Riyadh - Post Report Question and Answers
What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Tons of U.S. restaurants available plus lots of excellent cuisine from varying parts of the world. The Indian food was amazing! - Jul 2021
There are lots of American chains, plus some Indian and Filipino chains. There are plenty of restaurants and plenty of takeout. Umm al Hamam, which is the neighborhood right next to the DQ, has lots of options from Africa and Asia. This has been challenging for me though, because most of the places I’ve wanted to try don’t have seating for women. We usually eat in the car or take the food home. Also, prayer times make eating out a bit difficult and it can be hard to get something for dinner on short notice. - Feb 2018
Pretty much every conceivable fast food outlet is here. We ate at McDonald's a couple of times, which was quite a cultural experience with the booths curtained off for privacy. Riyadh also has a vibrant restaurant scene, and you can find almost any kind of food you're craving, from Italian to Armenian. - Oct 2017
Riyadh has a great restaurant scene -- breakfasts are big, and there are many wonderful bakeries for pastries/coffee/breakfast choices that are high quality. Tons of burger places. Tons. Good Italian and amazing Lebanese food. We don't do delivery to the DQ (Diplomatic Quarter) but there are a few places inside the Quarter that will deliver. You'll be able to find most of what you might want. - Jan 2017
Just about every fast-food chain is represented here. No pork or pork products (such as bacon) are served anywhere. There is a wide variety of restaurants of every cuisine, most of them are O.K. but not what I would call authentic cuisine. Pork and alcoholic beverages are *never* served. The best of these restaurants are Syrian or Lebanese. Syrian/Lebanese cuisine is very good indeed, but it can get monotonous after a while. There is a bar/restaurant inside the U.S. Embassy, but access thereto is restricted to U.S. diplomats and their guests. They do serve alcoholic beverages and pork products. Please be aware that a strict segregation by gender is practiced inside all but a handful of Saudi restaurants. Men only in the general dining area, families in private rooms. A very few will accommodate mixed groups of restaurants in a separate, private dining room. A handful of the major international hotels allow mixed groups. - May 2016
Most western franchises are here, but the food does taste different. Cost is cheap. - Nov 2015
Plenty, but they are more expensive than in in the USA, and food quality and service are average. It is hit and miss. You cannot have alcohol with your meal, there is no pork, and you must observe prayer time when everything is closed. If you are a couple or a woman, you have to be seated in the "family section" with screaming kids around you. Some top-level restaurants do not accept kids, but the cost of a dinner for two there (without alcohol of course) is 200 USD. - Oct 2015
Every kind of American fast food is available, as well as American chain restaurants - tons and tons of restaurant options. More expensive than the US but it's not too bad. - Oct 2015
Everything is available here. Almost all U.S. fast food, Starbucks, donut shops, Chinese, Italian, Sushi. Food is one of the best things about Saudi Arabia. Lots of Lebanese food, and Indian. - Jan 2015
Every imaginable Western chain except for Red Robin. - Sep 2014
Pretty much every conceivable fast food outlet is here. I have seen them all over but only bought McDonald's once and don't recall the price. - Mar 2014
American fast foods are available - KFC, Dominos, Baskin Robins, Subway Sandwiches to name a few. You can find Mexican, local cuisine, Indian, Italian. There are numerous restaurants to experience. - Dec 2013
McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks and Second Cup and all other fast food places are here and the prices are the same as in the west. There are many good Indian and Pakistani restaurants here and they are very cheap. - Oct 2013
Saudis love fast food. Everything that you can find in the USA exists here. - Mar 2013
Most fast food is available. Restaurants are available and food is generally good. Restaurants are segregated into a family section and a single-men section. Single men should not join women in public, as it is considered against the law. Cost range is slightly higher than DC prices. - Apr 2011
Many. All of the major American fast food chains are here. Many restaurants serving every kind of food. The cost range is from very inexpensive to relatively expensive, and quality is high -- even for lower-priced foods. - Jul 2010
All the major U.S. fast food places. Costs are pretty reasonable. - Mar 2010
McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, all the biggies. - Jan 2010
A lot of US chains are available (TGIF, Chili's, McDonald's), and there are a few nice restaurants. Prices are about comparable to those in the US. - Dec 2009
Everything is available--all fast food, Lebanese food, etc. - Oct 2008
Lots of variety though not always in pleasant settings, women closed off w/curtain. - Aug 2008
