Mother's Day a time to dig deeper

Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

Those who've left it to the last minute to find something special for mum may end up paying a special price.

An undercover survey by the Herald on Sunday has revealed that some retailers raise the price of girly gifts for mum on Mother's Day.

While many restaurants and businesses were operating as usual, a few said demand for their products and services on May 9 inevitably meant they had to attach a higher price tag.

A worker at Cartier for Flowers in Parnell said it charged roughly 20-30 per cent more for flowers on Mother's Day.

"When it's a special occasion the prices do go up a bit because of the price of flowers," the employee said.

The weather had also been cooler, leading to fewer flowers for sale at the markets and higher prices.

Flowers on Franklin in Ponsonby had bouquets advertised for about its usual price of $65 a bunch, but the Mother's Day bouquet and cupcake special on its website ranged from $105 (for one cupcake) to $145 (six cupcakes).

A staff member said the cupcakes were from nearby store Icing on the Cake, where the Herald on Sunday discovered the edible delights were priced usually at about $4 a piece or $22 for six.

The Flowers on Franklin employee said that the bunches of flowers were worth about $100 "usually" but with the cupcakes and done on Mother's Day - a day they did not generally work - they "went up slightly".

The Langham Hotel on Symonds St usually charges $32 per head for its high tea, including sandwiches, cakes and other sweet treats. But an employee revealed that on Mother's Day the price skyrockets to $56 per head because a glass of Laurent-Perrier is thrown in.

On Thursday when the paper called all 104 spots for high tea in The Winery area of the hotel had already been nabbed, though The Ballroom, which offers a buffet for the same price, still had some of its 900 seats available.

White restaurant in the Hilton Hotel on Princes Wharf is offering a special Mother's Day lunch for $59.50, complete with entertainment by musicians from the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. But if patrons wait another month, the restaurant is running a promotional lunch for $35.

In other Mother's Day offers, a Mum's Delight Bouquet - or mixed flowers and chocolates - is being advertised for $24.99 at Foodtown, Woolworths and Countdown supermarkets.

Skyline Skyrides in Rotorua offers mum a special gift to lure her up for its $49 lunch today.

And Euro restaurant in Auckland's Viaduct - now the employer of Masterchef finalist Kelly Young - will give a free glass of Nicolas Feuillatte champagne while it lasts to mums who order lunch.