ServiceMarket, the UAE’s leading online platform for catering and home services, recently released a catering trends report, highlighting the most popular types of foods and events this year in the UAE. ServiceMarket analyzed hundreds of catering requests submitted on their website to reveal the following catering service trends.
The 5 most popular types of events
From special occasions such as anniversaries to casual events like yacht parties, people in the UAE book catering services for a wide variety of events. The most popular types of events in the UAE for which people hire caterers are as follows:
- Private parties: 30%
- Birthday parties: 29%
- Corporate events: 17%
- Wedding ceremonies: 6%
- Bridal / baby showers: 3%
The 5 most sought after types of food
Arabic food is the most popular type of food served at events in the UAE, followed by BBQ’s and Indian or Pakistani cuisines. Canape style food is also very popular. It’s also not uncommon for people in the UAE to serve multiple cuisines at their events, perhaps unsurprising given the many different nationalities and cultures found in the country. Here’s the list of top 5 popular types of food requested by UAE residents:
- Arabic
- BBQ
- Indian/Pakistani
- Canape
- Dessert
How much do people typically spend on catering in Dubai?
More than half of the requests placed on ServiceMarket had a catering budget of less than AED 5,000, and the most common budget was AED 3,000. There are multiple factors that contribute to the cost of catering an event, including:
- The number of guests
- The types of food to be served
- Whether there will be a buffet, ala carte or multiple course meals
- The number of waiters and chefs that would be required for the event
- If the setup would include any live stations
A basic catering service can be booked for as low as AED 80 per head, but the budget would have to be increased to include more premium services.
Do most people give sufficient time to their caterer to prepare for the event?
Most UAE residents book a catering service just one week before their event. While caterers can handle your catering needs at such a short notice, it’s always better to book a service at least two weeks in advance. By doing so, not only can people book the caterer they want, but they would also have plenty of time to get advice from the catering company and their chefs to make the event more memorable.
