This Dubai restaurant offers free food if you cannot pay

They serve free meals to around 30-35 people everyday from breakfast until dinner.

Hungry, but have no money? An Arabic restaurant with several branches in Dubai and Sharjah is offering free food, and they would only ask you to pay with a smile.

"The concept of giving free food was borne from the principle that no one should go hungry - especially the labourers and those who are going out everyday looking for jobs," Fadi Ayyad, 39, Jordanian expat and owner of Foul W Hummus, told Khaleej Times.

Written on the glass wall of his restaurant in Al Barsha 1 near the Mall of the Emirates was a phrase in Arabic and English that says: "If you can't buy food, it's for FREE. This is Gift from Allah (God)."

"This is no publicity stunt," said Fadi, adding: "We put that notice because we wanted everyone to feel welcome. People pass by our restaurant, and many of them are hungry but may not have money, so when they see the sign they can just come in. And the food is absolutely free for the needy."

One can just enter the restaurant and choose from the menu of foul with hummus, falafel, moutabal, hummus with beef and pine nuts, sandwiches, and more. Water, tea and coffee are also free.

According to Fadi, they serve free meals to around 30-35 people everyday from breakfast until dinner. People can get anytime during their operating hours from 7am until 3am, seven days a week.

"People of various nationalities come to our restaurant - Indians, Pakistanis, Africans, Europeans. We even had a regular diner - an Australian lady who came here every day to eat for free for almost a year. We knew she had some problems and we never charged her for the meals," Fadi shared.

When asked if he has been losing profit because of his philanthropy, Fadi said no and on the contrary, his charity work, which he started three years ago, has helped boost his business.

angel@khaleejtimes.com