Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this activity cover?
It covers cafeteria-style food service serving meals for immediate consumption on-premises, including neighbourhood cafeterias, mall food court operations, specialty coffee shops, and third-wave cafes.
Is this for neighbourhood, mall, or specialty coffee formats?
All three. The activity covers residential neighbourhood cafeterias, mall and office cafeterias, and specialty coffee shops and third-wave cafes.
Who are the typical clients?
Construction workers on early shift, office workers on lunch, mall shoppers, coffee enthusiasts, brunch and remote work customers, across the UAE.
Does this include karak cafeterias and third-wave cafes?
Yes. Karak cafeterias, breakfast counters, specialty coffee shops, brunch cafes, and industrial catchment cafeterias are all part of this cafeteria activity.
Does this include the concession operation of eating facilities?
No. The concession operation of eating facilities is a separate activity under classification 5629. This activity covers cafeteria-style food service to customers.
How to Start a Cafeterias Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
At 6 AM, the karak is already flowing. Cafeterias across Dubai open before dawn to serve construction workers karak and paratha before shift, run through breakfast, catch office lunches, and stay open into the night for karak-and-shisha crowds.
It is one of the most consistent, footfall-driven categories in UAE food service, working residential blocks in Deira and Karama, industrial catchments in Al Quoz, business districts in Business Bay and school run routes across every emirate.
Restroworks1 reports Dubai alone has over 3,200 coffee shops and 2,600 cafeterias as of 2022, with the cafes and bars segment expected to grow at 6.72% CAGR through 2030 and 42% of UAE residents drinking two cups of coffee daily.
Restroworks2 notes Dubai has over 13,000 restaurants and cafes serving a population of 200 nationalities, with mall-based cafes and residential neighbourhood cafeterias core to daily dining routines.
Mordor Intelligence3 values the UAE foodservice market at USD 23.21 billion in 2025 rising to USD 61.21 billion by 2031, with cafeterias and independent operators holding 59.60% of market share.
Dubai Trade License from AED 12,500
Get Your LicenseThe UAE Cafeteria and Cafe Market on a Decade of GrowthA Dubai-licensed cafeteria enters a UAE foodservice market forecast to grow from USD 23.21 billion in 2025 to USD 61.21 billion by 2031, with cafeterias and independent operators holding 59.60 percent of market share. Here is where the market is expanding.
Sources: Restroworks (2026), Restroworks (2026), Mordor Intelligence (2026), Nexdigm (2025)
Whether you are running a residential neighbourhood cafeteria in Karama, a mall-based cafe in Dubai Marina Mall, a specialty coffee shop in Alserkal Avenue or an industrial catchment cafeteria in Al Quoz, this activity covers the operation of cafeteria-style food service to customers.
Who is this activity for?
- NEIGHBOURHOOD CAFETERIA OPERATORS: You run a residential cafeteria in Karama, Deira, Al Barsha or Bur Dubai serving karak, paratha, shawarma, mixed grills, samosas and mixed South Asian and Middle Eastern food to a mix of construction workers, taxi drivers, and neighbourhood residents from 6 AM to midnight.
- MALL & OFFICE CAFETERIA OPERATORS: You run a mall food court cafeteria or business district cafeteria serving quick meals to shoppers, office workers and mall visitors. You work with mall lease terms, food court operational rhythms and lunch-heavy trade cycles across UAE malls and business districts.
- SPECIALTY COFFEE & CAFE OPERATORS: You run a specialty coffee shop or third-wave cafe across Alserkal Avenue, D3, Jumeirah, or Al Wasl serving specialty coffee, artisan pastries, brunch menus and lifestyle-driven cafe experiences to specialty coffee enthusiasts, Instagram-driven dining and remote work customers.
5610.02 - Cafeterias
Under this activity, you can run a cafeteria-style food service operation serving meals for immediate consumption on-premises. Product range covers residential neighbourhood cafeterias, mall food court operations, specialty coffee shops, third-wave cafes, breakfast and karak cafeterias and industrial catchment cafeterias across the UAE.
| Neighbourhood Cafeterias | Mall & Office Cafeterias | Specialty Coffee & Cafes |
|---|---|---|
| Residential neighbourhood cafeterias serving karak, paratha, shawarma, mixed grills and South Asian and Middle Eastern food. | Mall food court cafeterias, business district cafeterias and office park lunch cafeterias with quick counter service. | Specialty coffee shops, third-wave cafes, brunch cafes and lifestyle cafes serving artisan coffee, brunch and pastries. |
| Early-morning shift breakfasts, lunch trade for residential population, evening karak-and-shisha, night-shift meal service. | Mall shopper lunch trade, office worker lunch service, school run breakfasts, tourist mall visits and food court dining. | Coffee enthusiasts, brunch culture, remote work environments, Instagram lifestyle dining, weekend social meetups. |
| UAE CONTEXT | UAE CONTEXT | UAE CONTEXT |
| Dubai has 2,600+ cafeterias and 3,200+ coffee shops as of 2022, per Restroworks, with 6.72% CAGR growth through 2030. | 42% of UAE residents drink two cups of coffee daily, driving specialty and neighbourhood cafeteria demand. | Independent operators hold 59.60% of UAE foodservice market share, per Mordor Intelligence. |
This activity covers the operation of cafeteria-style food service. It does not cover the concession operation of eating facilities, which falls under separate activity classification 5629.
In short: if you are running a cafeteria serving quick meals for on-premises consumption, this is your activity.
Third-party approval: Dubai Municipality (DM) approval is required after the license is issued. The license is granted first, and DM approval follows as part of the post-licensing setup process before commercial operations begin.
Anti-money laundering compliance: This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
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¹ Restroworks, "Dubai Restaurants Statistics – Key Market Trends & Data Insights", January 2026.
² Restroworks, "Dubai F&B Market and Cafe Ecosystem Analysis", January 2026.
³ Mordor Intelligence, "United Arab Emirates Foodservice Market Forecasts 2031", January 2026.
