The State of Dubai Dining

About this episode

The episode discusses the state of dining in Dubai, featuring insights from restaurant founders and industry trends.

01 May 2026. Two restaurant stories: EatX founder Tom Arnel joins Georgia Tolley at The Guild in ICD Brookfield Place on adjusting their model for more resident repeat visits and what expansion looks like from here. Nando’s is aggressively opening new locations across the UAE in 2026 and the MD tells us why. Plus, luxury retail took a hit during the conflict. We find out what recovery actually looks like and how long it takes. And end of service gratuity is ever changing. More UAE employers are moving toward structured savings solutions and we find out what that means for employees. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Georgia Tolley

Guest: Tom Arnel

Topics covered

• Dubai dining
• restaurant expansion
• luxury retail recovery
• employee gratuity
• structured savings solutions

Keywords

• Dubai dining
• restaurant stories
• Nando's expansion
• luxury retail
• employee gratuity
• savings solutions

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Nando’s

Places: UAE, Dubai, ICD Brookfield Place

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