Food delivery services see surge in demand during Christmas week — stakeholders

AMMAN — Food delivery services have increased by almost 30 per cent during Christmas week, according to Omar Awwad, president of the Jordan Association for Restaurants and Sweets Shops Owners.

On Sunday, Awwad told The Jordan Times over the phone that “this year, people who celebrate Christmas did not opt to dine out, instead they organised their celebrations in their homes and ordered food”, noting that this year’s restaurants’ revenues have surged when compared with average December sales of the previous year.

However, Awwad added that significant numbers of restaurants have seen dip in dine-in customers.

“Sales on December 25 and December 24 have surged,” Saadi Omar, an employee at a sweets shop in Amman, told The Jordan Times.

He added that all pandemic-related measures and regulations were followed and most customers were understanding of the situation and immediately showed proof of vaccination upon entry.

Most of the days, there are many empty tables in the cafe, Osama Mansour, a waiter at a café, told The Jordan Times on Sunday, noting that “the cafe has offered a Christmas dinner discount, but few people came”.

Rateb Anas, a Jordanian restaurant owner, said over the phone that demand at his restaurant did not increase and that the number of orders is mostly the same. 

“Sales at my restaurant are OK now, but I hope 2022 will bring the best for all business owners,” Anas said.