Pet-friendly venues go to the dogs

18th June 2021 | Eativity editors

Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, and with animal adoption rates rising heavily in 2020, more than 60 percent of Aussie 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 on weekends away. Now a recent survey by restaurant booking app TheFork has revealed that Aussies love their pets so much, they don’t even want to leave them behind when they go out for a meal. Luckily, there are more pet-friendly venues around these days, which means it’s easy to take Fido out for a feed.

“Australian pubs have always had a pub dog or two,” says Ryan Gardam, General Manager at The Woolpack Hotel in the inner-Sydney suburb of Redfern. “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.”

Gardam believes most people are understanding of pets in venues. It also encourages locals and patrons to be more social and to stay longer, which is great for business.

“We’ve also seen an increase in the number of bookings, as we can happily host humans and furry friends,” he says. “People don’t need to race home if their pet is out with them.”

Collecting data from more than 1000 Aussie pet owners, TheFork has discovered exactly what Australians want when dining out with their four-legged pals.

Pet-friendly venues
“I’ll have a toilet water on the rocks.”

Are 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.

• 60% of Australian pet owners would like to see more pet-friendly hospitality venues.

“But you said there’d be doughnuts.”

Doggie doughnuts and pet-friendly wine

• The two most popular food and beverage options for pets are puppuccinos and doggie doughnuts. 33% of Australians with pets say they would order a puppuccino for their pet in a hospitality venue; 44% opt to order a doggie doughnut.

• 5% of Australian pet owners would order a glass of pet-friendly wine if it was available.

• More than one-third of Australians with pets would opt to share their meal with their pet when out dining in a hospitality venue.

Sniff out some pet-friendly venues after a visit to the dog park.
Sniff out some pet-friendly venues after a visit to the dog park.

Good food with good friends

• 50% of Australians with pets say that they would choose to be seated outdoors in a hospitality venue when they bring their pets.

• Weekends are the preferred days for pet owners to take their pets out and about; 40% opt for a breakfast date and 41% look to lunch with their furry friends.

• When deciding on where to take their pets, 80% of Australian pet owners opt for a sunny cafe; 41% look to go to the pub with their pet and mates.

To help diners find venues where pets are welcome, TheFork has launched a new search functionality for pet-friendly venues. This allows users to find restaurants, pubs and cafes that welcome pets. Bookings can be made via TheFork iOS or Android app or website.