Eating out is becoming more expensive in Dubai according to a report by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
The findings outlined in the department’s recent Economic Bulletin indicated that the price of food eaten outside the home had increased significantly in the last two years.
Data collected in the first quarter of 2008 showed an annual inflation rate of 7.3% on restaurant dining and revealed that the price of food in cafés had risen by 8.6%.
“The price pattern of take-away sandwiches and shawarma has experienced a rise in inflation from 3.9% in 2006 to 17.6% in 2008,” the report also stated.
Despite these increases, the Chamber of Commerce & Industry said it did not expect out-of-home food consumption to decrease.
“Consumers in Dubai, in the higher-end market, aren’t too concerned with the price of food,” confirmed general manager of Prairie Halal Foods, Wahid Kandil.
Executive chef at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai, Munier Alsallaq, agreed that as long as restaurants in the UAE refused to compromise on standards, they would not suffer as a result of inflation.
“The focus should be on offering better interaction through various live cooking stations, for personalised warmth and hospitality,” he said.
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