Uber Eats to cease operation in the UAE this month

Written by:
Elise Kerr
5th May 2020

You’ll be able to order your favourite dishes from Careem Now instead…

Food delivery service Uber Eats has announced that it will cease operation in the UAE this month. The company plans to join forces with Careem’s food delivery app, following the two business’ 2019 merger.

From Monday May 19, Uber Eats plans to shift its services onto Careem Now, including transferring customer’s account details over. Uber Eats distributed an email to customers announcing the app closure, and offered them a way to opt out from the data transfer.

A spokesperson for Uber Eats MENA said: “We’ve made the tough but necessary decision to close the Uber Eats app in UAE. We believe Careem is better placed to serve our food delivery communities as it expands its app across the region.”

According to The National, Careem is set to becoming a ‘one-stop shop’ servicing all of its customers’ needs in one handy ‘super-app’. Careem was acquired by Uber last year in a $3.1 billion (Dhs11.3 billion) deal.

After the transfer on May 19, customers will still be able to enjoy Uber Eats’ full restaurant offering. You’ll just need to download the Careem Now app and place your order there instead.

Uber rides will still continue to operate, and Uber mentioned that this closure will help it focus more on that area of the business in this region. “Looking ahead, Uber remains committed to growing and investing in Uber’s mobility platform in UAE and the Middle East.”