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Beach Canteen Project – Another Feather in the Cap for Dubai’s Food Industry?

(March 4, 2014)

The Beach Canteen project is an event under the Dubai Food Festival which has been underway since the 21st of February, 2014. Showcasing a diversity of affordable food along three prime beaches, namely Jumeriah’s 1, Kite Beach and Sunset Beach, it began on February 27th and will stay operational till Saturday, the 8th of March.

The same old sands with a spicy twist, offering ten days to enjoy international cuisine, featuring 16 pop up restaurants in the shape of shipping containers boasting Emirati, Mexican, Egyptian, Italian, French, Japanese and a ton of other varieties to pick and choose from – it is basically bringing the diverse flavors of the Food Festival out on the streets for everyone to enjoy.

However, compared to most of the dazzling other highlights in the Dubai Food Festival like the Big Grill which features celebrity chefs, it probably can’t compete much on those terms, but according to customer reviews, by being set along the beach the scenery more than makes up for it.

 

Yes, it’s just another traveling food-station, but the idea of a beach canteen is happening in Dubai for the first time and offers something a little extra to the UAE foodies – a wide array of food at a decent price, better and faster than any stationed restaurant one could go to. It has the ambiance, the entertainment, the menu and best of all, the view. Besides the diversity in food, the canteen at Kite Beach is also offering customers yoga and table tennis to relax and entertain themselves. For most at the food festival however, this may seem like a temporary, additional add-on but some take this as an experimental phase, a solution to providing food at every avenue to match the fast paced, revamped lifestyle that the crowned jewel of the UAE boasts of. What Customers Think About It – Is It Good Enough? Though the concept of the pop-up food station is great, a few people were also disappointed by the execution of the whole idea. First off, with all the expectations rising from the numerous promotions the Festival has been doing so far, it’s practically an obligation to keep them up to the bar – especially since most of the slogans hold quality as an element of attraction. It is obvious that customers would expect a certain standard of service and quality of food. Some customers spoke about the apparent shortages at the Beach Canteen.

Dubai Beach Canteen

 

 

Also, since the project is being handled on Dubai’s three prime beaches, customers would expect to have exact directions to the canteen project and not have to travel back and forth along the coastline searching for it.

As a customer service step, directions and guides to help people find their way to the location is essential. Despite a few loopholes and customer complaints, overall people still love the idea, as the ambiance makes up for a lot.

 

Till now however, things seem to take a turn for the best. Maybe this exhibition feature will turn into a permanent one?

 

The people certainly seem to think so. Sun, surf and food of course – all in all, not only does it make the Beach Canteen project a highlight in its own, but the concept also compliments the vastly urban and high paced lifestyle that the city is quickly becoming a symbol for.

Dubai is already renowned as a global shopping hub which attracts tourists from all over the world and by arranging events like the Dubai Food Festival and initiating projects such as the beach canteen, the idea is to make Dubai a global food hub which attracts customers and provides them with a unique gastronomic experience. In this regard, apart from a few shortcomings in the beach canteen project highlighted by the customers, a majority seems to like the idea and it can be penned down as Dubai’s fastest fast food sensation.