Foodics Launches "Forward Together" Initiative to Ease Cost Pressure on UAE F&B Operators

Restaurant technology platform Foodics has launched a structured support initiative for food and beverage operators across the UAE and broader GCC, responding to a period of sustained cost pressure and demand volatility that has tested the resilience of the region's hospitality industry.

The programme, named "Forward Together," is built around three operational levers: financial flexibility, additional revenue channel access, and analytics-driven decision-making. For existing clients across the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, and other GCC markets, Foodics is offering flexible payment terms to ease short-term cash flow strain. Alongside that, existing clients will receive free access to digital ordering tools including Foodics Online and self-ordering kiosks, which the company positions as a low-friction way for operators to open additional revenue streams without upfront investment. Hardware solutions are also being bundled in at no additional cost.

The initiative's third pillar centres on Foodics AI, the company's predictive analytics tool, which existing clients will be able to access at no charge. The product is designed to surface performance trends and operational insights, giving operators a data layer for planning as they move out of what has been a difficult period for the sector.

Ahmad AlZaini, co-founder and CEO of Foodics, framed the initiative in terms of the sector's systemic importance rather than product positioning. "The F&B industry employs over a million in our region and is considered one of the private sector drivers across GCC and North African markets," he said. "Today, operators happen to be navigating difficult conditions. At Foodics, we exist to help restaurants sustain growth. That mission is what drove us to build Forward Together. If we can play a role in keeping more doors open, then this is exactly where we need to show up."

For newly signed businesses in the UAE, Foodics is offering discounted, tailored packages designed to reduce the upfront technology burden common in early-stage operations. Existing businesses are also being given the option to trial new systems before committing, a design choice that reduces switching costs and lowers the barrier for operators weighing a platform change during a period when capital conservation is a priority.

The rollout spans five markets: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Kuwait. The commercial context is not insignificant. The GCC foodservice sector is currently valued at nearly $70 billion and is projected to surpass $121 billion by 2031, making it one of the most consequential verticals in the region's private-sector landscape. Foodics, which was founded in Saudi Arabia in 2014 and now powers more than 30,000 restaurants across MENA, is positioning this initiative as both a competitive and operational play in a market it already leads.

The broader signal from "Forward Together" is that restaurant technology companies in the region are increasingly being asked to function as operational partners rather than software vendors, particularly when margin pressure forces operators to scrutinise every cost line. For Foodics, absorbing some of that pressure through deferred payments and free product access is a calculated bet on retention and market share consolidation during a recovery cycle.