Restaurant & Café on Dubai Mainland
Operating a dine-in restaurant, café, cloud kitchen or food truck
- 5–7 daysSetup time
- MainlandLicence type
- Flexi | PhysicalOffice / facility
- Visa supportVisa eligibility
- StandardApprovals needed
- On requestRenewal cost
Why Dubai
Mainland company formation in Dubai is the right choice when your customers are inside the UAE, when you need a shop, clinic or contracting classification, or when visa quota matters. A Dubai mainland licence, issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), lets your company trade anywhere in the UAE, bid for government work and open as many branches as you need. Crucially, restaurant & Café in Dubai means operating a dine-in restaurant, café, cloud kitchen or food truck, and it is licensed as a commercial activity. GoldenKey has licensed restaurant or café businesses for clients in Dubai and knows which sub-activities to list so you are not asked to amend the licence later.
Dubai mainland licences are granted by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), which currently processes most standard files in around 4 working days. In short, popular districts for a Dubai mainland office include Business Bay, Deira, Bur Dubai, Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Al Quoz, each with different rent levels and customer footfall. GoldenKey has licensed restaurant & café in Dubai for clients ranging from solo company owners to groups opening a regional branch, so we know which sub-activities to list.
Pricing — choose the right package for your business
Pricing for restaurant & café on Dubai mainland depends on the package you choose; every option below includes GoldenKey's service and the government fees stated. All prices for restaurant & café on Dubai mainland are indicative, shown in AED and confirmed in writing before you pay.
Message us with your activity and visa count — we reply shortly with prices in writing.
Get my quoteExplore business activities in Dubai
Dubai licenses trading, service, professional and industrial activities. Search every activity we license across the UAE and see where it is available and what it costs.
Documents required
As we tell every client, for restaurant & café on Dubai mainland the authority asks for the following papers, and we tell you exactly how each must be formatted.
Scanned colour copies are enough to start. We check every item before anything is submitted.
For individuals
- A tenancy contract for an office or shop registered with the emirate's system (Ejari in Dubai)
- Attested parent-company documents for corporate shareholders
- The notarised memorandum of association, which GoldenKey drafts for you
- Tenancy contract for the outlet
- Passport copies of all shareholders and the manager
- The existing visa copy and NOC if a shareholder is on another UAE visaif applicable
For companies
- Certificate of incorporation (attested)
- Memorandum & articles of association
- Board resolution approving the UAE company
- Passport copies of shareholders & directors
- Company profile / business plan
How Dubai works with GoldenKey
- 1
Activity and legal form
We pick the precise activity codes from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) list and settle on the legal form — normally a LLC, or a sole establishment for individual professionals. For restaurant & café on Dubai mainland this step rarely needs your presence; scans and e-signatures are enough.
- 2
Trade name and initial approval
GoldenKey reserves your trade name and obtains initial approval from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), including any external approvals your activity needs.
- 3
Office, MOA and submission
Day to day, after the MOA is signed and the office tenancy registered, GoldenKey lodges the full application with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). This is also the point at which we answer any question specific to restaurant & café on Dubai mainland.
- 4
Licence, Chamber and immigration
As a rule, your Dubai mainland licence is issued, Chamber membership is activated and we open the establishment and labour files so visas can begin.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about Dubai. Anything else — ask GK AI or message us.
View all FAQsHow much office space do I need for a Dubai mainland licence?
The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) requires a registered tenancy for most licences. A small office or a desk in a business centre is enough for a few visas, and the visa quota increases with the floor area.
Can a Dubai mainland company trade in other emirates?
Yes, it can. A mainland licence is valid across the UAE, and you can open branches in other emirates by registering with their economic departments.
Do I still need an Emirati partner for a Dubai mainland company?
For most commercial and industrial activities, no. Since 2021 foreign nationals can own 100% of a Dubai mainland LLC. A short list of strategic activities still requires Emirati participation, and GoldenKey checks your activity before you commit.
Can I combine restaurant & café with other activities?
In most cases yes. Related activities can share one licence, while unrelated ones may need a general trading licence or a second licence.
Which licence type covers restaurant & café?
Restaurant & Café is classified as a commercial activity, and GoldenKey selects the exact activity code so your licence matches what you actually do.
Ready to start your business in Dubai?
Tell us about your plans for restaurant & café on Dubai mainland and GoldenKey will come back to you shortly with a clear price, a document checklist and a realistic timeline.
More about Dubai
Why the UAE
Day to day, since 2021, most mainland activities have allowed 100% foreign ownership, and free zones have always offered it, so restaurant & café on Dubai mainland no longer requires a local partner. Put simply, english is the working language of business, contracts are routinely drafted in English, and government portals are bilingual, which simplifies restaurant & café on Dubai mainland for international company owners.
Why GoldenKey
In our experience, we speak the languages our customers speak, including English, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu and Malayalam, and we can arrange Russian, French and Mandarin support for restaurant & café on Dubai mainland. GoldenKey's consultants have handled restaurant & café on Dubai mainland for traders, consultants, tech founders and family offices, which gives us a realistic view of what each authority approves quickly. In short, our office is a short drive from the Ajman Free Zone, Ajman DED and the immigration centre, so physical submissions for restaurant & café on Dubai mainland happen the same day they are ready.
