Mother’s Day is shaping up to be one of the biggest shopping moments of the year for the grocery industry. According to Instacart data, Mother’s Day was the No. 1 day for gift orders on its platform in 2025, with customers placing gift orders 18 times more often than average — enough to edge out Valentine’s Day for the top spot on the gifting calendar.
The data also shows the holiday is increasingly about more than flowers. While more than half of Mother’s Day gift orders included a flower bouquet and nearly one in four included fresh-cut roses, gourmet ingredients also saw dramatic spikes. Lobster tails jumped 193 percent above their yearly average, filet mignon climbed 114 percent and cheesecake rose 131 percent — clear signs that families are increasingly opting for a celebratory dinner at home.
Grocers across the country are responding with a mix of in-store events, fresh meal solutions, floral promotions and savings programs designed to help shoppers celebrate the moms in their lives. Here’s a look at what some retailers are offering this year:
Busch’s Fresh Food Market
Busch’s Fresh Food Market is hosting a Curate Your Own Breakfast in Bed Board for Mom event from noon-6 p.m. on May 9.
Bakery specialists will help guests curate a $12.99 box of up to 16 indulgent treats including mini cinnamon rolls, mixed berry and caramel-filled mini muffins, hand-dipped chocolate strawberries, brownie bites, mini eclairs and lemon petit fours. Fresh bouquets are also available for order and delivery through buschs.com. The celebration continues after Mother’s Day with 48-count Floral Flats on sale for $10.51 from May 15-17.
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is offering customers a range of Mother’s Day options across flowers, brunch, dinner and last-minute shopping.
Carlo Baldan, Kroger group VP of fresh merchandising, said the focus is on making the day feel special without the stress.
“Mother’s Day should feel special — not stressful or expensive,” Baldan said. “We’re focused on helping families celebrate every kind of mom with fresh food, beautiful flowers and meaningful gifts at prices they can feel good about whether they shop in store, schedule a pickup or have everything delivered in just a few taps.”
Highlights include $20 off $55-plus on Bloom Haus florals from May 3-10 on DoorDash and Uber Eats; brunch favorites such as La Terra Fina quiches for $9.99 and $5 croissants; and dinner offerings including buy-one-get-one-free pork back ribs, salmon fillets for $8.99 per pound and two wild-caught lobster tails for $10. Kroger is also offering free delivery with an annual Boost membership — a $99 value — for less than $50 from May 6-19 with a digital coupon.
Natural Grocers
Natural Grocers is honoring mothers with a celebration running May 8-10 across its 170 stores in 21 states.
The first 50 shoppers visiting the body care department on May 8 will receive a complimentary limited-edition beauty bag and a free Natural Grocers Brand Bath Bomb. The next 100 customers will receive a Mystery Discount Coupon and a reusable beauty bag. {N}power members can save up to 48 percent through the company’s Even More Affordable specials and up to 26 percent during its sixth annual Body Care & Beauty Bonanza. On May 10, members will receive a free 3-ounce Theo Chocolate Bar with a $10 purchase.
The retailer is also running a Count the Combs Contest from May 8-30 with a $500 gift card prize, and a beauty gift basket sweepstakes for members who spend $50 or more on body care and beauty items. A good4u Meal Deal feeds up to six people for under $10 with the company’s Mother’s Day Jammy French Toast Bake.
Tops Friendly Markets
Tops Friendly Markets in Ellenville, New York, is hosting a Mother’s Day Ice Cream Social and craft event on May 9 at 100 Tops Markets Blvd.
Families can stop by for card making, bookmark crafts, complimentary Tops ice cream samples, in-store vendor samplers and a Spin the Wheel game with prizes and giveaways. Tops Markets operates 152 grocery stores across New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont.
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