Mother’s Day and Victoria Day both contributed to double-digit uplifts in on-premise food and beverage sales.

That’s according to the latest BeverageTrak data, from NIQ’s bar- and restaurant-focused research arm CGA, using data is compiled from receipts for drinks, food and nonfood items across hundreds of dining establishments and includes tips, tax and discounts.

On Mother’s Day (May 14), sales velocity was up 58% from the previous week nationally, while there was a 38% lift on Victoria Day (May 22). While sales for the week of May 28 – which did not have a holiday – returned to normalized levels, cheque values were still up 2% year-over-year, with value velocity up 5% and ticket counts up 3%.

“With the recent national events and holidays such as Mother’s Day and Victoria Day resulting in double-digit velocity growth, it’s clear just how important the on-premise is for people celebrating special occasions,” says Mitch Stefani, client solutions director, North America, at CGA. “Events such as these can be celebrated at home, however it’s clear consumers see the importance of celebrating special occasions such as these in on-premise locations. This should be considered for suppliers and operators looking to capitalize on occasions such as these in the future.”

Looking province-by-province, sales for the period including the two holidays were not just up compared to recent weeks, but also year-over-year.

Alberta led the way in terms of sales velocity, which was up 11% year-over year compared with the same week a year prior, with British Columbia up 7% and Ontario up 1%. However, sales for the most recent week have normalized: they are down 5% in Alberta compared to May 20, 2023, with a dip of 3% in British Columbia and 4% in Ontario.

Quebec was an outlier from the trend. Sales velocity was down 8% year-over-year for the period, and is currently down 7% compared to May 20, 2023.