At a time when Muslims are fasting to celebrate Ramadan, a recent survey says residents in the United Arab Emirates, a predominantly Muslim country, will spend more on dining out and food delivery during the celebration.
Weird or not? Could be, since believers of Islam will just be eating around once per day after fasting for two meals. Here’s the scoop.
Food delivery for Ramadam revelers
YouGov, a British international Internet-based market research and data analytics firm, recently conducted a survey. The results showed that 31 percent of residents in UAE and 26 percent in Saudi Arabia will increase the time they spend ordering food. The survey’s proponents said this presents a promising market.
Interestingly enough, the holy month of Ramadan will see a surge in food and beverage spending, totaling 57 percent among UAE residents who are planning to increase their spend on dining out and food delivery combined.
In Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, 41 percent of consumers will spend more in these categories, which signals strong growth opportunities for restaurants and delivery services across the region.
The Islam believers’ dining preferences are also revealing distinct market opportunities, the media pointed out.
In the UAE, 33 percent of residents will order iftar meals instead of dining out, while another interesting point is that in Saudi Arabia, more people are choosing to dine out for iftar.
These outcomes highlight the potential for restaurants to create food that won’t interfere with the devotion practice, such as iftar specials and communal dining packages that resonate with family-oriented dining experiences.
Healthy options
Meanwhile, for others, iftar is not just about indulging in the food you like after the fast but also about choosing to go healthy.
The YouGov survey also stated that 54 percent of Saudi Arabian and 52 percent of UAE residents prefer prioritizing balanced meals and healthier options.
In particular, they prefer healthy, portion-controlled, and nutrient-rich dishes that are attractive to health-conscious consumers during Ramadan.
Meanwhile, in the UAE, there’s 39 percent are willing to add more fruits and vegetables to their meals, reinforcing the demand for fresh and wholesome menu choices.
For the rest of Ramadam devotees across the globe, Channel News Asia Luxury has shared six of the best restaurants where you can order food from, or dine in for iftar. These include 21 on Rajah – offering dishes such as slow-cooked baby lamb rubbed with Moroccan citrus yogurt served over long grain rice with brown vermicelli, ayam penyet loaded with home-made sambal, and deep-fried cempedak fritters as your sweet snack or dessert – and Asian Market Cafe, which has baba ghanoush, domaaj, and tomato and cabbage tabbouleh, before enjoying bubur lambuk, or the porridge comfort food, traditionally served in mosques during Ramadan.
Other restaurants are Ginger and Restaurant Espoir. Meanwhile, in the UAE, you can celebrate iftar in the following: DAMAC Hills, Dubai Marina, Oud Metha, and The Greens, among many others.
Ramadan is the holy month of fasting, but Muslims enjoy iftar, the evening meal that breaks the fast after sunset. It is also a time for spiritual reflection, increased prayer, and charitable giving.