Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, and with animal adoption rates rising heavily in 2020, over 60% of Australian households now have a furry friend. No longer destined for a life in the backyard, pets have made their way into our lives, accompanying their owners to work and weekends away. A recent study by TheFork, Australia’s #1 restaurant booking app, has revealed that Australians love their furry friends so much, they don’t even want to leave them behind when they go out for a meal.
Speaking about the rise of pets in dining venues, Ryan Gardam, General Manager at neighbourhood pub, The Woolpack Hotel in Redfern, Sydney said: “Australian pubs have always had a pub dog or two and I think it adds character to the venue. The Woolpack has always had a couple of frequent local pets, we even used to have a pig named James that would visit from time to time.
“I think most people are understanding of pets in venues and it encourages locals and patrons to be more social and to stay longer! We have also seen an increase in the number of bookings as we can happily host humans and furry friends. People don’t need to race home if their pet is out and about with them!”.
According to Animal Medicines Australia, 61% of Australian households have a pet, in fact, there are 29 million pets in Australia. Collecting data from over 1000 Aussie pet owners, TheFork can reveal exactly what Australians want when dining out with their furry friends:
Are all pets welcome?
• 57% of Aussies want a venue that will accommodate their pets; 26.8% will
then recommend the venue to other pet owners
• Australians don’t mind seeing pets in venues; 32% are glad they can take
their pet out with them as well as enjoy other people’s pets.
• 30% of diners would stay longer and purchase more food and drinks if they
could take their pet to a hospitality venue
• Overall, 60% of Australian pet owners would like to see more pet-friendly
hospitality venues
Doggie doughnuts & pet-friendly wine
• The two most popular food and beverage options for pets are puppuccinos
and doggie doughnuts. With 33% of Australians with pets saying they would
order a puppuccino for their pet in a hospitality venue and 44% opting to
order a doggie doughnut.
• 5% of Australian pet owners would even order a glass of pet-friendly wine in
a hospitality venue if it was available. Bottoms up!
• Over 1/3 of Australians with pets would opt to share their meal with their pet
when dining out in a hospitality venue
Dining inside or out
• 50% of Australians with pets sat that they would choose to be seated
outdoors in a hospitality venue
• Weekends are the preferred days for pet owners to take their pets out and
about, with 40% opting for a breakfast date and 41% looking to lunch with
their furry friends
• When deciding on where to take their pets, 80% of Australian pet owners opt
for a sunny café, followed by 41% looking to go to the pub with their pet and
mates.
To help diners find venues across the country where their pets are welcome, TheFork has launched a new search functionality for ‘pet friendly venues’, easily enabling Australians to identify restaurants, pubs and cafés that are happy to have their pets. Bookings are available via TheFork’s app or website.
Images: Kitti Gould