Limited-Service Restaurants in Saudi Arabia

2020 IMPACT

Chained limited-service restaurants with existing delivery infrastructures lead the category

In 2020, as the category faced the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic and strict national lockdown restrictions lasting from March to June, the most successful subcategories in value terms were chained chicken limited-service restaurants followed by chained burger limited-service restaurants. This is primarily due to the fact that most brands in these subcategories already had apps and delivery networks in place before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in Saudi Arabia, which helped to support the provision of takeaways as the only source of income during the national lockdown periods.

Ice cream limited-service restaurants and middle Eastern limited-service restaurants suffer during COVID-19 lockdown

Ice cream limited-service restaurants and middle Eastern limited-Service restaurants were amongst the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown restrictions in 2020. Ice cream suffered in 2020 as products sold in these outlets are viewed as non-essential treats and so were not at the top of consumers’ spending priorities at a time when consumers in Saudi Arabia were feeling the pinch.

Companies face loss of eat-in sales during national lockdown

During the lengthy period of mandatory national lockdown from March to June 2020, players in limited-service restaurants lost sales through eat-in service as restaurants across the kingdom were forced to close their doors to walk-in customers. A large number of brands in this category already had online ordering and delivery platforms in placed, which helped them to ensure the continuation of takeaway and delivery services, making it easier to switch their operations entirely online for much of 2020.

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