So delivery orders in the UAE went up 15 percent in the first half of this year. Meanwhile, people actually going to restaurants dropped 10.5 percent. That’s a big deal for anyone running a restaurant.
Basically what’s happening is people just want to order food and eat at home. Smartphones make it easy. Apps make it easy. Going out? That takes effort. These changing restaurant customer trends in the UAE show that convenience is becoming the biggest factor behind where and how people choose to eat. So more people are choosing delivery.
Right now, delivery makes up about 31 percent of restaurant orders. Last year it was 25 percent. That’s a pretty quick jump. The whole market for food delivery in the UAE is sitting around 10.86 billion dollars right now. By 2034 they’re saying it could hit 22 billion. So yeah, this isn’t going away.
Here’s the thing though. Even though fewer people are ordering overall, restaurants that do delivery are actually making more money from it. Delivery used to be 18.6 percent of restaurant revenue. Now it’s 22.5 percent. That’s a real jump.
Sure, people spend a bit less per delivery order. It went from about 77.35 dirhams down to 76.97 dirhams. Not huge, but it’s there. But restaurants are doing way more orders. Around 1,940 orders a month on average. That volume makes up for the lower spending.
The whole sector though? Revenue dropped 5.5 percent overall. So it’s not all good news. But some restaurants are doing fine. Others are really struggling.
Premium restaurants and places that cater to tourists are having a rough time. About 61 percent of restaurants saw their business slow down in the first half of the year.
It wasn’t even consistent. The first couple months were actually pretty good. Then February came and things just dropped off. April was the worst. By June things were getting better again.
The problem for fancy restaurants is that people pay extra for the experience. The nice place, the service, the vibe. You can’t really deliver that in a box. So those places are struggling more than casual restaurants.
If you run a restaurant, you need to stop thinking of delivery as something on the side. It’s your main thing now.
Your menu on the app needs to look good. The photos matter. The descriptions matter. People decide what to order based on what they see on their phone.
In the kitchen, you need people whose job is just packing orders. Not the regular cooks doing it between other stuff. Dedicated packing. That keeps things moving.
You also need to know what’s actually selling. Which items are making money? Which ones are just taking up space? Where are your orders coming from? Are you making money on each app? Businesses across different industries are increasingly using AI driven customer insights and personalization to understand buying behaviour, and restaurants can apply the same approach to improve menus and delivery performance instead of relying on guesswork. That’s money wasted.
Delivery is the main business now. Restaurants that figure this out quickly will be fine. The ones that don’t will keep wondering why their dining room is empty.
Why is delivery going up so much?
People like convenience. Apps make ordering easy. Eating at home is comfortable. That’s basically it.
How big is this market?
10.86 billion dollars this year. Could be 22 billion by 2034. It’s huge.
Why aren’t people eating out anymore?
They just prefer staying home. It’s easier. It’s what everyone’s doing now.
Are fancy restaurants going to be okay?
Some will figure it out. Some won’t. The ones that can make delivery work while keeping their brand will be fine. The others… not so much.
How bad is it for restaurants right now?
About 6 out of 10 restaurants felt the slowdown. February through April were rough. But it’s not like everything’s collapsing.
Can restaurants make money if people spend less per order?
Yeah, if they’re doing enough orders. You need to be hitting 1,500 to 2,000 orders a month for the math to work.
What tech do I need?
Something that shows you what’s selling and where your money’s coming from. Without that you’re just guessing.
Is this going to change back?
No. The numbers show it’s going to keep growing. Delivery is how restaurants work now.
What should fancy restaurants do?
Focus on good packaging. Make sure delivery is fast. Pick menu items that travel well. It’s a different thing than dine-in.
What’s normal for delivery orders per month?
Around 1,900 to 2,000 if you’re set up right.
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