Restaurants located at food courts and in five-star hotels have unveiled a variety of foods and beverages, many claimed to be especially healthy and refreshing, to attract people to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Iftar in these establishments usually begins with Arabic drinks or tea with complimentary dates or sweets, while main courses range from Middle Eastern Arabic food to continental and Asian fare, with the restaurants in large hotels offering 10 to 12 main courses for those breaking their fast. “At this time of the year we offer a selection of complimentary refreshing beverages, including fresh herbal drinks, and Chinese, English and Ceylon tea as well as green tea, because most people now are very particular about their health during Ramadan and do not want to overeat, which is why a healthy cuisine is our main concern,” the food and beverage manager of a five-star hotel in Dammam told Saudi Gazette. He said that his hotel was offering special Arabic dishes, along with contemporary and traditional foods that suit the taste of customers. “There are many dishes to select from, but we have chosen only the best from the Arabic cuisine,” he said. Other hotels have introduced what they call their signature dishes from Arabic, Italian, French, continental and Asian cuisines. “Our food ranges are the perfection of our international chefs; we have reservations from various companies wanting to celebrate Ramadan with their employees, which is why we offer a variety of dishes,” the manager of a hotel group in Al-Khobar claimed. He added that coffee that goes with international food, for example traditional Turkish coffee, is a part of the treat. The competition among restaurants in hotels is so keen that most, in addition to the variety of beverages and main courses on offer, have set up entertainment areas for children. Others have created booths showcasing the ingredients – cheeses, dairy products, spices, vegetables – they use to create their special Ramadan dishes. The marketing to entice corporate clients to make group bookings for Iftar meals actually started a week before Ramadan. One hotel chain in Al-Khobar has been sending faxes to companies offering discounts for specific numbers of customers and listing the menus on offer. Food courts in the Eastern Province, particularly those located in large malls, such as Al-Rashid Mall, Dhahran Mall, and Al-Khobar Mall, have all been decorated for Ramadan. Customers of these food outlets are mostly middle-income families and expatriate workers. “Many of us here are offering ethnic food dishes to attract specific customers,” the Filipino food manager of a restaurant at Al-Rashid Mall said. “We offer Filipino and Chinese dishes because they satisfy the tastes of Filipinos and other Asians,” he said. The food selections offered by American and European franchise food companies do not change much during Ramadan. “The usual buckets of chicken and bread are there, but during Ramadan we also provide free drinks to our customers,” the manager of an American food chain restaurant said. “Almost everybody here in this food court has the same menu that they offer during other months of the year; the only difference is that extra dishes or drinks are provided, plus give-aways for the kids,” said another food supervisor. With all these competing offers from food establishments, people looking for a place to break their fast have a wide range of options to choose from.
