September 3, 2025•28 min read

Careem 101: The Essential Guide for Restaurants in the UAE

Introduction

Careem is one of the UAE’s leading online food delivery platforms, offering restaurants a powerful way to grow their presence, attract new customers, and drive incremental sales. Whether you’re a seasoned name or a rising culinary brand, Careem provides the tools and visibility you need to thrive in a competitive market.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how Careem works, its core benefits, and how to get the most out of promotions and advertising options available to restaurant partners.

How Careem Works

Careem acts as a digital food aggregator, connecting restaurants with a wide customer base across the UAE. Here’s a quick look at the process:

  • Customer Orders – Customers browse, select, and place food orders via the Careem app.
  • Restaurant Prepares the Order – The restaurant receives and prepares the order.
  • Delivery – Either the restaurant or Careem’s logistics network handles the delivery.
  • Payments – Customers pay online or via cash, and Careem processes the payments to the restaurant.

     

Why List Your Restaurant on Careem?

Partnering with Careem unlocks a range of advantages designed to support restaurant growth:

  • High Visibility – Reach thousands of active users browsing Careem daily.
  • Sales Growth – Increase order volumes by tapping into Careem’s loyal user base.
  • Campaign Access – Participate in a wide variety of curated and seasonal campaigns.
  • Customer Targeting – Tailor promotions to new users, loyal customers, or high-spending segments like Careem Plus (C+).
  • Advertising & Promotions – Boost your position with CPC ads and curated discount initiatives.

     

 

Maximizing Sales with Discounts & Promotions

Careem offers a rich mix of promotional campaigns that help restaurants increase visibility and drive higher order volumes. Here are the key ones:

Ongoing & Seasonal Campaigns

  • Crazy Deals – Quarterly specialized discount campaigns offering high visibility.
  • Got Your Back 50% – Deep discount (50%) at the basket level with prominent tile placement.
  • Healthy Campaign – Curated for health-focused brands with exposure on the home screen.
  • 30 EVERYTHING – Campaign offering 30% discounts on a wide scale.
  • 30 FAVs – Discount on 3–5 best-selling items with prominent visibility (item-level).
  • FEAST – 35% off for orders above AED 99.

     

Targeted Discounts

  • New User Discount – Exclusive discounts targeting customers who’ve never ordered from your restaurant (commission applies).
  • C+ Only Discount – Offers exclusive to Careem Plus (C+) members at the basket level.
  • Monday Members – Targeted C+ member discounts every Monday.

     

Customizable Offers

  • Discount % (Basket Level) – Flexible basket-level discounts with customizable minimum order value (MOV) and caps.

     

Pro Tip: Careem allows basket- or item-level discounts, test both to see which drives better conversions for your brand.

 

 

Boosting Visibility with Careem Advertising

Want to stand out in a crowded marketplace? Careem’s CPC campaigns offer powerful inorganic visibility tools:

Careem CPC Ads

  • Cost-per-click: AED 2 per click
  • Minimum Budget: AED 1000
  • Visibility: Promotes your restaurant in top listing positions across the app.

     

These ads help drive additional traffic to your page, especially when combined with ongoing promotions.

Pro Tip: Use CPC ads alongside discount campaigns to maximize exposure and performance.

Getting Started

All campaigns on Careem are opt-in, meaning you can pick the ones that align with your goals and budget. For each campaign, consider:

  • Target audience (e.g., new users, C+ members)
  • Discount level and structure (basket vs. item)
  • Duration and visibility
  • Potential ROI based on your analytics