Photot Credit : Khaleej Times
Abu Dhabi — Hours before the Maghrib call to prayer echoes across the marble courtyards of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, another rhythm is already underway across a network of industrial kitchens in the capital.
Inside, the sound of ladles striking giant pots blends with the steady whirr of sealing machines. Hundreds of workers move in synchronised shifts, racing against the clock to prepare tens of thousands of meals that will be served at sunset.
Each day during Ramadan, up to 95,000 iftar meals are prepared for worshippers at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Sheikh Khalifa Mosque, and labour accommodations across the emirate. Over the course of the holy month, that figure rises to an estimated 2.66 million meals.
A Ramadan tradition since 2004
The large-scale iftar initiative has been running annually since 2004 under the patronage of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Organisers describe the programme as a continuation of the UAE’s long-standing commitment to generosity and community service during Ramadan, ensuring that fasting worshippers and workers have access to a nourishing meal at sunset.
A 24-hour preparation cycle
The operation runs on a continuous 24-hour schedule.
Preparation begins a full day before the meals are served. Teams start by washing and cutting thousands of kilograms of vegetables and marinating large quantities of chicken and lamb. Every batch is weighed and labelled to maintain consistency across all portions.
By 5am, the official shift is in full swing. Chefs prepare spice blends for the rice and continue assembling fresh salad ingredients. Industrial ovens and oversized cooking pots begin operating at full capacity from 8am onward.
Between 8am and noon, rice and meat are cooked in carefully monitored batches to ensure consistent temperature and flavour. From noon until 3pm, the focus shifts to assembly.
Long production lines stretch across the facility as workers portion and pack each meal box. Every box includes:
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Rice
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Roasted chicken
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Vegetable salona with dal
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Mixed salad
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Dates
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Laban
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Mixed fruit juice
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Water
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A fresh apple
At precisely 3.30pm, dispatch operations begin. Delivery trucks line up outside the kitchens, with loading continuing until 5pm to ensure meals reach their destinations before Maghrib.
The scale behind 95,000 meals a day
The quantities used for a single day of service reflect the sheer scale of the operation.
For one day alone, the kitchens utilise:
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30,000kg of chicken
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15,000kg of lamb
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15,000kg of rice
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2,500kg of dal
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15,000kg of locally sourced vegetables
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750kg of spices, including cumin, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, dried lemon, Arabic mixed masala, biryani masala, turmeric and Madras spice blend
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130 litres of oil
Each ingredient is measured and distributed across tens of thousands of portions to ensure uniform quality and quantity.
The workforce behind the effort
More than 2,000 personnel are involved in delivering the daily iftar programme.
The workforce includes:
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400 chefs in Abu Dhabi
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150 chefs in Al Ain
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100 chefs in Fujairah
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400 stewarding staff overseeing cleaning and sanitation
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800 food packagers responsible for portioning and sealing
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200 drivers and logistics personnel
A fleet of 150 trucks transports meals to mosques and labour accommodations across the emirate.
Strict hygiene protocols are enforced throughout the process. Regular temperature checks, sanitisation procedures and quality inspections ensure compliance with food safety standards.
More than a meal
As sunset approaches, rows of neatly arranged meal boxes line the courtyards of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Worshippers gather quietly, waiting for the call to prayer.
For many, it is a simple iftar shared in faith. Behind that moment, however, lies a complex logistical operation running around the clock.
From the first vegetables washed at dawn to the final truck dispatched before sunset, the mission remains clear: to ensure that no fasting worshipper breaks their fast without a warm and carefully prepared meal — a reflection of a Ramadan tradition that has defined the UAE for more than two decades.
