Without a swarm of advertisements for exhilaratingly priced seats at restaurants close to the Burj Khalifa and its famous dancing water feature, the Dubai Fountain, one of the focal points of the emirate’s New Year’s celebrations, December would not be complete in Dubai.
It has become a tradition for residents and visitors alike to wait for the extraordinary cost of eating dinner in proximity to one of the city’s iconic fireworks displays. Most restaurants with ample views of the firework and fountain festivities offer a set menu which includes dinner, drinks, many of which are alcohol free due to the licensing laws, at a price which far exceeds the usual.
Among this year’s offerings for dinner with views are Vietnamese Foodies, which is selling seats for AED 1,500 ($408) per adult sitting outdoors, AED 750 indoors, with payment to be made in advance. Children under 12 pay half price and children under three are free.
For those wishing to party at Dubai Opera and make their way outside to watch the fireworks at midnight, tickets start at AED 1,850 per person according to listings and ticket sales website Platinum List, with VIP tables nearest the stage going for AED 32,500 for a group booking 10 people.
Fast Food outlets, including Pizza Hut, have posted their New Year’s Eve set menus at their Dubai Mall restaurants, with Pizza Hut charging AED 1,300 per person for a coveted fountain view seat and KFC charging AED 1,299. Italian chain restaurant Carluccios, which is among the closest to the fountain, is charging AED 3,200 per person for its prime view promenade seating.
Meanwhile North American Asian restaurant Jun’s is touting its status as the Boulevard’s only licensed venue, with seats costing up to AED 1,800 for full Burj Khalifa views.
Portuguese-inspired chicken restaurant chain Nando’s is selling terrace seats for AED 2,500 and promenade seats for AED 4,000, while Social House, which serves international cuisine, is offering seats outside for AED 2,500, terrace seats for AED 2,000 and inside seats for AED 1,600. Long-standing Italian favourite Bice Mare, which is on Old Town Island, and offers views of the Burj, fountains and fireworks from a different angle, is selling seats inside for AED 3,500 and seats outside for AED 4,000.
A restaurant’s view
One Dubai Mall restaurant operator, who preferred to remain anonymous, said it was important for consumers to understand that while the prices may seem steep, New Year’s Eve is often not a particularly profitable night for eateries in the area, particularly for those who are close to the fountains and Burj, but do not have much seating space available on the promenade.
The evening is an event which requires a permit from Dubai Economic Department (DED) which costs AED 3,600, and then to use space on the promenade with the prime view of the fireworks and the fountain, there is a payment to The Dubai Mall of AED 500 plus VAT per seat.
Add to this that footfall traffic to restaurants can be lower, as security restrictions getting in and out of the area are tight. Deliveries, which form a significant percentage of revenue for many restaurants year-round, can be reduced to nothing on the night because drivers cannot get in and out.
However, as far as NYE celebrations go, there is nowhere like Downtown Dubai, he said. “The show and being there is utterly spectacular,” he said. “There is such an incredible sense of wonder that infuses not just the crowd seeing it for the first time, but everyone who is working the event, and who, like me, have seen it for many years in a row.
“It’s easy to forget – because we see the Burj every day and so we are used to it – but the Burj is the world tallest building, a global icon and Dubai’s most magnificent jewel that is lit up like nothing else – it is awe-inspiring to stand on that fountain terrace and see those fireworks erupt.”
Pre-event hassles aside, it is a special experience, he added. “I believe every Dubai resident should experience it in person, up close and personal, at least once in their life. It’s as iconic and world-class, if not more so than NYE in Times Square or at Sydney Harbour Bridge.”
