ABS figures released recently show that in 2016, average Australian households were spending around $240 per week on food. In total we spent $12.6 billion on meat, $2.6 billion on seafood, $14.9 billion on booze, $1.6 billion on tea and coffee. Welfare recipients spent proportionally less on alcohol than most other Australians. Housing is the biggest cost for Australian households (no surprise there), with 20% of income being spent on paying the mortgage or rent. Food businesses: Serving it up in 2018 captured a good chunk of household expenditure every week.
Weekly Spend Breakdown on Eating Out in Australia
Millennials (those under 34 YO) are spending around $100 per week eating at restaurants or getting takeaway. ABS figures tell us that the average Australian spends some $80 per week eating out. If you add all that money up it is a hell of a lot of money being spent with food businesses. There are 21, 953 restaurants in this country, 20, 503 cafes, 29, 432 fast food outlets, 6, 983 pubs/bars, and 6, 412 clubs, according to industry figures provided by The Intermedia Group. Cafes are getting 15.8% of our weekly expenditure nationwide, according to these figures. Restaurants 28.5%, Fast Food 44%, Pubs 6.2%, and Clubs 5.4%.
Raise a Toast to Friends & Family
Catering for our appetites and special occasions is a large part of what many in the food business do. Check out this fine example of a top-class Sydney caterer that looks after corporate functions, weddings and everything else in-between. Australians continue to spend large amounts of money on food and service in all its many guises. Life is simply to churlish without a little celebration every now and again. If we cannot raise a toast to our friends and family, we are not the wealthy nation that we are led to believe.
A Symposium was a Piss Up for Important People
If you look back in history, every culture and civilisation has celebrated their success and leisure via wining and dining. It is, quite simply, the true benchmark of the human species. The ritual of eating and drinking together is our greatest collective moment. The ancient Greek symposium was a piss up for important people. Personally, I would much rather we were remembered for a ‘good time’ gathering, than, some ghastly blood thirsty pitched battle. Wars are not glorious and killing is not something to be proud of in any way. So, eat, drink and be merry, in moderation, of course.