Appetite for eating out grows in Dubai as more restaurants, cafés open shop

Dubai - Tourism, modern lifestyle and Expo supporting emirate's flourishing F&B sector

A welcoming landscape for new ideas, conducive environment for doing business, and the anticipation of catering to the influx of visitors for Expo 2020 has led to Dubai witnessing a surge in the number of restaurant and café openings across the emirate.
Experts noted that the restaurants and cafés sector is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the GCC region, especially in Dubai, which is home to people from across the world. In addition, the city has a flourishing tourism sector and modern lifestyle that supports restaurants and cafés of all kinds.
According to a report issued by the Business Registration & Licensing (BRL) sector in Dubai's Department of Economic Development, the total number of restaurants and cafés in Dubai reached 427 during the first four months of 2019. This included 258 restaurants and 169 coffee shops, a growth of 25 per cent compared to the same period in 2018. At least two restaurants and one coffee shop opened daily in Dubai, it added.

"More than 200 nationalities live and work in Dubai, which is today among the top destinations in the world. International and regional restaurants and coffee shops operating in Dubai attract all segments of the community including locals, residents and visitors," said Abdulaziz bin Hathboor, director of the Customer Relation Division at the BRL sector.
He added that Dubai is among the most dynamic food and beverage markets in the region, and that the emirate is an attractive destination internationally, generating significant revenue for independent restaurants and cafés, which are sometimes more successful in Dubai than in other parts of the world. This is mainly due to Dubai's sustainable development and the growth opportunities it offers.
"Dubai's F&B industry continually evolves, readjusting to trends and demands, a true statement of the recent period of consolidation that has been witnessed as of late," said Duncan Fraser-Smith, vice-president of food and beverage at The First Group.
"The emirate's developing food culture, which blends in a myriad of tastes, food trends and traditions, is being steered by key industry players that are willing to make the investment."
Looking to the future, he predicted further changes in the F&B sector, which for operators presents exciting potential and opportunity.
"Expo 2020 aims to deliver an exceptional event with a lasting and meaningful impact. Those visiting will have high expectations in regards to every experience they will engage with, and the culinary offering will be at the forefront. The prevalent culture of developing and launching diverse home-grown concepts will allow those visitors to dine in new and exciting ways. We are seeing a shift towards developing an 'eatertainment' industry, where the dining experiences looks at more than just food, service and atmosphere but the overall journey and how the customer feels," Fraser-Smith added.
"There is definitely space for certain niche segments to continue to grow, and this will result not only in an increase in the number of F&B operators, but a re-purposing of existing business to cater to the needs of Expo visitors."
According to data released by the DED, the number of restaurants and cafés in Dubai increased by 9.7 per cent in 2018, with entrepreneurs from India, Pakistan, and Egypt among the leading nationalities operating in the sector.
The total number of operational restaurants and cafés in the emirate reached 11,813 at the end of 2018, while the number of new restaurants and cafés that opened in Dubai during the year reached 1,109 from 1,011 in 2017. In 2018, the number of newly opened restaurants reached 641, while the number of cafés stood at 468, compared to 601 and 410 respectively in 2017.
The total number of workers in active restaurants and cafés in Dubai reached 151,127, with an average of 13 workers per restaurant/coffee shop.
Speaking on the popularity of Dubai as a foodie destination, Steven Holloway, operations manager at The Noodle House, said: "Dubai is a melting pot of cultures with a diverse audience pool willing to try new cuisines, ingredients and flavours. Additionally, the city constantly has something going on, so at any time of the year, the audience is extremely receptive to new concepts. Moreover, the growing food scene and food culture in Dubai blends creativity; the city is truly a fusion of different tastes, audiences and ingredients. In addition, the city caters to food lovers as well as acting as a chef's paradise with the array of different ingredients available all-year-round."
"Abu Dhabi offers a lot of opportunity as we've seen a burgeoning demand for more casual dining concepts and an increased interest in Asian cuisine. The current and future development is a strong indication of a thriving market with an evolving food culture," he added.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com

• Food and Dining