Restaurant fined and shut over advertising sandwich for Dhs3,000 in Ras Al Khaimah

Hessa Saif, Staff Reporter

The Department of Economic Development (DED) in Ras Al-Khaimah has shut down a restaurant that advertised a burger sandwich for Dhs3,000 offered by it, however the real price of the sandwich was not as was advertised.

The restaurant was also fined and it will continue to remain closed, the DED said.

The inspection teams of the DED conducted an inspection visit to make sure of the ad’s credibility and its conformity to reality. They found it just a false propaganda to attract customers, the DED added.

Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Shayeb Al-Naqbi, Director General of the DED, said, “Misleading advertisements pose backlashes and provoke the community’s dissatisfaction and lead the establishment to punishment, in addition to they arise societal mockery of such behaviors that usually go viral on social media, and some may exploit them to defame the country.”

“We call on establishments to be credible in their advertisements, in order not negatively impact the community,” he added.

It was revealed later that the restaurant’s owner wanted to promote himself in an innovative way by announcing that a month’s subscription to the restaurant is Dhs3,000 and that the price of a single burger sandwich is only Dhs60, not Dhs3,000, as circulated by the media.

The ad of the “burger sandwich" went viral on social media, since Thursday morning, in which a person confirmed that the price of a single "sandwich" reaches up to Dhs3,000.

It received complete societal rejection from the public who described it as "insane" price, and that it reflects exaggerated luxury and extravagance, and waste of grace.

“It contradicts the Emirati values and our religion, and contradicts the directions of the wise leadership to avoid extravagance and waste,” some said.