Food on trucks anyone? Mobile restaurants will be reality in UAE

The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, ADDED, has issued a decision that allows the licensing of restaurants that provide their services through mobile vehicles, subject to there being an existing restaurant or foodstuff catering license that is either owned 100% by a UAE citizen or with a local partner.

Mohamed Munif Al Mansouri, Executive Director of ADDED's Abu Dhabi Business Centre, said that this decision reflects ADDED's commitment to promote the contribution of service activities across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, creating additional services for community members in the emirate.

He stressed that ADDED's permission for such activities was coordinated with several government bodies, including the Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, ADFCA, the Civil Defence General Directorate and Abu Dhabi Traffic Department.

Al Mansouri added that the decision will be subject to several conditions and controls that would regulate the licensing of mobile vehicle restaurants. It will start with the initial approval from ADDED’s Commercial Protection Directorate, an approval that doesn’t allow the client to start practicing business until the final permit is issued by ADDED’s Permits and Advertising Section.

"ADDED’s Directorate of Commercial Protection will be mandated to decide on the locations where vehicles or trucks can practice this activity and to cancel such a permit if it detects any violation by the licensee. Moreover, there are certain specifications to be observed by vehicle manufacturers as they should be exclusively designed to practice such an activity," added Mr. Mansouri.

He pointed out that all ADDED branches will receive applications for mobile restaurants permits which will be sent to the ADDED Headquarters for initial approval while clients complete other requirements and procedures for this activity.

Ahmed Tarish Al Qubaisi, Acting Director of ADDED’s Directorate of Commercial Protection, said that there are several stages for the issuance of a permit for such an activity, starting with the client’s review of the application form on the inquiry page on the ADDED website, which includes all requirements and controls for practicing the activity.

He noted that clients who wish to apply for a permit for mobile restaurants should abide by a number of important commitments, including refraining from parking in unpermitted locations, selling unpermitted items, using a vehicle that is not compliant with the specifications, non-commitment to the set timings, continuing for extra hours, leaving waste in the location, producing noise or loud music, putting tables and chairs outside dedicated places, putting unpermitted stickers or advertisements, or performing the service on public roads and causing traffic jams.

He added that the Directorate of Commercial Protection will review clients’ applications to decide approval or refusal as per the terms and conditions. Once approved, the application is referred to the Permits and Advertisements Section which will issue letters to external bodies for their approvals, followed by the final permit from the Permits and Advertisements Section.

Al Qubaisi concluded by saying that ADDED is now developing comprehensive software that covers all the procedures for issuing a permit for mobile restaurant activity as part of the e-services package provided to clients on practicing commercial activities across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

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