How to Start a Restaurant in Dubai
If you are a foodie, you might be wondering how to start a restaurant in Dubai. There are several steps to follow, such as obtaining a food license, choosing a location, and registering your business legally. Listed below are some of the steps you need to take. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to choose a legal entity or trade license. To ensure your restaurant has a favorable tax status, you should choose a commercial property and choose a location.
Obtaining a food license
Before you can start serving meals to your customers, you must obtain a food license to open a restaurant in Dubai. To get a food license, you must submit the appropriate documents, including a trade license, floor plan, and details of the food preparation and storage areas. You will also need to comply with the Dubai Food Code, which cover food preparation, emergency exits, and ventilation. You will need to submit the required documents as soon as you receive the initial approval for your business. The food license will be granted once you have met the requirements of the first step.
Firstly, you must decide on the location of your restaurant. You must apply to the relevant authority for approval. In Dubai, this is the Department of Economic Development, which is a governmental agency responsible for granting permits. This authority will also require that you mention what type of restaurant you are going to open. Obtaining a food license is one of the most important steps to opening a restaurant in Dubai.
Obtaining a food license for your restaurant is not difficult, but it is important to know exactly what is required. The Department of Economic Development is the main endorsement for restaurants, while the Planning Department will endorse restaurants that are located outside of malls. Once you have received the approval, the next step is to get a trade license. You must also have a floor plan of your restaurant, including entrances and exits, food processing and storage areas, a chimney, and separate basins for washing.
After choosing a location, you must choose an appropriate type of company structure. Generally, a limited-liability company will be the easiest to form, and you must decide whether you want your business registered in mainland Dubai or one of the free zones. Whether your restaurant will be located on the mainland or in a free zone depends on a number of factors, including the size and location.
Choosing a location
Among the first steps to opening a restaurant in Dubai, choosing a suitable trade name is crucial. Ensure that your chosen name has appropriate registration requirements and is available in the UAE. Next, you must decide whether to set up your restaurant in a free zone or on the mainland. While choosing a free zone, you should consider several factors, including available space, distance from waste disposal facilities, visibility, and parking areas.
Choosing a location that is near potential customer sources is highly beneficial as it will allow you to focus on marketing efforts more effectively. Additionally, the locality of your restaurant should have a population density that is representative of the type of food you are serving. Affluent neighborhoods such as Jumeirah Beach Road are prime locations for upscale restaurants. But you must be prepared to spend more than expected for leasing your premises.
Once you have decided on a location, you must make a detailed plan of your restaurant. The plan must include the space needed for the food preparation, storage, sanitary zones, windows, ventilation systems, exits, and kitchen equipment. Once you have a thorough plan, you must apply for a license from the relevant authorities and submit it to the Department of Economic Development. The Department of Economic Development will review your proposal and issue a license.
When it comes to operating a restaurant in Dubai, government policies and the arrival of competing restaurants can impede your growth. In addition, you must register as a legal entity in Dubai, a decision that will be dependent on your business capacity and status in the country. For this, you must register a corporate office and trading name. You will have to declare your legal status in the UAE and submit all the required information to the DED.
Choosing a legal entity
There are many advantages of forming a business in a free-trade zone (FTZ) in Dubai, such as the ease of ownership and the fact that you do not have to alienate 51% of the company to a local sponsor. For example, you can own 100% of your business in an FTZ, while setting up a business in the mainland requires you to give up 51% of the company to a local sponsor. Generally, restaurants are best set up in mainland UAE. With mainland UAE business, you can operate in any part of the country, which is ideal if you plan to have multiple branches.
As a restaurant owner, you need to obtain a trade license from the municipality of Dubai, where you’ll be setting up your business. It will state what type of business you’re starting, and will have specific requirements regarding your restaurant’s location, such as where you need to install washing machines. Ensure that you place your business at least 30 meters from waste disposal areas and maintain a clean environment in and around your establishment.
In addition to choosing a legal entity, you’ll need to choose a license type. While limited liability companies are the easiest to set up, you’ll also need to decide if you’re going to register your company in mainland Dubai or one of the free zones. In mainland Dubai, a limited liability company is the most common option for restaurant owners. In free-zones, full foreign ownership is allowed, but you’ll have to follow specific licensing requirements.
Choosing a legal entity, to start & operate a restaurant in Dubai requires a thorough plan for setting up your business. The plan must include a business vision, goals, budget, and back-up plan. It’s important to remember that there are many people who will come into contact with your restaurant every day, so you need to make sure that you’re protected from personal liability.
Choosing a trade license
In Dubai, it is essential to obtain a food license and a trade license before you can open a restaurant. You can obtain these licenses from the Department of Economic Development. Failure to obtain these licenses can result in your business being blacklisted prematurely. In order to avoid this, you should choose the license that is best for your restaurant business. Then, choose the type of trade license that fits your restaurant’s type.
There are two types of trade licenses for starting a restaurant in Dubai. The first is a food license, which gives you the authority to operate the restaurant. This license can cost between AED thirty-thousand and forty thousand. To obtain one, you must also register the corporate office and trading name. Once you have these documents, you can apply for a food license. If you decide to operate your own restaurant, you may also need to obtain additional licenses.
To open a restaurant in Dubai, you must apply for a trade license with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing. The price of this license will vary depending on the location, the type of restaurant, and the costs of supplies and ingredients. The license costs about AED 10,000 to AED fifteen thousand, depending on how many people will be serving each day. It is important to keep in mind that the cost of opening a restaurant in Dubai is largely dependent on the location and size of the restaurant.
The first step to setting up a restaurant in Dubai is to choose the right location. You can either rent or buy a physical space. The labor department will come to inspect the bare bones of your restaurant and will present a draft design of the layout. Once the labor department approves your design, you can proceed to the next step. If all goes well, you’ll be able to open your restaurant in no time.
Once you have chosen the location for your restaurant, you must choose a suitable location for it. The location is crucial because it will determine how successful your business will be. It must be accessible for customers and is easy to reach for patrons. Additionally, you must decide whether to set up your restaurant on the mainland, offshore, or free-zone. Once you have the right location, you can move forward with the actual construction.
Process of Open a Restaurant in Dubai
- Identify your corporate activities.
- Identify the nature of the industry your restaurant will be operating in.
- Outline the legal status of your restaurant.
- Come up with an attractive trade name for your restaurant.
- Submit your Trade License application and get an office on lease meanwhile.
- You will be contacted for additional documents if deemed necessary.
- Fulfill the extra requirements and submit those through reference DED letter to the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai.