Ramadan in Dubai used to be vastly different from what it is today. Many residents will remember that restaurants in the city would close until it was close to Iftar time. They also remember that it was strictly prohibited to eat in public.

A lot has changed regarding Ramadan and the rules surrounding eating in public during fasting hours. Restaurants began to operate as normal but they would cover up the dining areas with screens.

But if you remember last year, Dubai restaurants no longer needed to screen off the dining areas during fasting hours

To some old-time residents, it’s still something they have to get used to. Seeing dining areas completely open during fasting hours was not the norm long ago.

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Very weird seeing restaurants and cafes operating as normal without shutters during Ramadan pic.twitter.com/vzxEVL4qfm

— Rob McGovern (@RobMcGov) April 3, 2022

Eating in public, as in, not in a restaurant, cafe, or food court, should be avoided out of respect for those who are fasting

Some remember when dining outlets used to close until Iftar

… but that was a long time ago! If you haven’t been to Dubai in the last 6-7 years, you might’ve missed when restaurants began operating during fasting hours, provided they use screens to block off the dining area.

So what’s the rule now? Basically, it’s best practice not to eat in public. If you’re not fasting and you’d like to stop for a drink or some food, feel free to go into a food court. Restaurants have also removed the screens and they operate as normal.