Deliveroo Restaurant Awards Reveal the UAE’s Favourite Restaurants

24 March 2022

• The UAE’s top restaurants were announced last night at the Deliveroo's Restaurant Awards 2022
• Pickl wins Restaurant of the Year award, voted by a panel of presenters including Deliveroo GCC GM Anis Harb, Rene Borisova, Mayada Sleiman, Mohanad Al Hattab, and Kindy Man
• Nearly 150,000 votes cast by customers to select winners across 21 categories, including Best Healthy Restaurant, Best Homegrown Restaurant, and Best Delivery-Only Brand
• Five Guys voted Best Restaurant by Deliveroo Riders
  
  The nation’s favourite restaurants were recognised last night at Deliveroo’s first-ever Restaurant Awards in the UAE. The inaugural Deliveroo Restaurant Awards, which took place virtually on Deliveroo UAE’s Instagram, saw 21 of the country’s best restaurants win one of this year’s esteemed trophies. Pickl, was crowned this year’s Restaurant of the Year - the only award selected by a panel of presenters.
  
  The awards ceremony was a celebration of Deliveroo’s amazing restaurant partners in the UAE that have prospered despite a couple of rollercoaster years for the industry. Over 100 restaurants were shortlisted for an award, and the winners of 21 of the categories were chosen by public vote, with customers backing their favourite brands. Nearly 150,000 votes have been recorded throughout the duration of Deliveroo Restaurant Awards; a true testament to UAE’s love for food delivery.
  
  The final award of the night - Restaurant of the Year - was won by Pickl, after battling it out with finalists Al Farah Restaurant, The Cheesecake Factory, Five Guys, and LDC Kitchen & Coffee. The home-grown burger house prides itself on a high-quality short menu - from chicken sando, to chuck patty burgers and Impossible™ burgers all the way to their mega-souped-up fries and their signature ‘comeback sauce’. Pickl currently operates 8 locations across both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The brand believes that they are ‘Simple. Not Basic’ and have mastered everything that comes out of their kitchen.
  
  For Restaurant of the Year, Deliveroo’s panel of presenters tried food from each restaurant in a tasting session, before scoring each finalist against a criteria that covered quality of food, environmental consciousness, going the extra mile for customers and the community, and value for money.
  
  Anis Harb, GM, Deliveroo GCC said, “Congratulations to all of our winners and finalists in each category. We are proud and honoured to be your partners and look forward to continuing to deliver great food to our customers together. This was the first time that we launched Deliveroo Restaurant Awards in the UAE, and the response has been overwhelming. We are excited to come back bigger and better next year.”
  
  Stephen Flawith of Pickl said: “We are pumped! It’s an honour for us to win the first-ever Restaurant of Year award by Deliveroo. The past few years have been challenging and to win this award, is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Pickl Crew. We want to thank our customers for all their love and support, we wouldn't be here without them.”
  
  Kindyman said: “Pickl was a standout! When I tried the double cheeseburger, all I could taste was happiness. It was tasty, crunchy from the house pickles and that secret sauce just hit all the right spots.”
  
  The Best Restaurant Voted by Riders was awarded to Five Guys after a poll was put up for all riders to cast their votes. Riders voted for their favourite restaurants based on criteria including if rest areas and refreshments are offered, how long the usual wait time is, the ease in communication with the restaurants’ team, and the provision of correct orders. The American chain opened its first UAE outlet in 2015 and quickly became a nationwide favourite not only for diners but also for delivery riders. The burger joint’s menu has remained simple and includes burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, fries, and the restaurant's customisable milkshake. The chain believes that they stand out from all other burger joints because they offer a build-your-own-burger with more the 250,000 ways to customise a burger.
  
  Muhammad Ashfaq, Deliveroo Rider said: “Five Guys has the friendliest employees. They always treat us with respect, allow us to wait inside the restaurant, and offer us water and cold drinks when we come to collect orders. Five Guys is the best restaurant with the nicest management in the UAE. ”