Residents of Oval Tower in Business Bay were left in a difficult situation after their food service providers disappeared overnight, taking advance payments with them. The two Asian brothers who ran the meal service had been offering home-cooked meals to many in the building, which was particularly popular among young executives living in shared accommodations. For a fee, residents could receive either two or three meals a day, with a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options to choose from, such as dal makhani, mutton curry, and chicken curry.
The convenience of the service abruptly came to an end when the food deliveries suddenly stopped two weeks ago, and the brothers could no longer be contacted. Residents found out that the brothers had disappeared, leaving them frustrated and without their promised meals. One of the affected residents, Mohammad Akram, shared his disappointment at being scammed and advised others to be cautious about paying upfront for services without verifying credentials. The building management stated that they were unaware of any meal service operating within the building.
The disappearance of the meal service provider created a budgetary crisis for residents who relied on the affordable and convenient meal plan to save them from the expense and hassle of buying food daily. With the sudden departure of the brothers, residents had to find alternative meal arrangements to sustain themselves. Dubai Municipality enforces strict regulations on food safety to protect consumers, ensuring that all food businesses adhere to rigorous safety standards and maintain proper hygiene practices.
Violating food safety standards or operating without approval can lead to fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment under the Federal Law No. 10 of 2015 on Food Safety. The law aims to hold food providers accountable for sourcing ingredients from approved suppliers and upholding strict hygiene practices to ensure the safety of consumers. As residents continue to deal with the aftermath of the disappeared meal service providers, the incident serves as a cautionary tale to always verify the legitimacy of service providers before making any payments. It also underscores the importance of regulations in place to safeguard consumers from such scams and ensure food safety standards are upheld.
