when customers spent $50 on gift cards.
Baskin-Robbins also offered a coupon valid all month long, allowing customers to save $3 on an ice cream cake purchase.
Specific Timing and Location Requirements
The source data emphasized that the availability of these offers was not universal. Several factors influenced whether a consumer could redeem a specific deal:
- Time Restrictions: Baskin-Robbins' sampling event was strictly limited to 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Another Broken Egg Cafe required redemption of its Brunch Bucks in a window following the holiday (May 13–26).
- Purchase Requirements: Many "free" items required the purchase of another item (e.g., Beef 'O' Brady's, Burger 21, Boston's Pizza, Arooga's).
- Location Variance: Multiple sources noted that dates of offers and participation could vary by location. Consumers were advised to check with their closest location before visiting.
- Digital Requirements: Some offers required the consumer to have a restaurant's app or be signed up for email lists to qualify.
Other Seasonal Promotions
While the primary focus of Mother's Day 2019 was on dining, the promotional landscape included other seasonal events occurring in May.
Haagen-Dazs hosted their annual Free Cone Day in early May (specifically cited as May 8 in 2018). In 2019, this event was scheduled for a Friday. Consumers could get a free ice cream cone with no purchase necessary. The brand historically dedicated this day to raising awareness for the diminishing population of honey bees.
National Public Gardens Day took place on the Friday before Mother's Day (May 10, 2019). Participating public gardens across the country offered free admission to visitors.
Einstein Bros. Bagels offered heart-shaped bagels for pre-order or drop-in purchase on Mother's Day, providing a thematic food item for the holiday.
Conclusion
The Mother's Day 2019 promotional landscape was heavily dominated by the restaurant industry, with a mix of complimentary food items, bonus gift card values, and branded merchandise. The most accessible offers generally fell into two categories: time-specific sampling events, such as Baskin-Robbins' afternoon cone giveaway, and conditional meal offers, where a free item for a mother was unlocked by the purchase of another item or a minimum spend. Gift card promotions from brands like Olive Garden and Outback Steakhouse provided future value rather than immediate gratification. As is standard with seasonal promotions, consumers needed to be mindful of specific time windows, location participation, and the requirement to potentially sign up for brand communications to redeem certain deals.