Uber Eats has decided to withdraw its food delivery service in both Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and will join forces with Careem in the UAE, according to reports, citing comments from company leadership in the region.
“We have made the decision to discontinue Uber Eats in Saudi Arabia. This will also allow us to commit further energy and resources on our top Eats markets around the world. Looking ahead, we remain committed to growing and investing in Uber’s mobility platform in the Middle East,” an Uber Eats’ spokesperson told Arab News.
The announcement came in the form of an email to subscribers of the app. Uber Eats’ website shows Saudi restaurant options, but all are marked as now unavailable.
“Looking ahead, we remain committed to growing and investing in Uber’s mobility platform in the Middle East,” an Uber Eats’ spokesperson said, according to Asharq Alawsat.
Uber Eats said it took the decision based on “a hard look at the business metrics” amid a competitive market for food delivery.
The retraction of service in the Kingdom is a surprise turnaround after the company touted expansion as recently as February, launching in Mecca and Medina.
The food app was first launched in 2017.
Despite the loss, Saudis will not suffer for a lack of delivery options. StepFeed recently ranked the top 8 delivery options in the Kingdom, with Uber Eats ranking in 4th place on that list.
Saudis noted on social media sites that the app delivered quickly, but some lamented the lack of options, according to Arab News.
Uber will still continue to operate its ride service.
