Delivery platforms Talabat and Deliveroo have released their findings about food preferences based on what people ordered in 2020. Some of these are expected to inform dish choices and trends for the year going forward, while others are likely to get the axe.
Both platforms found that burgers, the ultimate comfort food, were the most ordered cuisine in the UAE last year. The top choices were the Spicy McChicken from McDonald’s, the Five Guys cheese burger and the Shack burger from Shake Shack. Talabat noted that out of the top 20 items ordered during lockdown, 10 were from McDonald’s, including Chicken McNuggets, and all manner of medium and happy meals.
Paradoxically, people also ordered more vegan and healthy food than ever before. Deliveroo noted that its orders of plant-based dishes were up 115 per cent compared to 2019, while the number of restaurants offering vegan menus more than doubled in 2020. The traditional acai bowl from The Acai Spot and the poke bowl from Cali-Poke also made it to the list of most popular dishes.
Chicken was the most ordered meat, with the chicken sando from Pickl topping among Deliveroo customers, and 14 out of the Talabat’s 20 most-ordered items during lockdown being chicken-based (including those aforementioned McNuggets).
The platform also noted that Oreo McFlurry was its most ordered dessert, while Aseer Time’s Einstein milkshake was ordered two times more than the runner-up milkshake flavour, Hardee’s hand-scooped vanilla.
2020 was also the year that people got experimentative with what they were eating, perhaps owing to travel restrictions. For instance, Deliveroo found that a whopping 92 per cent of its customers tried a new cuisine last year, with 44 per cent trying Indian food for the first time in 2020, followed by American cuisine (38per cent), Chinese takeaway (34 per cent) and Italian (27 per cent). For all of that, the most popular pizza toppings were distinctly un-Italian, with Talabat reporting that creamy ranch, fiery peri and chipotle barbecue were the top three pizza choices in 2020.
Ordering in aside, the pandemic prompted many to try their hand at cooking. Of the 1,000-plus respondents surveyed by Deliveroo, 43 per cent attempted to make homemade pasta and 31 per cent tried their hand at homemade whipped coffee. Baking proved to be popular pastime, with 28 per cent of the surveyed participants, particularly between the ages of 25 and 34, opting to make banana bread.
Home cooking was a largely close-knit affair, though, with the majority of respondents stating that they celebrated special occasions by ordering food online, making it their most popular “reason to order” for the year.
Another interesting trend that emerged from the Deliveroo survey was a change in people’s eating timings, with roughly a third of UAE respondents reporting that they ate breakfast earlier in 2020, but dinner and lunch were consumed later than usual. This is one trend that’s slated to change, though, as more people express a desire to eat all three meals earlier in 2021, in a bid to be more disciplined and health-conscious.
Anis Harb, general manager of Deliveroo GCC, says: “Food trends in 2020 were reflective of the nature of the year itself. However, 2021 shows a clear preference from UAE residents for a more ethical dining lifestyle.” Accordingly, the platform is declaring clean eating as the biggest food trend of 2021, based on the following statistics gleaned from its survey:
- 45% of the 1000+ UAE residents surveyed will aim to cut down on food waste
- 43% believe sustainable foods will be evermore important
- 29% predict the demand for vegan food will grow
- 28% say they will continue to support the trend for choosing local produce
- 36% are in favour of seasonal vegetables and menus
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Match info:
Portugal 1
Ronaldo (4')
Morocco 0
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
MATCH INFO
Bangla Tigers 108-5 (10 ovs)
Ingram 37, Rossouw 26, Pretorius 2-10
Deccan Gladiators 109-4 (9.5 ovs)
Watson 41, Devcich 27, Wiese 2-15
Gladiators win by six wickets
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Company%20profile
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French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
