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UAE food delivery boom: Orders rise 15% despite weaker restaurant demand
Delivery accounted for nearly one-third of UAE restaurant orders as consumers increasingly opted for convenience despite weaker dine-in demand and an overall slowdown in the sector.
- PUBLISHED: Mon 20 Jul 2026, 11:31 AM
Food delivery continued to gain ground in the UAE during the first half of 2026, with delivery orders rising 15.2 per cent year-on-year even as overall restaurant demand weakened, according to a report by restaurant management software provider Syrve MENA.
The study found that delivery orders now account for 30.5 per cent of all restaurant orders handled across Syrve's network, up from 25.4 per cent a year earlier, highlighting a continued shift in consumer dining habits.
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The growth came despite a 4 per cent decline in total restaurant orders and a 5.5 per cent fall in gross revenue, driven largely by a 10.5 per cent drop in dine-in orders. Syrve noted that the figures are based on the same restaurants operating in both 2025 and 2026, suggesting the wider market slowdown could be more pronounced.
Delivery drives growth
Restaurants offering delivery handled an average of 11,642 delivery orders during the first six months of the year, or about 1,940 orders a month. While the average delivery ticket edged down slightly from Dh77.35 to Dh76.97, higher order volumes helped lift delivery revenues. Delivery's share of restaurant revenue also increased from 18.6 per cent to 22.5 per cent.
The report said the UAE's online food delivery market is projected to reach $10.86 billion in 2026 and grow to $22.19 billion by 2034, supported by rising smartphone adoption and the growing popularity of super apps.
Dine-in demand softens
While delivery expanded, dine-in restaurants faced weaker customer traffic. Dine-in orders declined 10.5 per cent during the first half, although the average spend per visit remained broadly stable, rising slightly from Dh115.21 to Dh115.81. Overall average order value across dine-in and delivery slipped by just 1.5 per cent.
The report also identified a sharp reversal in trading conditions after Ramadan. During the first seven weeks of 2026, restaurant order volumes were running between 16 per cent and 26 per cent above the previous year. However, by mid-February, growth had turned into a 15 per cent year-on-year decline, deepening to around 30 per cent in April before recovering to roughly last year's levels by late June. The slowdown affected 61 per cent of restaurants, with premium and tourist-focused outlets hit hardest.
"The H1 2026 numbers confirm what we've seen across our network: delivery is taking a bigger share of restaurant demand, even as the overall market faces lower volumes," said Alex Ponomarev, CEO of Syrve MENA.
He said restaurants that closely monitor demand trends and adjust operations across different sales channels are better positioned to navigate changing market conditions.
Looking ahead, Syrve expects the wider GCC foodservice market to grow from $69.13 billion in 2026 to $122.19 billion by 2031, driven largely by rising demand for delivery services.
