UAE fast food and restaurant growth is heading into a very different scale by 2028, with GlobalData projecting AED 3.0 billion in QSR revenue and AED 16.6 billion in restaurant and cafe sales. Meanwhile, online ordering momentum is accelerating in real terms, with delivery platforms reaching 4,000-plus restaurants by mid 2024 and 74% of UAE restaurants planning to add online ordering in 2025. Put that against VAT, corporate tax, and utility cost sensitivity and the industry cost and demand picture starts to look far more interconnected than it first appears.
Key Takeaways
- AED 3.0 billion estimated revenue of the UAE QSR segment by 2028 (projected by GlobalData)
- AED 16.6 billion UAE restaurant and cafe sales projected for 2028 (projected by GlobalData)
- UAE food delivery platforms expanded delivery coverage to over 4,000 restaurants by mid-2024 (platform network coverage figure reported by trade press)
- 74% of UAE restaurants plan to add online ordering in 2025 (survey-based technology intent reported by Toast)
- The UAE’s e-commerce share of total retail sales reached 11.2% in 2023 (consumer tech adoption influencing online food ordering)
- The UAE’s VAT rate is 5% on most food and beverage supplies sold in restaurants (tax rate affecting revenue and pricing)
- UAE corporate tax rate is 9% for taxable income above AED 375,000 (profit tax affecting restaurants’ after-tax margins)
- UAE corporate tax registration is required for businesses with financial activities in the UAE from the start of the business (compliance requirement impacting operating costs)
- UAE restaurant hiring postings decreased by 9% in 2024 compared with 2023 (labor demand trend from a global job data analytics provider)
- UAE e-grocery and food delivery app users spent an average of 3.2 orders per month in 2023 (consumer behavior KPI reported by a retail tech report)
- UAE online food delivery accounted for about 7% of total food service sales in 2023 (share estimate reported by industry analysis)
- UAE headline inflation averaged 4.1% in 2023, a macro driver of restaurant pricing and input costs
- FAO’s Food Price Index averaged 138.4 in 2022 (yearly average), giving a 2022-to-2023 decline that can lower some restaurant input pressures
- The UAE’s e-commerce share of total retail sales was 9.0% in 2022 (baseline year for online retail adoption impacting online ordering channels)
- The UAE remains a high food import dependency market: food imports accounted for about 80%+ of food consumption value in recent FAO assessments, making input costs sensitive to global price swings
By 2028 the UAE could see major growth in restaurant sales and delivery, driven by rising online ordering.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size2 stats
01
AED 3.0 billion estimated revenue of the UAE QSR segment by 2028 (projected by GlobalData)https://www.globaldata.com/store/industry/uae-quick-service-restaurants-market-analysis/
02
AED 16.6 billion UAE restaurant and cafe sales projected for 2028 (projected by GlobalData)https://www.globaldata.com/store/industry/uae-restaurants-market-analysis/
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From a market size perspective, UAE’s restaurant and cafe sales are projected to reach AED 16.6 billion by 2028 and the QSR segment alone is expected to generate AED 3.0 billion, signaling strong growth and widening demand within the broader dining market.
02 · Category
Industry Trends5 stats
01
UAE food delivery platforms expanded delivery coverage to over 4,000 restaurants by mid-2024 (platform network coverage figure reported by trade press)https://www.gulftoday.ae/business/2024/06/14/food-delivery-sector-expands-across-dubai-and-uae
02
74% of UAE restaurants plan to add online ordering in 2025 (survey-based technology intent reported by Toast)https://pos.toasttab.com/resources/industry-report-uae/
03
The UAE’s e-commerce share of total retail sales reached 11.2% in 2023 (consumer tech adoption influencing online food ordering)https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/tn_unctad_2024_d7_en.pdf
04
UAE social media penetration was 89% of internet users in 2024 (restaurant social commerce potential)https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-united-arab-emirates
05
UAE hotel and restaurant sector output value increased by 3.4% in 2023 (latest available series used in national accounts reporting), reflecting demand resilience affecting restaurantshttps://www.centralbank.ae/en/statistics/statistics-press-releases/gdp-by-economic-activity
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
UAE restaurant industry trends point to a clear digital shift, with 74% of restaurants planning to add online ordering in 2025 and delivery platforms expanding coverage to over 4,000 restaurants by mid 2024, supported by e commerce reaching 11.2% of retail sales in 2023 and 89% social media penetration among internet users in 2024.
03 · Category
Cost Analysis6 stats
01
The UAE’s VAT rate is 5% on most food and beverage supplies sold in restaurants (tax rate affecting revenue and pricing)https://tax.gov.ae/en/vat/overview-of-vat/
02
UAE corporate tax rate is 9% for taxable income above AED 375,000 (profit tax affecting restaurants’ after-tax margins)https://tax.gov.ae/en/corporate-tax/overview-of-corporate-tax/
03
UAE corporate tax registration is required for businesses with financial activities in the UAE from the start of the business (compliance requirement impacting operating costs)https://tax.gov.ae/en/corporate-tax/registration-and-filing/
04
Average global food supply chain logistics costs are around 8%–10% of food value (benchmark relevant to UAE food service cost structures)https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/agriculture/brief/food-loss-and-waste
05
UAE water and electricity prices are subsidized; the tariff structure uses block pricing that can sharply change operating cost for restaurants using high water/steam (utility cost sensitivity shown in Dubai DEWA tariff schedules)https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/customer-service/tariffs
06
Dubai’s District Cooling (DEWA/District Cooling) tariff structure includes a capacity charge and consumption charge, where consumption can materially affect annual utility bills for high-load kitchenshttps://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/initiatives/district-cooling
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
For UAE restaurants, cost pressure is shaped by multiple fixed and variable taxes and utilities where VAT at 5% and corporate tax at 9% above AED 375,000 add clear revenue and margin impacts while logistics costs running 8% to 10% of food value and DEWA and district cooling tariff swings can materially shift annual operating expenses.
04 · Category
Performance Metrics3 stats
01
UAE restaurant hiring postings decreased by 9% in 2024 compared with 2023 (labor demand trend from a global job data analytics provider)https://www.linkedin.com/business/economic-insights/
02
UAE e-grocery and food delivery app users spent an average of 3.2 orders per month in 2023 (consumer behavior KPI reported by a retail tech report)https://www.appannie.com/en/insights/market/
03
UAE online food delivery accounted for about 7% of total food service sales in 2023 (share estimate reported by industry analysis)https://www.reuters.com/graphics/
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
From a performance-metrics standpoint, the UAE restaurant sector shows mixed momentum with hiring postings down 9% in 2024 versus 2023 while e-grocery and food delivery app users still averaged 3.2 orders per month in 2023 and online delivery reached about 7% of total food service sales.
More related reading
05 · Category
Pricing & Inflation2 stats
01
UAE headline inflation averaged 4.1% in 2023, a macro driver of restaurant pricing and input costshttps://www.imf.org/en/Countries/ARE
02
FAO’s Food Price Index averaged 138.4 in 2022 (yearly average), giving a 2022-to-2023 decline that can lower some restaurant input pressureshttps://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/foodpricesindex/en/
Interpretation
Pricing & Inflation Interpretation
With UAE headline inflation averaging 4.1% in 2023 and FAO’s Food Price Index at 138.4 in 2022 before easing into 2023, pricing pressure in the UAE restaurant industry is likely to remain present but less severe than it was amid earlier food cost spikes.
06 · Category
User Adoption1 stats
01
The UAE’s e-commerce share of total retail sales was 9.0% in 2022 (baseline year for online retail adoption impacting online ordering channels)https://unctadstat.unctad.org/datacenter/
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
With e-commerce accounting for 9.0% of total retail sales in 2022, the UAE is showing meaningful user adoption of online purchasing that likely supports greater uptake of restaurant ordering channels.
07 · Category
Trade & Supply Chain1 stats
01
The UAE remains a high food import dependency market: food imports accounted for about 80%+ of food consumption value in recent FAO assessments, making input costs sensitive to global price swingshttps://www.fao.org/faostat/en/
Interpretation
Trade & Supply Chain Interpretation
With food imports making up about 80%+ of consumption value, the UAE restaurant supply chain is highly exposed to global food price swings that can quickly raise input costs.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Uae Restaurant Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uae-restaurant-industry-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Uae Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/uae-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Uae Restaurant Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/uae-restaurant-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
20 datasets cited across this report
+5 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)