- Partner-first model supports over 1,000 restaurant brands across five MENA markets
- 500+ kitchen stalls built since 2020
- AI-powered engine ‘Pepper’ delivers faster orders and enables predictive, date-driven network expansion
Dubai, UAE – [10 February 2026] – talabat, the MENA region’s leading delivery and quick commerce platform, today announced the continued expansion of talabat Kitchens, its partner-centric cloud kitchen network designed to accelerate restaurant growth, enhance operational efficiency, and strengthen proximity to customers across the region.
Since its launch in 2020, talabat Kitchens has become among the largest multi-market cloud kitchen networks in MENA, operating 30+ kitchen hubs across the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Jordan, with plans to reach 50 kitchens over the next 3 years. The business is ambitious for 10% of all food orders in mature markets to be fulfilled via its network within the same timeframe, reflecting its growing role in supporting local F&B ecosystems and partner expansion.
“talabat Kitchens was built to solve two things at once: faster delivery for customers and smarter growth and stronger unit economics for our restaurant partners. We don’t own brands, we enable them – by giving them proximity, data intelligence, and operational leverage at scale.”
– Awais Malik, General Manager, Kitchens, talabat MENA
Powering expansion for 1,000+ restaurant partners
talabat Kitchens operates on an asset-light, partner-first model, enabling restaurants – from global franchises to homegrown SMEs – to scale into new communities without heavy capital investment or technical overhead.
Today, the network supports 1,000+ restaurant partners across MENA, empowering both emerging concepts and established brands to expand efficiently, increase order volume, and drive customer reach. Unlike operators built on brand ownership or standardized menus, talabat’s asset-light model scales authenticity, giving partners control, customers speed, and the ecosystem greater sustainability.
Scaling intelligently with Pepper: talabat’s integrated platform
At the heart of talabat Kitchens is Pepper, an in-house system developed by Delivery Hero (Global Food Services). Pepper powers predictive demand forecasting, intelligent partner and location matching, kitchen efficiency optimization, and real-time performance monitoring — enabling smarter, faster, and more scalable delivery operations across markets.
“With Pepper, we’re not just placing kitchens — we’re predicting demand, optimizing preparation, shortening delivery loops, and identifying the right partners before the market does. This is cloud kitchen infrastructure powered by intelligence, not replication.” stated Tarek El Halabi, Country Lead, Kitchens, talabat UAE
Delivering measurable impact on speed and customer engagement
By bringing kitchens closer to where people live, work, and order, talabat Kitchens is reshaping the delivery experience – making it faster, smarter, and more frequent.
This proximity-based model not only improves efficiency but also reduces delivery mileage and emissions, aligning with talabat’s wider sustainability goals. Proximity, intelligence, and sustainability remain core to talabat’s kitchen model – ensuring customers receive orders faster while helping partners achieve consistent performance and profitability.
A regional network built for the future
Since launching its first site in Khalifa City (Abu Dhabi – UAE) in 2020, talabat has scaled to 500+ kitchen stalls across the region, developing a strong infrastructure and proprietary technology that powers the largest cloud kitchen ecosystem in MENA today.
Looking ahead, talabat Kitchens will continue expanding its footprint, exporting successful brands from mature to emerging markets while embedding AI and sustainability at the core of its operations to set a new regional benchmark for smart kitchens.
