'My food delivery was cancelled after 1.5 hrs': How heavy UAE rains forced residents to find other options

Unpredictable and rainy weather have left many residents unable to rely on online food delivery services, pushing them to don their aprons and cook meals at home. Many have said that their deliveries were cancelled or that restaurants were not accepting food orders.

Abdul Hai, a Sudani residing in Sharjah, only ate lunch around 5pm on Sunday. “My wife is travelling and I am bad at cooking. I've been relying on nearby restaurants and food delivery apps for lunch and dinner,” he said. “As it was a rainy and lazy day, I ordered food from an app at around 2pm, and waited until 3.30pm. The order was delayed and later cancelled by the restaurant."

Mohammed Athar, a resident of Deira, had also ordered lunch from a restaurant based in Hor Al Ainz. He too had to cancel his order due to long delays in delivery. “I kept calling the restaurant, but they were kind enough to make me understand the situation,” said Athar. “Finally, I had to go to a nearby cafeteria for lunch around 2pm."

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Restaurateurs told Khaleej Times that they reported a significant increase in the number of delivery requests as people opted to stay indoors during the rainy weather.

“We have been receiving excessive delivery orders during the rain. Usually during weekends, we have many dine-in guests. However, [on Sunday] people preferred to dine at home,” said Mohsin, owner of Shahran Restaurant located in Al Nahda 2 Dubai.

Understanding the risks, restaurateurs advised their delivery drivers to prioritise safety and take necessary precautions. This included adjusting their speed, being extra vigilant on wet roads, and avoiding risky manoeuvrers.

“A few of our orders were delayed due to water-clogged roads, and we informed our clients to expect delays. We advised all our riders to be safe and cautious because of the bad weather... their safety is our priority,” added Mohsin.

Jugal Parekh, owner of Yummy Dosa said, “Due to rains there is a delay in the arrival of the delivery rider [at the restaurant]. We prepare the order only when the rider arrives so that the customer will get hot and fresh food even after the delay."

“We make sure we don't pressurise the delivery rider to deliver the order fast, and guide them to drive slowly and safely in the rain,” said Parekh.

Eti Bhasin, owner of Dhaba Lane, said that they have shortened their delivery radius temporarily, taking into consideration the unstable weather conditions. “Delivery apps have reduced their delivery radius from over 10km to 3km with the ongoing rain,” said Bhasin. “Morever, we are taking our own precautions for self-delivery by checking road blockages and updating our guests on delays. Yesterday, we had delays that went up to 1 and half hours.”

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