It’s no secret that the UAE’s on-demand economy runs on the thousands of couriers navigating its streets each day, delivering everything from groceries to late-night meals. Recent events have also brought renewed attention to the essential role these riders play in keeping the city moving.
With food delivery demand surging during Ramadan, Dodo Pizza UAE has launched its annual charity initiative aimed at supporting delivery couriers working during fasting hours. Therefore, this initiative primarily targets UAE residents who regularly order during Ramadan gatherings.
The pizza chain expects to provide at least 4,000 Iftar boxes to couriers across the UAE this Ramadan through a simple campaign mechanic: every order placed from the brand’s Ramadan Special category results in an Iftar meal donated to a delivery driver.
The initiative builds on last year’s campaign, during which 5,044 Iftar boxes were distributed during Ramadan 2025, and was developed entirely in-house.
Dodo Pizza UAE: Turning meals into a moment of giving
At the heart of the campaign is a simple idea: connecting the growing culture of ordering Iftar meals with a gesture of support for the couriers delivering them.
The programme comes as Ramadan continues to drive increased delivery demand in the UAE. Around 40 per cent of UAE consumers planned to order food for home delivery during Ramadan, with 33 per cent intending to order primarily for Iftar, placing additional pressure on delivery drivers who often work long hours during fasting hours.
The broader food delivery ecosystem in the UAE has also expanded rapidly. The country’s online food delivery market is projected to reach $3.96bn by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.4 per cent. More than 124,000 bikes are registered in the UAE, including 92,000 in Dubai alone, highlighting the scale of the delivery workforce supporting the sector.
“The creative vision was inspired by the central role that food and shared meals play during Ramadan. Iftar is a moment when families come together after sunset, and in the UAE many households choose to order food for these gatherings. At the same time, this surge in demand means couriers often work long hours during fasting hours. The campaign connects these two realities through a simple idea: when families order food for Iftar, they can also support the people who make those moments possible,” said Ivan Pyadyshev, CEO of Dodo Pizza MENA region.
He adds, “The campaign engages the audience through a very simple and transparent mechanism: every order from the Ramadan Special category contributes directly to providing an Iftar box for a courier. This makes customers feel that their everyday food order can also be part of a meaningful act during the holy month.”
For each qualifying order, the brand prepares an Iftar box containing a dodster, water and dates, which is distributed to delivery drivers working during fasting hours.
“The key message of the campaign is care and generosity during the holy month, positioning the initiative as a gesture ‘from one family to another’, from households gathering for Iftar to the couriers delivering those meals,” says Pyadyshev.
The campaign is supported by a limited-edition menu built around Ramadan dining moments.
Central to the offering is the Moon Pizza, a crescent-shaped pizza inspired by the widely recognised Ramadan symbol, available in both vegetarian and chicken options.
The Ramadan menu also includes Date Rolls and curated meal bundles such as For You, For Friends, and For Family, designed to match different Iftar occasions. The menu is available through dine-in, Dodo Pizza’s own delivery service and food delivery aggregators.
The campaign is running across multiple platforms, including the Dodo Pizza mobile app, food delivery aggregators and social media channels. In-store touchpoints such as restaurant screens, packaging and Ramadan-themed decorations are also supporting the initiative. Influencer collaborations with UAE-based food and lifestyle creators are also helping extend the campaign’s reach online.
“Their role was to help share the story of the initiative and highlight the idea behind the campaign, particularly the connection between Ramadan orders and supporting delivery couriers,” says Pyadyshev.
Measuring impact
The campaign has already seen strong engagement across digital channels.
“We have seen strong engagement with the initiative both through participation in the Ramadan Special category and through positive reactions on social media, where many customers highlighted the idea of supporting couriers during Ramadan,” says Pyadyshev.
He adds, “One of the interesting insights is that customers respond particularly well to initiatives where the impact is clear and immediate. When people understand exactly how their order contributes to something positive, they are more willing to participate.”
To track campaign’s reach and impact, the team is measuring impressions and engagement across social media, visibility on delivery platforms, and participation in the Ramadan Special category.
“The most important metric is the number of Iftar boxes provided to couriers, with a target of supporting at least 4,000 delivery drivers this Ramadan. At the same time, we monitor participation in the Ramadan Special category, customer engagement across digital platforms, and overall campaign reach to understand how strongly the initiative resonates with our audience,” says Pyadyshev.
As Ramadan brings families together around the Iftar table, the initiative also shines a light on the couriers who help make those gatherings possible.
