On Abu Dhabi’s Streets, Delivery Riders Build Friendships and Work Toward a Better Future.
Abu Dhabi: Evening has arrived in the capital, and the city is easing into some of its busiest hours. You are at home, feeling hungry but with little desire to cook. A few taps on your phone are all it takes. Before long, there is a knock at the door, and your order is in your hands — without a journey to the shops or time spent outside.
Behind every doorbell and every notification saying, “Your order has arrived,” is a delivery rider navigating Abu Dhabi’s busy roads, bringing food and essentials directly to people’s homes.
We spoke to three delivery riders about their daily routines, how they unwind after long hours on the road, and the ambitions that motivate them to keep moving forward.
The painter who wanted the freedom to shape his own day
Mohamad Sadiq, 29, moved to the UAE from Pakistan in 2017, and his journey into delivery work has taken several turns along the way.
He began his working life in the UAE as a painter before obtaining a driving licence and spending around three months working as a driver. He later trained for a motorcycle licence and joined Talabat — a job he ultimately decided to continue with.
For Sadiq, one of the biggest attractions of delivery work is the independence it gives him. He values being able to organise his working day and choose shifts that fit his schedule. After years of working according to timetables set by others, that flexibility has become particularly important to him.
“This is one of the things that I really enjoy about this job,” he said.
Ask Sadiq how he copes with Abu Dhabi’s summer heat, and he will tell you that experience has taught him a few ways to manage it.
“It is hard for every rider, but I have learned how to work with it,” he said.
Years spent on the road have helped him understand the rhythm of the city — when to keep going, which malls offer the coolest places to take a break, and how a well-timed 15-minute rest can give him the energy to get back on his bike.
One piece of advice from a fellow rider has stayed with him throughout his time on the road: stay calm and concentrate.
“You need to calm down and focus on the road,” Sadiq said.
But ask him what truly makes him happy, and his thoughts quickly turn away from work. A broad smile appears as he talks about his family back home.
“Talking with my family in Pakistan,” he said. “That is my happiest time.”
When he is off duty, Sadiq enjoys going for walks and making time to speak with his family in Pakistan.
Ask Sadiq what he wants most from life, and he does not hesitate. His family was the reason he came to the UAE, and providing them with a better future is what keeps him moving forward, delivery after delivery.
“Nothing else. Only to keep going, so my family’s life can be better,” he said.
“I want to become a businessman”
At 27, Muhammad Kashif is the youngest of the three riders. He arrived in the UAE in 2022 and now spends between 10 and 12 hours a day making deliveries for Talabat — a routine he says he is happy with.
“Talabat is good, and the job is very easy. I like my job, and it gives me a good salary,” Kashif said.
A finance and accounting graduate from Pakistan, Kashif sees his current work as part of a longer journey rather than his final destination. For him, the hours spent on the bike are helping lay the foundation for a bigger ambition.
Asked what he hopes to achieve in the future, his answer is simple and confident: “I want to become a businessman, inshallah.”
Kashif has a straightforward approach to dealing with the heat.
“I drink water and juice, and I manage. No problem. I go into a shopping mall or any shop for a couple of minutes to cool down,” Kashif said.
He explains that the delivery bag is reserved strictly for food, so he carries his drinking water separately while on the road.
For Kashif, however, the heat is not the most difficult part of the job. What can be more challenging is dealing with frustrated customers when circumstances beyond his control cause delays.
“Some customers get angry when the food is late, but the road is blocked and there is a traffic jam,” he said.
When traffic comes to a standstill, deliveries can fall behind schedule, leaving riders with little they can do except wait for the road to clear.
The man dreaming of his own workshop
At 41, Mohammad Souleyman Sayed is the newest of the three riders to the UAE. He arrived from Egypt a year ago and joined delivery company Keeta.
Before moving to the UAE, Sayed worked as an electrician, although he describes his main trade as car mechanics. His interest in vehicles extends naturally to his current job — he enjoys being on the road, but what he values most is the moment a delivery reaches its destination.
“I love being able to bring people what they need and seeing the happiness on their faces when their order arrives,” he said.
For Sayed, coping with the heat is something riders face together, with colleagues supporting one another through the toughest parts of the day.
But his ambitions extend well beyond delivery work. Asked what he is working towards, Sayed already has a clear goal in mind.
“My dream is to open a car mechanic business,” he said.
Just a year after arriving in the UAE, he already has a clear vision of the future he hopes to build.
