Kuwait’s delivery apps squeeze restaurants

As apps take bigger bite out of every order, eateries pass burden to consumers

- Gulf News Report

Every meal ordered through a delivery app in Kuwait comes with an extra cost. Beyond the menu price and delivery fee, platforms now routinely take more than a quarter of each bill, leaving restaurants with shrinking margins and customers facing higher prices, according to Al Qabas newspaper.

Once viewed as mere intermediaries connecting diners with kitchens, food delivery apps have grown into dominant players in Kuwait’s dining economy.

By the end of 2024, online food orders surpassed 2.6 million a month, with more than 72 per cent of consumers using smartphone apps as their preferred option.