The service at your favorite restaurant is about to get better.
Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has outlined brand-new requirements for luxury restaurants in Saudi and you should be rejoicing.
Restaurants can no longer claim to be luxury, high-end, or fine dining without meeting the new guidelines.
In addition to the adherence to Civil Defense requirements, the restaurants will also be asked to submit a valid commercial registration for luxury restaurant activities.
The requirements do not stop there, though. The Saudi Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has released a full framework via their official X account, formerly Twitter.
No more 69-ing corners, here is the 411 on the situation.
Ministry of Municipalities and Housing’s new requirements for luxury restaurants
If you or someone you know owns a restaurant, you will be asked to adhere to the new guidelines highlighted by Momah. The framework has been introduced to build a better experience for restaurant owners and goers and create a mutually beneficial relationship.
The new requirements for luxury restaurants requirements have been broken down into three sections,
Most important requirements
- Meeting all the classification criteria
- Adherence to Civil Defense requirements
- Obtaining a municipal license
- Submitting a valid commercial registration for luxury restaurant activities
Objectives of issuing requirements
- Improve the quality of experience
- Stimulating investment in the sector
- Raising operational efficiency and compliance
- Achieving societal goals by improving the level of service and hospitality
- Achieving equal economic opportunities
Restaurant classification standards
- Valet parking service
- Bag rack and coat rack
- Centralized drinks corner
- No drive thru service
- A dedicated area for restaurant staff
- Officially register the brand in the Kingdom
- Standardized dress code
- Provide digital reservations and compliant channels
- No visible cash registers, payment has to be made directly at the table
- Full service at the table
- Presence of a certified food health and safety specialist
- Allocating an area (not visible to the diners) for delivery application requests
- Not having more than one branch in the city (seasonal branches are exempt)
- Clear division of spaces- reception, dining, kitchen, restrooms for both genders
- A menu that includes at least three sections- Starters, main course, and dessert
- Providing a high-quality sound system
- Receiving visitors from the door and escorting them to the table as well as organizing their belongings
Target groups
- Establishments classified as luxury restaurants
- Companies operating and managing luxury restaurants
- Professional chefs and workers in the hospitality sector
- Investors and those wishing to enter the sector
More changes in Saudi
Looking to dine at your favorite restaurant and need a quick influx on cash? The new Saudi Arabian flexible salary initiative has got you covered. If you are looking to own property in the Kingdom as an expatriate, you can starting from 2026.
