Half of single Aussies are ready to wine and dine this Valentine's day

• New OpenTable research shows 40% of Australians plan to dine out this Valentine's Day with 72% of coupled-up Aussies planning to enjoy a dinner date[1]
• 50% of single Australians said they'd go on a first date at a restaurant on Valentine's Day[1]
• According to OpenTable, Valentine's Day dining was up 18% in 2024 YoY[2]
• OpenTable has announced the Top 50 Most Romantic Restaurants in Australia to help diners choose their Valentine's venue

SYDNEY, Feb. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Forget flowers and romantic cliches, dining out will define Valentine's Day this year as singles and groups join coupled Aussies to redefine this traditionally romantic holiday. New research from OpenTable, a leader in restaurant tech, has found that nearly half (40%) of Australians plan to mark the occasion with a restaurant reservation this year.[1]

A romantic evening out at a restaurant tops the list for 72% of Aussies in a relationship on Valentine's Day, and amongst those dining out on Valentine's Day, a sharing style menu is likely to be the preferred (64%) dining option. But it's not just couples looking to make a reservation on 14 February, 50% of single Australians said they'd go on a first date at a restaurant on Valentine's Day, with millennials (58%) the most likely to take a chance on love.[1]

The trend is set to continue this year with a quarter of Aussies planning to dine out with friends to celebrate Valentine's Day and 17% celebrating over dinner on Galentine's Day.

"Recent OpenTable research has shown that Aussies have big dining plans this Valentine's Day, and having been one of the biggest dining days in 2024, it's no surprise that a quarter of Australians surveyed prefer to receive an experience over a gift for Valentine's Day[1]," said OpenTable's Drew Bowering."OpenTable's annual Top 50 Romantic Restaurants list is the perfect place for diners to discover an incredible restaurant to book and enjoy a special meal with a partner or friends this Valentine's Day."

Whether it's date night with a partner, friends or someone new, Australians are set to embrace love this Valentine's Day and are spoilt for choice with an abundance of incredible restaurants across the country. On Valentine's Day in 2024, 79% of OpenTable diners opted to try somewhere new[4] – a trend that's anticipated to increase this year, as 81% of respondents who are planning to dine out said they plan to book at a new restaurant[1].

To help romance-seekers discover their next favourite spot, OpenTable has compiled a list of the Top 50 Most Romantic Restaurants in Australia in 2025 (in alphabetical order by state/territory)[5]: