Latest news with #mobileordering
Khaleej Times
04-08-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Food delivery goes mobile: 30% growth in UAE and Saudi Arabia in 2025
There's a quiet revolution happening across kitchens in the UAE and Saudi Arabia — and it's not just in restaurants, but on the phones of millions of hungry consumers. Whether it's a sizzling kebab for brunch or a late-night butter chicken craving, more people are choosing to tap and order than ever before. Gone are the days of calling in orders or waiting in queues. Today's diners prefer the ease of a few clicks, and restaurants are racing to keep up. In the first half of 2025, mobile food delivery orders in both countries surged by a staggering 30% year-over-year, according to fresh data from Syrve MENA, a leading restaurant software provider. The findings reflect a broader shift in how the region eats: convenience-first, mobile-centric, and increasingly digital. Food Aggregators Rule the Menu The report reveals that food aggregators — apps like Talabat, Deliveroo, and HungerStation — now dominate the mobile ordering landscape, handling around 75% of all restaurant mobile orders. The remaining 25% is fulfilled via call centres, websites, or proprietary restaurant apps, largely favoured by larger chains that want tighter control over the customer journey. And it's all happening on our smartphones. Over 70% of food delivery transactions are now completed on mobile devices, confirming that food is no longer just about taste — it's about tech, too. When and What We Eat is Changing Too Syrve's data also reveals intriguing patterns in consumer behaviour throughout the year. March 2025 saw a notable spike in orders, coinciding with Ramadan — a season known for post-sunset feasting. Another wave is expected during the summer months, from June through September, when sweltering temperatures push diners indoors. The dinner rush between 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM remains the busiest time slot across most cuisines, especially for fast food, Indian, Italian, and international fare. But Arabic restaurants buck the trend with traditional breakfasts such as foul, falafel, and labneh sandwiches peaking in popularity between 10:00 AM and noon. Globally, dinner hours around 6:00 PM tend to be peak time, but the Middle East's evening skew could also be linked to Ramadan and social dining habits, where the day winds down late and meals stretch into the night. Interestingly, a rise in Monday morning breakfast orders points to consumers looking for a fresh, convenient start to their week. Comparing the Markets While both countries are embracing the mobile food movement, their growth trajectories differ slightly. In the UAE, online meal delivery is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.2% through 2033, powered by a tech-savvy population and demand for loyalty perks and faster delivery. Saudi Arabia's delivery sector, meanwhile, is even more robust, expected to climb at a CAGR of 15.4% through 2030. Its growth is underpinned by rapid urbanisation, high smartphone penetration, and a rising middle class hungry for convenience. "Mobile-based delivery will remain central to foodservice strategy in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia as they continue to develop digitally and increase mobile order volumes by over 10% year-on-year," says Alexander Ponomarev, CEO at Syrve MENA. "Consistent seasonal peaks, changing spending habits, and rapidly advancing technology are making mobile-first dining the new norm." Looking ahead, Syrve projects that by the end of 2025, over 80% of food delivery orders in both markets will be made via mobile — a natural evolution in two of the world's most digitally connected regions. The continued dominance of food aggregator apps, along with restaurants embracing automation and AI, is paving the way for a frictionless future in foodservice.
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Starbucks to discontinue pickup-only store format in US
Starbucks is planning to discontinue its pickup-only store format, a concept that was introduced in November 2019 and is no longer in line with the company's strategic direction, CNN Business has reported The initiative, which began in New York, aimed to streamline the ordering process through the mobile app, providing quick service without the traditional café experience. Starbucks Pick Up grew to around 90 locations across the US, typically in city centres, airports and healthcare facilities. While some stores included limited seating, many were designed exclusively for order collection. The company has suggested that some of these locations may be transformed into standard Starbucks outlets in the future. During the company's recent earnings call, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol stated: 'We found this format to be overly transactional and lacking the warmth and human connection that defines our brand.' He added that Starbuck's 'strong digital offering' with its app 'can deliver the same level of convenience through our community coffeehouses.' He noted that the company is also building a 'small format version' of its stores with just 10 seats in New York City. 'We believe this new prototype will deliver an exceptional customer experience, improve unit economics and unlock growth opportunities in more markets,' he said. In late July 2025, Starbucks reported attributable net earnings of $558.3m for the third quarter of the fiscal year 2025 – a decline of 47% compared to the same period of 2024. "Starbucks to discontinue pickup-only store format in US" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Hospitality Net
11-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
IRIS and Alliants Partner to Elevate Digital Hospitality Services
Alliants, the global leader in guest experience technology, has partnered with leading mobile F&B ordering specialist IRIS to deliver an integrated solution that enhances the in-stay experience for both guests and hotel staff. This seamless integration empowers guests to effortlessly browse menus, place orders, and complete F&B purchases from anywhere on property, directly from their devices, enabling a smooth interaction with the hotel that is both convenient and on their terms. For hotel staff, the combined power of IRIS's intuitive mobile ordering and the Alliants Experience Platform - including its Concierge and Messaging modules - streamlines the management of guest requests, reduces administrative workload, and eliminates time-consuming manual processes. This partnership enables hotels to deliver a faster, more efficient service while freeing up staff to focus on high-value, guest-centric interactions that enhance service quality and guest satisfaction. Mark Horne, CEO of IRIS, added 'Guest expectations for seamless mobile ordering and elevated digital experiences continues to rise. Our partnership with Alliants is enabling hotels to provide an end to end digital experience that is easy to use, accurate and fast for guests to browse, order and pay for items and services across multiple outlets, while streamlining the hotel's back-office tasks. Flexible and scalable, our growing roster of mutual clients includes Mandarin Oriental and Four Seasons, with hotels typically experiencing a 20% to 40% boost in F&B revenue following deployment.' This partnership marks a significant advancement in the evolution of luxury hospitality across the globe. By unifying critical guest-facing technologies into a single, intelligent, and seamless platform, Alliants and IRIS are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation. Combining the solutions delivers a fully integrated digital experience that enhances guest convenience and creates a richer, more personalised guest stay. Tristan Gasby, CEO of Alliants, shared that "At Alliants, we're focused on redefining the guest experience through seamless, personalised digital journeys. Partnering with IRIS allows us to give our shared customers a guest experience that puts them in control, while hotel teams can drive more operational efficiency in the background. Together, we can help hotels deliver smarter service and better engagement at every touchpoint." This collaboration captures every guest order within the Alliants Experience Platform, enriching the 360-degree guest profile with real-time purchasing history and food and beverage preferences. This enables hotels to anticipate needs better, tailor future experiences, and drive deeper engagement at every touchpoint. By streamlining the guest journey and removing operational complexity for hotel teams, this partnership unlocks new levels of efficiency, personalisation, and brand loyalty in today's digitally driven hospitality landscape. The joint solution from Alliant and IRIS is already delivering results in leading hotel properties. As this demand for seamless, digital-first experiences grows, this partnership sets a new standard for excellence in modern hospitality. To discover how this integrated solution can elevate your guest experience, streamline operations, and drive brand loyalty, visit or About IRIS Software Systems IRIS is a global market leader in digital F&B ordering, guest directory and concierge solutions for hotels, working with many of the world's leading chains including Marriott, Ennismore, Mandarin Oriental, IHG and Four Seasons. IRIS empowers Hotels and F&B leaders to do what they do best: increase revenue, look after their teams, and provide an outstanding customer experience. Their flexible hospitality platform enables hotels and restaurants to provide a truly digital ordering experience to their guests, making it easier and faster for guests to browse, order and pay for items and services across multiple outlets. Since 2010, thousands of hotels on every continent across the world have used IRIS's mobile, tablet and web app technology to boost additional revenues by 20% on average. More information: or [email protected] Kate Fuller Senior Marketing Manager View source
Hospitality Net
04-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
IRIS scales mobile ordering platform to satisfy global demand, now processing over $250 million in annual transactions
IRIS, the global leader in mobile F&B and guest experience platforms for the hospitality industry, proudly reports continued momentum, with over $250 million in orders processed annually, confirming its position as a leading innovator in hotel dining and guest engagement. This exceptional rate of growth is a consequence of the increasing number of hoteliers worldwide deploying IRIS' mobile ordering and digital guest directory solutions and their ever-increasing revenue numbers, as well as the boost in guest satisfaction and the increased staff productivity achieved as a result. IRIS also reports its growing global footprint with a presence in 100+ countries, serving over 2,000 hotels, and team members located across the UK, North America, China, Europe and South East Asia. The multi-functional IRIS platform has revolutionised mobile ordering for the hospitality industry offering a suite of solutions across F&B, guest directory and concierge that enables hotels to easily open new and profitable revenue streams. Providing a truly digital ordering experience, IRIS' platform makes it easier and faster for guests to browse, order and pay for items and services across multiple outlets, while reducing the hotel's operational workload. Flexible and scalable, its growing roster of clients includes leading hotel groups and brands across Marriott, Mandarin Oriental, Ennismore, Four Seasons, Hilton, Wyndham and IHG. On average, IRIS customers typically experience a 20% to 70% uplift in F&B revenue following deployment. IRIS also has an ever-expanding collection of direct integrations to leading POS, SOS and payment technology providers globally. Its most recent feature additions include Charge to Room, which makes payments seamless for in-house guests, while Related Items helps boost guest spend by suggesting complementary products. Advance Ordering gives guests the flexibility to schedule orders pre-stay, and Digital Staff Ordering offers a smoother, faster way for teams to manage service — perfect for venues combining traditional table service with mobile tech. All features are wrapped in industry leading security services with award winning global support. Commenting on its recent growth results, Mark Horne, CEO at IRIS said, 'The last 12 months have been exceptional for IRIS. We are working hard to hire more great people to add to the excellent team already in place and this, coupled with a clear strategic focus on what we want to achieve as a company is benefiting our customer's businesses. 'Our results are a testament to the hospitality industry's own continued investment in mobile ordering and digital solutions to add to a guest's experience, and we are very proud to be a part of this journey.' About IRIS Software Systems IRIS is a global market leader in digital F&B ordering, guest directory and concierge solutions for hotels, working with many of the world's leading chains including Marriott, Ennismore, Mandarin Oriental, IHG and Four Seasons. IRIS empowers Hotels and F&B leaders to do what they do best: increase revenue, look after their teams, and provide an outstanding customer experience. Their flexible hospitality platform enables hotels and restaurants to provide a truly digital ordering experience to their guests, making it easier and faster for guests to browse, order and pay for items and services across multiple outlets. Since 2010, thousands of hotels on every continent across the world have used IRIS's mobile, tablet and web app technology to boost additional revenues by 20% on average. More information: or [email protected] Kate Fuller Senior Marketing Manager View source
