Australian lovebirds spent an estimated $465 million this Valentine’s Day, with the majority celebrating with a romantic dinner.

Among them were Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon, with the PM proposing after their meal. The PM revealed the news with a “she said yes” message on social media on Thursday.

Albanese’s official social media accounts posted a picture of the bride-to-be wearing a diamond ring with a gold band. He is the first prime minister to get engaged while in office.

The couple celebrated Valentine’s Day at the Canberra restaurant Italian and Sons on Wednesday evening, where there was a Valentine’s Day set menu for $135 on offer.

After dinner they returned to The Lodge and the Prime Minister proposed later in the evening.

Restaurant owner Pasquale Trimboli told NCA NewsWire Albanese appeared nervous during the meal.

“You could you tell there was a bit on his mind, he wasn’t himself,” Trimboli said.

“He raced off pretty quickly, he did have that little bit of nervousness about him, you could feel there was a bit of that pensive feeling.

“There was something in the air.”

Trimboli said the couple ate pasta and some seafood main courses, paired with a few glasses of chardonnay from Italy throughout the meal.

Trimboli said people have already been calling and asking to book the PM’s table.

“It’s nice to be part of the storyline, part of history. Obviously not every day this kind of thing happens,” he said.

“For the restaurant to be part of, it’s amazing storyline for us.”

Valentine’s Day spending declines

Cost-of-living pressures clipped Cupid’s wings slightly this year for Valentine’s Day, with spending down 4.1% or $20 million from 2023. Research from the Australian Retailers Association (ARA), in conjunction with Roy Morgan, shows 3.4 million Australians will be gifting in the name of love this year, down 700,000 from 2023.

While the overall spend and number of Valentine’s Day shoppers is tipped to fall this year, those who are gift-giving are set to splash out $135 per head, considerably more than last year (up from $118 in 2023 or 14.4%).

The 18-34-year-old demographic remains the highest spending demographic and is set to spend $145 million on Valentine’s Day this year, down substantially from $215 million last year. They are closely followed by those aged 35-49 – who will spend $140 million, broadly the same as last year.

Some of the other key findings of the ARA-Roy Morgan research include:

• Flowers (mentioned by 48% of respondents), chocolates (33%) and dinner or a trip away (11%) are set to be the most popular purchases.
• Intimate gifts remain sought-after, with lingerie (5%) and adult toys (4%) ranking within the top cohort of gifts.
• Of those who are planning to purchase a Valentine’s Day gift, almost a quarter say they will be spending more, while 57% will spend around the same and 19% will spend less.
• About 12% of those Valentine’s gifting will be purchasing a present for someone other than their romantic partner.
• The majority, a total of 70% of respondents will celebrate Valentine’s Day with a romantic celebratory meal.

ARA CEO Paul Zahra said: “It’s pleasing to see that the vast majority of love birds will be spending time together with a romantic lunch or dinner either at home or at a restaurant.”

Booking trends in the Australian on premise

Hospitality industry guest experience and retention platform SevenRooms has released data based on tens of thousands of bookings at restaurants, bars and pubs that reveals some of the key Valentine’s Day trends.

• Across Australia, 88% of all reservations have been booked as tables for two this year, a nine per cent increase from 2021 (79% of tables were booked for two).
• Interestingly, 5%t of all reservations were for large groups of five or more, supporting the rise of the so-called “Palentine’s Day”, where friends celebrate.
• The two most popular booking slots for Australian diners are 6:30pm and 6:00pm, earlier than in other global markets like the US, where 7:00pm, 7:30pm and 8:00pm were the most sought-after.
• In 2022 and 2023, the most popular slot in Australia was 6:00pm, but so far in 2024, 6:30pm has drawn the most bookings. 
• When comparing Sydney and Melbourne, it was actually diners in the harbour city who were placing later reservations in 2024. 27.8% of all reservations in Sydney were for after 8:00pm, compared to 24.7% in Melbourne. Meanwhile, in Melbourne there were more reservations placed between 7:00-8:00 pm (24.8% compared to 22.3%).
• In the last three years, there has been a notable increase in people booking early. In 2023, 19% of all reservations were placed over two weeks prior to Valentine’s Day, more than the 14% in 2022.

SevenRooms General Manager, APAC Paul Hadida said: “There is perhaps no single bigger day on the Australian hospitality calendar than Valentine’s Day.

“From fine dining to the humble pub, it’s a hugely important day for operators to drive revenue and relationships, during the typical lull after the summer holiday peak season. So far this year, we’re seeing people book earlier than ever before; particularly for peak slots.

“It’s also interesting to note that it’s Sydney and not Melbourne – famed for the vibrancy of its nightlife – where people are placing later reservations. For all the excitement, though, venues cannot simply sit back and rely on the romance of the day. Guests today want more than a meal, they want an experience. That’s especially true while cost of living pressures continue to impact household spending.

“In fact, according to SevenRooms research two in three (68%) Australians are focussed more on the quality rather than the quantity of their dining experiences, as a result of cost-of-living pressures. 

“We’re seeing a very notable trend in venues increasing the value – and therefore the guest experience – they provide, using that as a driver of loyalty. For example, across Australia throughout 2023 there was a 26% YOY increase in reservations completed with prepayments, like an upgrade, experience, special event, deposit etc.

On average, venues generated 25% more in revenue from prepayments in 2023 than 2022. Clearly, that showcases the impact of a stellar guest experience, not just from when they sit down in a venue but from the very first touchpoint.

“This year, venues must make a conscious effort to think about retention, not just acquisition. The former can drive a short-term surge in revenue, but through the latter, they can do so on a more sustainable basis. We’re seeing the venues who focus on the guest experience, and tap into personalised marketing automation, driving significant gains against those who don’t.

“And there is no more important time to provide those exceptional experiences, and build guest relationships and loyalty, than Valentine’s Day.”

The perfect Valentine’s Day gift for cocktail lovers

Instead of the basic roses and chocolates, Curatif is suggesting giving a gift that can be enjoyed all year-round: a cocktail subscription.

The Curatif Club offers short-run, sometimes experimental cocktails, with two distinct cocktail flavours sent every month (two cans of each flavour). In February, club members will receive Gin Daisy and Marguerite flavours.

The Marguerite (aka, Tequila Daisy) is a unique drink that began emerging in 1930 and saw popularity in both Mexico and the American Southwest. Henry Madden, co-owner of Tijuana’s popular Turf Bar, claimed to have invented the Tequila Daisy accidentally when he grabbed the wrong bottle while mixing a drink. The customers loved it, leading to the bar branding itself as the home of the famous Tequila Daisy.

The Gin Daisy features Never Never Distilling Co Triple Juniper, as well as fresh lemon, an authentic ingredient in Daisy cocktails on both sides of the Atlantic. Marionette’s Orange Curacao provides a convincing flavour without excessive sweetness, with elderflower liqueur adding a little acidity.

A Curatif Club subscription is $40.50 per month for four cans or can be made as a one-time purchase of $45 for four cans. Learn more here.

Pictured main: Londres, Sydney.