As Saudi Arabia progresses toward its Vision 2030 goals, the nation is actively embracing its core pillars, among them, the Kingdom's commitment to enhancing the physical and mental well-being of both its citizens and residents.
With a growing dining scene, and international awarding body MICHELIN confirming a focus on Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom is aiming to redefine its citizens and residents' relationship with food, health, and hospitality. This focus comes in the form of a new regulation rolled out by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) marks a major shift in how the Kingdom dines out.
Effective July 1, 2025, all restaurants and cafés — whether fine-dining establishments or casual coffee shops — must now include visible nutritional markers across all menus, both printed and digital. In a region celebrated for rich, indulgent cuisine and lavish dining experiences, this shift signals a broader commitment to transparency, public health, and global best practices.
According to the new SFDA rulings, the updated standards require all food outlets to:
- Highlight high-sodium menu items, using an easily identifiable salt shaker symbol
- List the amount of or level of caffeine in beverages
- Display calories or estimated calorie burn for each menu item - both food and beverage
These quick markers are now mandatory across dine-in menus, delivery platforms, and QR-code and digital menu listings. Whether you’re scanning a menu at a rooftop lounge, indulging in a up-scale, fine-dining experience or browsing via your favourite food app, these nutritional insights should now just a glance away.
A Nationwide Wellness Strategy
This initiative is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader push to curb non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes — health issues that have increasingly impacted citizens across the Kingdom. With Vision 2030 placing greater emphasis on quality of life, these new rules empower consumers to make more informed dining choices while nudging hospitality operators toward more thoughtful menu design.
To support implementation, the SFDA has launched digital aids like the Caffeine Calculator to help individuals track their consumption based on age and lifestyle. Restaurants can also consult the “Mwasfah” portal for full compliance guidelines.
While some may view nutritional labelling as clinical, it presents a new opportunity for premium restaurants to champion wellness alongside indulgence, and brings the Kingdom inline with international, specifically European standards when it comes to nutritional clarity for consumers visiting restaurants and cafes.
