When you are in Dubai, you should do as Dubai people do, who are not exactly fond of fast-food restaurants, but the generations and the world is changing. Together with the growing number of expats who are coming to live in Dubai, mostly because of work, the importance of fast-food restaurants is also improving. Fast food can mean anything in real that is fast to consume.
In Europe, fast food means mainly McDonalds or Chinese takeaway. In a way the Turkish döner-kebab or as the Greeks call it gyros is also fast food. Turkish has made a huge business with their fast-food restaurants all over Europe. Arabic people though prefer places where they can sit down and talk through the day’s happenings. Sometimes not even food is necessary to do so, but a tea or coffee can do for a good talk. However, for children McDonalds is a great thing everywhere in the world. So, no wonder that Dubai is also full of Mc Donald’s, which are located especially in the shopping centres of course.
You may also find the best international fast-food restaurants in Bur Dubai and in Deira, especially in Karama district. Here, you can find fast food restaurants all over the place, from Thai to Turkish food. Of course, Chinese takeaway is getting famous also over here, among the foreigners, as Arabic people generally do not like the taste of Chinese food. McDonalds have colourful kid’s programs and inside playgrounds, which is a great marketing strategy. Everyone who knows McDonalds might visit it quite often also in Dubai. Next to McDonalds, we must mention Burger King or Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut has also a takeaway section.
Out of all fast food, the Thai and Chinese fast food is the most common to eat in Dubai. It is easy to say why Chinese and Thai are popular; it is because they are well known in all European countries and in the United States.
Apart from the fact that McDonalds has quite unhealthy foods, Muslim people do not really go there, as the meat is not “Halal” which is referring to the way the animal was executed whose meat was used to make the dish or sandwich. Otherwise, the sweets, the drinks, the French fries and the salads of McDonalds are also popular in Dubai. Arabic people are crazy for Coke.
The thing is the same with Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken. As you know, pork meat is the strictly refused meat of the Muslims. Nevertheless, anyways it just makes your things easier, as there is no pork meat after all in the territory of Dubai or any Muslim countries.
Therefore, overall you will not face any problems when looking for fast food restaurants in Dubai. All sorts of fast-food restaurants are located in all main shopping areas and Dubai shopping malls. If you can listen to an advice, do try to avoid them, if you are only a tourist. Rather go to small but Arabic restaurant, which will surely serve you the authentic foods of Dubai.