How Popeyes UAE endeared itself to local consumers
Convenience and digital-first ordering are driving customer behaviour.
Popeyes UAE focused on launching campaigns tied to the United Arab Emirates' cultural moments and collaborated with local influencers to shift the consumer perspective from being a new brand entrant to becoming a brand associated with quality, flavour, and value. driving not just strong social media buzz but a boost in sales.
Ahead of her appearance at the QSR Media Middle East Conference & Awards 2025, Rana Al Maeeni, marketing director for Popeyes and German Doner Kebab (GDK) UAE, spoke about how the brand’s campaigns are built around reaching the UAE’s young, diverse, and highly online customer base—an approach she argues helps Popeyes stay relevant in a crowded sector.
QSR Media: What would you consider the top three achievements for your business in the region or regions you operate in so far?
Al Maeeni: We’ve successfully expanded Popeyes across high-traffic destinations in the UAE—from major malls and residential areas to delivery-friendly locations—making the brand more accessible to our consumers.
The launch of the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich in the UAE was a turning point. It not only drove incredible sales but also created strong buzz on social media, proving the UAE market’s appetite for bold flavours and global food trends.
Through campaigns tied to UAE cultural moments and collaborations with local influencers, Popeyes has shifted from being a new entrant to a brand that people here genuinely associate with quality, flavour, and value.
What do you see as the biggest shifts in customer behaviour right now, and how is your brand responding to meet those changing needs?
In the UAE, convenience and digital-first ordering are driving customer behaviour. People expect food to reach them quickly, consistently, and through the platforms they already use.
We’ve prioritised aggregator partnerships and digital activations. For example, we optimised our operations to ensure the same crunchy, fresh chicken experience whether you order in-store or through delivery apps, aligning with the UAE’s highly tech-savvy consumer base.
How does your brand approach innovation—whether through product, service, or technology—whilst keeping operations consistent across your stores?
Innovation for us means enhancing the experience without compromising operational standards. Everything we introduce must be replicable across every UAE outlet to maintain brands signature quality.
For example, all our seasonal LTO’s NPD requires tight operational alignment—from staff training to supply chain readiness—to ensure every customer experienced the same flavour and crunch, no matter which branch they visited.
What steps have you taken to strengthen your brand identity and make it more relevant or relatable to today’s consumers?
We’ve modernised how we communicate Popeyes—moving from simply talking about fried chicken to celebrating bold Louisiana flavours and indulgent food experiences.
Our campaigns are designed with UAE consumers in mind: highly digital, social-first, and tied to local cultural touchpoints like Ramadan and National Day.
By engaging influencers and Gen Z voices in the UAE, we’ve made Popeyes a more relatable, lifestyle-driven brand for today’s consumers.
Looking ahead, what do you believe will define successful QSR brands in the next 3–5 years, and how are you positioning your business to be part of that future?
Success in the UAE QSR market will come down to three elements: speed and consistency of service, digital convenience, and brand authenticity.
When it comes to positioning, we are focusing on tech-driven convenience through delivery, doubling down on product quality to ensure every bite matches expectations, and crafting campaigns that speak to the UAE’s young, diverse, and digitally engaged audience. This ensures Popeyes remains both innovative and authentic in a very competitive landscape.
