Marketing for Restaurants in Dubai | Areesto

A guide for marketing for restaurants in Dubai

Strategic Marketing Solutions for Restaurants & Cafés for Dominate Dubai’s Competitive Dining Scene

Three Key Elements of Dubai Restaurants success

A- Location-Specific Strategies

Target diners in Dubai Marina, Downtown, JBR & beyond with hyper-local campaigns

B- Social Media Mastery

Engage foodies across Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn with mouth-watering content

C- Tourist-Targeted Advertising

Capture visitors during peak seasons and major events like Dubai Shopping Festival

Here we detail

1- Dubai Location-Specific Strategies

Dubai’s dining scene varies dramatically by neighborhood—what works in Downtown Dubai won’t necessarily succeed in Deira or Jumeirah. To maximize your restaurant’s visibility and foot traffic, you need hyper-localized marketing strategies.

Here’s how Areesto tailors’ campaigns for key Dubai locations:

1-1 Downtown Dubai & DIFC (High-End Dining & Business Crowd)

Audience: Affluent locals, expat professionals, luxury hotel guests
Best Marketing Tactics:
Linkedin Ads – Target CEOs, bankers, and corporate clients for business lunches Luxury Influencers – Partner with high-profile food bloggers and Michelin reviewers Pre-Theatre Dining Promotions – Bundle offers with nearby attractions (Burj Khalifa, Dubai Opera)

Google Ads Keywords: “Best fine dining Downtown Dubai”, “Business lunch DIFC”

1-2 Dubai Marina & JBR (Tourists & Young Professionals)

Audience: Tourists, expats, social media-savvy millennials
Best Marketing Tactics:
Instagram Reels & TikTok – Viral seafood platter videos, sunset dining content
Beachfront Event Collaborations – Partner with watersports companies for combo deals
Hotel Concierge SEO – Optimize for “best Marina restaurants” to appear in hotel recommendations
Google Ads Targeting: Tourists searching “JBR dinner with view”

1-3 Deira & Bur Dubai (Budget-Friendly & Cultural Dining)

Audience: Local families, budget-conscious tourists, cultural explorers
Best Marketing Tactics:
Ramadan & Iftar Campaigns – Promote traditional Emirati/Arabic menus
WhatsApp & SMS Marketing – Send daily lunch specials to nearby offices
Zomato & Talabat Promotions – Highlight affordable combo meals
Google Keywords: “Best cheap eats in Deira”, “Authentic Arabic restaurant near me”

1-4 Palm Jumeirah & Luxury Resorts (High-Net-Worth Guests)

Audience: Five-star hotel guests, celebrities, VIPs
Best Marketing Tactics:
Yacht & Hotel Partnerships – Exclusive dining packages for resort guests
Private Chef Experiences – Marketed through luxury travel agencies
VIP Event Marketing – Target high-end weddings and private parties
Google Ads: “Most romantic dinner Palm Jumeirah”, “Celebrity chef Dubai”

1-5 Academic & Family Areas (Dubai Silicon Oasis, Mirdif)

Audience: Families, students, long-term residents
Best Marketing Tactics:
Kids-Eat-Free Deals – Promoted on parent Facebook groups
Student Discounts – Partner with universities for campus promotions
Community Events – Sponsor local markets and school fairs
SEO Keywords: “Family-friendly restaurants Mirdif”, “Cheap eats DSO”

1-6 Festival City & Expo 2025 (Event-Driven Crowds)

Audience: Exhibition attendees, event tourists, last-minute diners
Best Marketing Tactics:
Geo-Fenced Instagram Ads – Target phones near Expo 2025 venues
Pre-Fixe Menu Promotions – Quick dining options for busy attendees
Upsell via Delivery Apps – Offer “late-night Expo recovery meals” on Talabat

?Why Choose Areesto for Your Dubai Restaurant Marketing

 Dubai-Based Experts – We know the local market inside out.
✔ Data-Driven Strategies – No guesswork, just proven results.
✔ Affordable Packages – Tailored for small cafés to luxury restaurants.
✔ Free Consultation – Get a customized marketing plan.

2- Social Media Mastery for Marketing for Restaurants in Dubai

In Dubai’s visually-driven dining scene, social media is your most powerful marketing tool. With 92% of diners checking Instagram or TikTok before choosing a restaurant, a strong social strategy can double your bookings and turn casual scrollers into loyal customers.

Here’s how Areesto dominates social media for Dubai restaurants:

 2-1 Platform-by-Platform Domination

Instagram – The Visual Menu

✔ High-Impact Feed Posts – Professional food photography with Dubai backdrops (Burj Khalifa, Palm views)
✔ Engagement-Boosting Reels – Trending food challenges, chef cooking demos, “behind-the-scenes” content
✔ Stories & Polls – Daily special announcements, Q&A with your head chef
✔ Location Tags & Hashtags – #DubaiEats #DubaiFoodie #BestBrunchDubai

Pro Tip: Restaurants using our “Golden Hour Reels” strategy (posting sunset dining content at 6-7pm) see 3x more story shares.

TikTok – Viral Food Trends

✔ Dubai-Specific Challenges – “Most over-the-top dessert” or “AED 100 meal challenge”
✔ Duets with Food Influencers – React to popular Dubai food critics
✔ Employee Spotlight Videos – “Meet our Emirati chef” series

Case Study: A JBR burger joint went viral (500k+ views) with a “Burger vs. Burj Al Arab” size comparison video.

2-2 LinkedIn – Corporate Dining Goldmine

✔ Targeted DIFC Lunch Posts – “Why your next client meeting should be here”
✔ CEO Takeovers – Have restaurant owners’ network with business leaders
✔ Event Partnerships – Promote post-conference dining packages

Case Study: A DIFC steakhouse gained 40 corporate clients by sharing “Power Lunch” infographics on LinkedIn.

  1. Content That Converts

Top-Performing Post Types

  1. “The Perfect Bite” Videos – Close-up shots of dishes being cut/served
  2. Before/After Tables – Empty restaurant → packed house timelapses
  3. Chef’s Special Breakdown – Ingredients storytelling (e.g., “Our truffles fly in weekly from Italy”)
  4. User-Generated Content – Repost customer stories with branded hashtags

Best Posting Times for Dubai

  • Instagram Reels: 7-9pm (when people plan next meal)
  • LinkedIn Posts: 12-2pm (during lunch research)
  • TikTok Videos: 6-8pm (peak scrolling hours)

2-3 Influencer & Collaboration Strategies

In Dubai’s competitive dining scene, strategic influencer partnerships can be the difference between an empty restaurant and a viral sensation. With 72% of diners trying new spots based on influencer recommendations.

2-4  Paid Social Advertising

Facebook/Instagram Ads That Work

  • Lookalike Audiences – Target people similar to your best customers
  • Carousel Ads – Show appetizer → main course → dessert journey
  • Special Offer Ads – “Book via Instagram = free dessert”
Marketing for Restaurants

3- Tourist-Targeted Advertising for Dubai Restaurants: Capture Visitors & Boost Bookings

Dubai welcomes 16+ million tourists annually, making them a goldmine for restaurants. But most tourists never find hidden gems—they stick to hotel buffets and TripAdvisor’s top 10. With smart tourist-targeted ads, your restaurant can become their must-visit spot.

Here’s how Areesto helps Dubai restaurants dominate the tourist market:

3-1 Geo-Targeting: Ads That Follow Tourists

Location-Based Strategies

✔ Airport & Hotel WiFi Ads – Target phones connected to Dubai Airport or 5-star hotel networks
✔ Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Proximity Ads – Reach tourists searching “restaurants near me”
✔ Tourist Hotspot Retargeting – Show ads to people who visited Atlantis or Global Village

 Key Tourist Groups to Target

Nationality Preferred Cuisine Best Ad Platforms
Russian Seafood, Luxury VK, Telegram
Chinese Hotpot, Group Dining WeChat, Douyin
British Pub Food, Brunches Facebook, Instagram
Indian Vegetarian, Spicy ShareChat, Instagram

3-2 Seasonal Campaigns for Peak Tourist Periods

Dubai’s Tourist Calendar

  • Oct-Feb: European winter escapees (promote outdoor seating)
  • Jun-Aug: GCC staycationers (highlight AC comfort & deals)
  • Ramadan: Cultural dining experiences (iftar/suhoor packages)
  • Dec 31: NYE premium dining (sell tickets early)

Pro Tip: Restaurants using “pre-arrival ads” (targeting flight bookings 2 weeks out) see 40% more reservations.

3-3 Platform-Specific Tourist Traps

TripAdvisor & Google Travel

✔ Optimize listings with tourist keywords:

  • “Best authentic Emirati food”
  • “Romantic dinner with Burj view”
    ✔ Encourage reviews with QR code table tents

WeChat & Weibo (Chinese Tourists)

✔ Create mini-program menus with Alipay integration
✔ Partner with Chinese influencers doing “Dubai Food Guides”

Klook & GetYourGuide (Activity Bookers)

✔ Bundle offers: “Dhow cruise + 3-course dinner”
✔ Run limited-time “tourist exclusive” discounts

3-4 Hotel & Tourism Partnerships

Win-Win Collaborations

  • Concierge Commissions – AED 20-50 per referred guest
  • In-Room Table Tents – Place menus in partner hotels
  • Tour Group Packages – Work with desert safari companies

Case Study: A seafood restaurant in Dubai Creek filled 80% of seats through Atlantis concierge referrals.

3-5 Multilingual Marketing for Restaurants in Dubai

Must-Have Translations

  • Menu QR codes linking to Arabic/Russian/Chinese versions
  • Google Ads in 4 languages (English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian)
  • TikTok subtitles for international viewers

Cost-Saver: Focus first on your hotel neighbors’ top languages – if you’re near JW Marriott, prioritize Russian ads.

  1. Tourist-Focused Promotions

Irresistible Offers

  • “Passport Discounts” – 10% off for international visitors
  • “First Visit Freebie” – Complimentary Arabic coffee/dates
  • “Souvenir Dining” – Photo op with framed menu & Burj view

Psychological Hack: Tourists splurge more – highlight “once-in-a-lifetime experiences” over prices.

Areesto’s Tourist Advertising Packages

Package Features
Explorer 1 language, basic geo-targeting
Adventurer 3 languages, hotel partnerships
Globetrotter Full multilingual, Klook integration

All include:

  • Seasonal campaign planning
  • Competitor tourist capture analysis
  • Review generation system

Free Tourist Audience Report

“Tourists account for 62% of fine dining revenue in Dubai – but only 8% of restaurants properly target them.”

 Ready to fill your restaurant with international foodies? Let’s talk!