Menu changes, decrease in demand… the restaurant sector in Dubai suffering due to the war in the Middle East

The prospect of a rapid blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is fading. As a result, Gulf countries are facing a decline in tourism and supply problems, such as in the United Arab Emirates.

David Croiser’s bakery is renowned to be one of the best in Dubai. But with tourists deserting due to the war in the Middle East, his clientele has dwindled. Procuring supplies has also started to pose difficulties due to the prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

For now, David Croiser is managing by living off the available stocks in the United Arab Emirates. Large hotels, which had “10, 15, or 20 restaurants,” have closed, which is beneficial for him, explains the baker. “All these restaurants used to order chocolate, butter, cream. They no longer order, so the stock is for us. I think the problem will come later, in one or two months,” he estimates.

The situation is more complicated for restaurants, especially those in the upscale sector. “Complete menu changes, reduced menu,” lists this French woman who works for a company that supplies them. “I don’t know who is able to properly source today. There are certainly some, but at exorbitant costs. Some have found solutions from Saudi Arabia. We tried to get deliveries by air, but we are no longer at standard cost prices,” she points out. And according to the professional, some products will start to run out, especially beef, often imported from Australia.

Even if tourists eventually return, reassured by the cessation of fighting, or by the quality of air defense in the Emirates, “the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains a necessity,” says this expatriate. She believes that the sector will take one or two years to recover, anyway.