Restaurant marketing in the UAE is won or lost on Google Maps visibility, delivery-platform positioning, and a reservation flow that doesn't lose the booking to a competitor two taps away. With Talabat, Deliveroo and Careem Now controlling the delivery discovery layer, and Google Maps controlling dine-in discovery, F&B marketing is really two separate disciplines running in parallel.
Talabat, Deliveroo and Careem Now typically take 20-30% commission per order, and their in-app search algorithms favour restaurants with strong ratings, fast prep times, and platform ad spend — creating a pay-to-play dynamic independent of food quality.
For dine-in decisions, "restaurants near me" and Google Maps browsing dominate discovery over search-by-name — meaning photo quality, review recency, and menu accuracy on your Google Business Profile matter as much as your actual website.
Brunches, group dinners and special-occasion bookings are heavily influenced by Instagram content — ambience shots and influencer visits often outweigh menu content in the decision, especially for Dubai's brunch and rooftop dining scene.
A restaurant requiring a phone call to book, with no online reservation system, loses a meaningful share of bookings to any competitor offering one-tap booking through Google, Instagram, or a dedicated reservation platform.
Searches "brunch near me Dubai Marina" or browses Instagram location tags/explore page while planning a specific occasion.
Reviews Google Maps photos, star rating, and recent reviews, plus Instagram content for ambience and food presentation before deciding.
Checks menu pricing (often via the Google Business Profile menu link or delivery app listing) before committing to book or order.
Books via Google's reservation integration, Instagram DM, or a reservation platform for dine-in; or orders directly through Talabat/Deliveroo/Careem for delivery.
Return visits driven by loyalty programmes, email/WhatsApp offers, and continued Instagram engagement — plus user-generated content that fuels the next discovery cycle.
The KPIs that actually matter for restaurants & f&b — not vanity metrics.
Challenge: Talabat, Deliveroo and Careem Now typically take 20-30% commission per order, and their in-app search algorithms favour restaurants with strong ratings, fast prep times, and platform ad spend — creating a pay-to-play dynamic independent of food quality.
Approach: We'd start with this SEO opportunity: Google Business Profile optimisation with fresh, high-quality photos and a fully populated, accurate menu We'd pair it with this paid media opportunity: Instagram and TikTok content amplification for ambience and signature-dish visuals, targeted geographically around the venue
What success would look like: Measurable improvement against the KPIs that matter most for this industry, particularly Google Business Profile views, calls, and direction requests month over month and Reservation conversion rate from Instagram and Google traffic.
Book a free strategy call. We'll audit your current marketing, benchmark it against your UAE competitors, and show you exactly where the growth is being left on the table.
