UAE online food delivery to rise at 10.2% by 2033

This is driven by consumer demands for convenience, speed, and loyalty benefits.

The UAE's online meal delivery industry is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 10.2% through 2033.

According to a report by Syrve MENA, this is driven by consumer demands for convenience, speed, and loyalty benefits.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabian market is projected to rise at a CAGR of 15.4% through 2030, mainly driven by urbanisation, advanced digital infrastructure, and a growing middle class with increasing disposable income and preference for digital convenience.

“Mobile-based delivery will remain central to foodservice strategy in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia as they continue to develop digitally and increase mobile order volumes by over 10% year-on-year,” said Alexander Ponomarev, CEO at Syrve MENA.

Forecasts predict that the share of mobile-based orders will exceed 80% in both markets by the end of 2025.

Food aggregators continue to be the most popular mobile order channel in both markets.

Approximately 75% of mobile orders placed by surveyed restaurants are processed by apps like HungerStation, Talabat, and Deliveroo.

The remaining 25% is handled by call centres, proprietary apps, and websites run by restaurants.

More than 70% of all food delivery transactions are made through mobile phones, reflecting the region’s preference for digital convenience.

Mobile delivery activity in the UAE reached its first peak in March 2025, coinciding with Ramadan.

Another seasonal surge is expected between June and September, when high temperatures make outdoor dining less appealing and consumers turn to delivery more often.

The time slot from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm consistently yields the highest volume of mobile delivery orders across most restaurant categories.

For fast food, Italian, Indian, and international restaurant chains, this evening window is the most popular.

However, Arabic food exhibits a distinct trend, with traditional breakfast items driving the highest delivery activity between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm.

Popular dishes range from kebabs in Arabic restaurants to rotis and butter naan in Indian chains.