If you thought Valentine's Day was the Super Bowl of dining out think again. Mother's Day claims the prize for getting the most diners in the door, in any booth they can find.  "The second we open the doors, it's go," said T im Davin, director of operations for NCR (Next Cool Restaurants) Ventures, a group of neighborhood restaurants with nine locations and six brands.  Davin said Mother's Day outpaces every other major dining holiday on the calendar. RELATED STORY | Larger tax refunds helping fuel record Mothers Day spending"Mother's Day beats Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve," he said.   That tracks. In research from OpenTable, 62% of Americans said eating out is an important part of their Mother's Day celebration.  But that celebratory meal is coming at a higher price this year. The Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute projects diners will spend 4% more compared to last year, with an average Mother's Day bill of $67. The biggest driver of that increase isn't rising food prices. Labor costs are weighing heavily on the industry. "Labor is up about three-and-a-half to 4%, which kind of matches what we're seeing at the menu price," said chief agricultural economist Michael Swanson. Eggs a staple of any brunch menu are less expensive this year, offering some relief to both restaurants and diners. However, beef dishes are expected to cost more. Davin said NCR Ventures has seen a shift in some customers' dining habits. People who used to dine out five times per month, for example, are cutting back to three times per month.  But Davin said customers are still willing to pay for meals that offer value. RELATED STORY | 2-ingredient fudge thats perfect for an easy Mothers Day treat"I think the biggest thing in dining right now is that people are paying for that experience," he said. "Mother's Day just takes it to one more level because not only do you want to be impressed, but you want mom to be impressed." For families considering celebrating at home, Stephanie Carls, a retail insights expert with RetailMeNot, said cooking for mom doesn't have to feel like a backup plan. "More moms are just wanting a relaxing day. As long as they're not the ones in the kitchen, this can still feel like a very, very special day," she said. Those who haven't booked a Mother's Day reservation yet should act quickly to avoid long waits. Davin warns his restaurants start making reservations 60 to 90 days in advance. "It's not a huge day for walk-in business, because you've got to make plans if you're going out with mom," he said. Some restaurants offer special Mother's Day menus that can cost more than their standard offerings, so dining out the day before the holiday is one way to save. Noon is the busiest time for Mother's Day dining, and according to OpenTable, reservations for early dinner times before 5 p.m. are also on the rise.  ...read more read less