UAE Food Delivery Orders Rise 15% In First Half Of 2026

Food delivery continued to gain ground across the UAE during the first half of 2026, with delivery orders rising 15.2% year-on-year as fewer diners opted to eat out, according to new data from restaurant management platform Syrve MENA.

The report found that delivery accounted for 30.5% of all restaurant orders across Syrve's network during the period, up from 25.4% in the first half of 2025. Over the same period, total restaurant orders declined 4%, while gross revenue fell 5.5% and dine-in orders dropped 10.5%. The figures compare the same restaurant venues operating across both years.

Among restaurants offering delivery, the average venue processed 11,642 delivery orders during the first six months of the year, or roughly 1,940 orders per month.

Although the average delivery order value dipped slightly from AED 77.35 to AED 76.97, delivery's contribution to restaurant revenue increased from 18.6% to 22.5%. Average dine-in spending remained largely unchanged, rising marginally from AED 115.21 to AED 115.81, while the overall average order value across all channels declined 1.5%.

According to the report, restaurant demand saw a significant shift after Ramadan. During the first seven weeks of 2026, order volumes were between 16% and 26% higher than the same period a year earlier. However, by mid-February, volumes had fallen 15% year-on-year, with the decline deepening to around 30% in April before recovering to approximately 2025 levels by late June.

The slowdown affected 61% of restaurants, with premium dining venues and businesses relying heavily on tourists experiencing the sharpest declines.

The report projects the UAE's online food delivery market will reach USD 10.86 billion in 2026 before expanding to USD 22.19 billion by 2034, driven by increasing smartphone adoption and the continued growth of super apps. Syrve also expects the Gulf Cooperation Council foodservice market to grow from USD 69.13 billion in 2026 to USD 122.19 billion by 2031.