An Al Baik nugget meal at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Janice Rodrigues
An Al Baik nugget meal at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Janice Rodrigues
An Al Baik nugget meal at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Janice Rodrigues
An Al Baik nugget meal at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Janice Rodrigues

Al Baik to open its second Dubai branch in Mall of the Emirates


Evelyn Lau
  • English
  • Arabic

Saudi Arabian fast food chain Al Baik has been a huge hit in the UAE since it opened its first branch in The Dubai Mall in June 2021.

It later expanded, opening a temporary outlet at Expo 2020 Dubai, which was just as successful, with queues extending outside the building on its opening day. However, as Expo 2020 finished, the food chain hinted through an Instagram post that it is getting ready to announce the opening of another branch in the UAE.

While guesses have ranged from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah, it appears that Al Baik’s next outpost will be in Mall of the Emirates.

Hoarding next to Shake Shack with Al Baik’s famous red and white logo of a bird in a top hat reveals it to be the newest location.

Hoarding with Al Baik's logo in the food court of Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Hoarding with Al Baik's logo in the food court of Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Although no other details are currently available, including when it will open or what dishes it will serve, here’s a look at what could be expected.

Some favourites are the chicken nuggets meal, Double Baik burger, Al Baik chicken meal and chicken fillet sandwich. There’s also the famous Al Baik shawarma, Big Baik sandwich, shrimp meals and falafel sandwiches.

In December, Al Baik launched limited deliveries across the city with Talabat, areas covered include Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai Design District, Al Qouz 1, 2 and 3, Al Safa, Jumeirah 1, 2 and 3, Dubai World Trade Centre, Al Jaddaf and.

The first Al Baik opened in Jeddah in 1974, and Dubai was its third pit stop in the Middle East after two branches in Bahrain in 2020.

Considering its huge success, it’s no surprise that expansion across the UAE continues to be in the works, with future plans to operate “across the seven emirates”.

Scroll through the gallery below to see Al Baik's opening day at Expo 2020 Dubai.

  • Saudi Arabian fast food brand Al Baik opened its second UAE branch at Expo 2020 Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    Saudi Arabian fast food brand Al Baik opened its second UAE branch at Expo 2020 Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • People line up outside Saudi Arabian fast food chain Al Baik which shares a building with the Afghanistan country pavilion. Reuters
    People line up outside Saudi Arabian fast food chain Al Baik which shares a building with the Afghanistan country pavilion. Reuters
  • Al Baik at Expo 2020 serves its signature fried chicken nuggets as well as shrimp, jumbo shrimp and falafel. Pawan Singh / The National
    Al Baik at Expo 2020 serves its signature fried chicken nuggets as well as shrimp, jumbo shrimp and falafel. Pawan Singh / The National
  • There are separate queues to place orders and pick up meals at Al Baik's Expo 2020 branch. Pawan Singh / The National
    There are separate queues to place orders and pick up meals at Al Baik's Expo 2020 branch. Pawan Singh / The National
  • The outdoor seating area on the first floor of Al Baik Expo 2020. Janice Rodrigues / The National
    The outdoor seating area on the first floor of Al Baik Expo 2020. Janice Rodrigues / The National
  • An Al Baik nugget meal at Expo 2020. Janice Rodrigues / The National
    An Al Baik nugget meal at Expo 2020. Janice Rodrigues / The National
Company%C2%A0profile
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Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Three ways to boost your credit score

Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:

1. Make sure you make your payments on time;

2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;

3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
​​​​​​​Bloomsbury Academic

Results

4.30pm Jebel Jais – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (Turf) 1,000m; Winner: MM Al Balqaa, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Qaiss Aboud (trainer)

5pm: Jabel Faya – Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: AF Rasam, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

5.30pm: Al Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Mukhrej, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

6pm: The President’s Cup Prep – Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mujeeb, Richard Mullen, Salem Al Ketbi

6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club – Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Antonio Fresu, Abubakar Daud

7pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Pat Dobbs, Ibrahim Aseel

7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Nibraas, Richard Mullen, Nicholas Bachalard

What went into the film

25 visual effects (VFX) studios

2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots

1,000 VFX artists

3,000 technicians

10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers

New sound technology, named 4D SRL

 

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Top 10 most polluted cities
  1. Bhiwadi, India
  2. Ghaziabad, India
  3. Hotan, China
  4. Delhi, India
  5. Jaunpur, India
  6. Faisalabad, Pakistan
  7. Noida, India
  8. Bahawalpur, Pakistan
  9. Peshawar, Pakistan
  10. Bagpat, India
Updated: October 14, 2022, 7:40 AM