The average monthly household spend in the UAE on eating out is Dh1200 ($326.70), said a UAE-based food and beverage expert.

Hamad Al Hareb, chairman of Al Koufa & Al Dahleez Services, a leading food restaurants chain in Dubai and owner of a series of restaurant stand-alone brands, said the culture of eating out in the UAE differs a lot from Europe or North America.

In the UAE people are largely dependent on restaurants on a day to day basis, unlike in other parts of the world where dining out is less frequent, he added. The study covered UAE nationals as well as expatriates.

Al Hareb was speaking at a press conference to launch the Al Multaqa multi-tier loyalty programme owned by Al Koufa & Al Dahleez Services.

“Al Multaqa multi-tier loyalty programme is a first of its kind loyalty initiative among Arabic restaurants chains in the Middle East,” he said.

“The hospitality industry in the UAE succeeded in creating unique local brands with clear brand proposition. These brands could also be exported to other parts of the Middle East in terms of cuisine, design and overall concept philosophy,” Al Hareb added.

“An innovative concept is simply a nice sitting area and a beautiful décor to go with, complemented by a relaxing environment and tasty food delivered in an innovative way.”

“Al Multaqa Loyalty Programme is designed to reward loyal customers. We have attempted to make the registration easy,” Al Hareb continued.

“It is a one-time optional process to enrol in the programme’s rewards. The enrolment is open to all and involves no entrance fees.'

'After registration, an email membership confirmation will be sent to the member and then he can collect the Al Multaqa rewards program welcome pack from the restaurant he selected in the registration form. The current programme is valid until April 30, 2012,' he said.

Al Hareb added that the staffing of their outlets rose by more than 10 per cent to meet the growing demand of the hospitality market in the UAE in 2010.

He said the UAE government was making great strides to increase the number of food-manufacturing plants within the country and has invested $1.4 billion since 1994 in this area.

He added that there are now around 150 food processing plants operational throughout the UAE which gives a push to the local restaurants that can rely on local supply instead of importing the ingredients and other material.

The average size of a household in the UAE is 5.1, according to a report released by the UAE Ministry of Economy. – TradeArabia News Service