GCC Expat Salary CalculatorPhase 2 · Living and working there
Deal apps in the Gulf: save on dining and days out
Eating out and weekends away are where a Gulf budget can slowly leak. A few deal apps can cut those costs a lot. Here is how they work, and how to make sure you actually save.
By Shiraz Hussein · Updated
Two kinds of deal app
- Voucher sites sell one discounted deal at a time: a brunch, a spa day, a desert safari. You pay for what you buy.
- Membership apps charge a yearly fee. You then get "buy one, get one free" offers at many restaurants, spas and attractions. The more you use it, the more you save.
Which app covers which country (2026)
| Service | Type | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Groupon UAE | Voucher site | UAE, mainly Dubai and Abu Dhabi |
| Cobone | Voucher site | UAE and Saudi Arabia |
| The Entertainer | Yearly membership, buy one get one free | UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and others |
| My Book Qatar | Two-for-one and discount offers | Qatar |
Coverage changes, so check the app for your city before you pay.
Voucher sites: Groupon and Cobone
They sell restaurant deals, brunches, spa treatments, theme parks, desert safaris, dhow cruises and hotel stays, often 30–60% below the normal price. Read the conditions before you pay:
- Blocked dates: some deals exclude weekends, public holidays or Ramadan.
- Time limits: "valid 7am to 10am" means breakfast, not dinner.
- Booking: some need booking days ahead.
- Expiry: an unused voucher is money lost. Put the expiry date in your calendar when you buy it.
Membership apps: The Entertainer and My Book
The Entertainer started as a printed voucher book and is now an app. In Qatar, the 2026 membership costs QAR 295 for over 3,000 "buy one, get one free" offers: dining, attractions, spas, salons, gyms and hotels. Up to three people can share one membership. The UAE and Saudi versions work the same way, with their own prices.
My Book Qatar is similar, with over 2,000 offers.
Will a membership pay for itself?
If a dinner for two saves you QAR 100 to 150, a QAR 295 membership pays for itself after two or three uses.
- If you eat out twice a month, it will probably save you money.
- If you mostly cook at home, you may forget to use it.
Before you buy a membership
- Check if you already have one. Some bank cards and employer benefit schemes include it. Ask HR and check your card's benefits page.
- Check the dates. Memberships usually end in late December. New ones often launch with an early-buyer offer.
- Check your favourite places are listed. Thousands of offers don't help if your usual places are not on the list.
- Read what "free" means. Usually the cheaper item is free, and service charge may be added on the full price.
The rule I would follow
A discount on something you would not have bought is still spending, not saving. Use these apps for the meals and days out you planned anyway. If you are new to the country, The first 90 days in Doha covers the other costs of settling in.
When you plan a move, put a realistic figure for eating out in the salary calculator, and see if a membership brings it down.
Prices, coverage and offers change every year. Checked October 2026. This site has no commercial link with any service named here.