US pet industry spendingUS pizza restaurant spending
Between 2005 and 2023, American pet industry spending and American pizza restaurant spending climbed together (r = 0.957) with the inevitability of two categories that share a household and a delivery address. One receipt is for kibble; one receipt is for a pepperoni; the same door opens for both. The household has opinions about both.
US pet industry spending grew from about $37 billion to over $147 billion in the window, while US pizza restaurant spending grew from about $30 billion to over $47 billion. Both categories benefited from the same 25-45 household that increasingly treats delivery as a default, with DoorDash and Chewy making both pizza and pet food into routine weekly deliveries rather than weekend errands. The average American household in 2023 spent roughly 2.3% of income on pets and pizza combined, which is slightly higher than the combined share spent on public transit and parking.
The kibble arrives. The slice arrives. The door closes on both, reliably.
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Want to learn more about why correlations like “US pet industry spending” vs “US pizza restaurant spending” don't prove causation? Read our guide to statistical thinking.
