Coffee and gahwa for charity galas, fundraisers and awards nights in Dubai
A gala or a fundraising evening ends with coffee, and in Dubai that often means gahwa and dates as well. This page is for event organisers and committee members planning a charity gala, a fundraiser or an awards night in a Dubai hotel. It shows the published cart packages, the gahwa flask and majlis station prices, what the hotel needs to confirm, and a worked total you can use before asking for a quote.
Prices as published on our coffee cart and gahwa pages on 13 October 2026, ex 5% VAT.
Quick answers
- What does gahwa service cost for a gala?
- A gahwa flask with dates is from AED 55. A majlis station is from AED 45 per person with a minimum of 30 people, and a hosted station with a uniformed host is from AED 85 per person with a minimum of 40, before 5% VAT.
- Prices
- Can a coffee cart run at a hotel gala?
- A cart sets up indoors or outdoors, including hotel ballrooms and lobbies. Venue approval and fees are confirmed with the hotel and itemised on your quote.
- Hotel checks
Where coffee fits the evening
Organisers usually add coffee service at one of three points.
- Arrival and registration, where a cart gives early guests a drink while the room fills.
- After the dinner and the programme, when guests move around the room and a gahwa and dates station keeps them there.
- Committee, judging and rehearsal meetings, where a gahwa flask with dates is the simplest format.
Cart, gahwa and majlis prices
Published rates, before 5% VAT. Delivery, setup and teardown in Dubai are included on cart packages.
| Item | What it is | Published price |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso Bar, half day | 1 barista, up to 4 hours, about 100 guests | from AED 3,000 |
| Signature Bar, full day | 2 baristas, up to 8 hours, about 200 guests | from AED 4,500 |
| Gahwa flask with dates | An Arabic gahwa flask for a meeting or a delegate visit | from AED 55 |
| Majlis station | Gahwa from the dallah, dates and a karak urn, self-serve in a two-hour window, minimum 30 people | from AED 45 a person |
| Hosted majlis station | A uniformed host for 2 to 3 hours, gahwa and dates, plus ROAST specialty coffee, minimum 40 people | from AED 85 a person |
| Standalone karak and gahwa station | Live station with its own server, added to a cart package | AED 900 a day |
Majlis station totals by headcount, as published: 50 guests AED 2,250, 100 guests AED 4,500 and 150 guests AED 6,750. The hosted station is AED 4,250 for 50, AED 8,500 for 100 and AED 12,750 for 150.
What the hotel needs to confirm
We do not publish a power, water or footprint figure on our cart pages, so power, water and space are confirmed on your quote. Send the hotel, ballroom, date, hours and headcount and we confirm each point in writing.
- Indoors or outdoors: a cart sets up in hotel ballrooms, lobbies and outdoor venues.
- Access and timing: the crew arrives within the build-up window the hotel allows, and setup and teardown timings are confirmed in writing for your run-sheet.
- Approval and fees: hotel or venue approval and any fees are itemised separately on your quote.
- Booking: from 5 working days’ notice, a 50% deposit (عربون) confirms the date, and purchase orders are accepted.
Worked example: a gala for 150 guests
An organiser books a majlis station for 150 guests and a full-day Signature Bar for registration and after-dinner coffee. Using published rates only:
| Line | Calculation | AED |
|---|---|---|
| Majlis station | 150 x 45 | 6,750 |
| Signature Bar, full day | 1 x 4,500 | 4,500 |
| Subtotal, before VAT | 11,250 | |
| VAT at 5% | 562.50 | |
| Total with VAT | 11,812.50 |
This illustrates arithmetic from published rates, not a quote. The hosted station for the same 150 guests would be 150 x 85 = AED 12,750 before VAT.
Estimate your own total
The coffee cart estimator builds a total from the published rates and is a guide, not a quote. For the wider picture of hotel events, see coffee for conferences and hotels, and for gahwa in detail see gahwa and majlis service.
We reply within one working day (Monday to Friday) with an itemised quote. Every order carries a VAT tax invoice with TRN, and delivery is within Dubai.
Related: Conferences & hotels, Complete guide to event coffee in Dubai, Gahwa & majlis service.
Common questions
How much is gahwa service for a gala?
A gahwa flask with dates is from AED 55. A majlis station is from AED 45 per person (minimum 30) and a hosted station from AED 85 per person (minimum 40), all before 5% VAT.
How much does a majlis station cost for 100 guests?
A majlis station for 100 guests is from AED 4,500 (AED 45 x 100) and a hosted station from AED 8,500 (AED 85 x 100), before 5% VAT.
How much is a coffee cart for a charity evening?
A half-day cart with one barista is from AED 3,000 for up to 4 hours and about 100 guests. A full day with two baristas is from AED 4,500 for up to 8 hours and about 200 guests. Both are before 5% VAT.
Can the service run inside a hotel ballroom?
Yes. A cart sets up in hotel ballrooms, lobbies and outdoor venues. Hotel approval and fees are confirmed with the hotel and itemised separately on your quote.
Can we serve gahwa and karak together?
Yes. A standalone karak and gahwa station is AED 900 a day with its own server, and a majlis station includes gahwa, dates and a karak urn.
How much notice do you need?
From 5 working days’ notice for a cart. A 50% deposit confirms the date, purchase orders are accepted, and every order has a VAT tax invoice with TRN.
Keep planning
Sources on this site: Cart cost · Gahwa and majlis · Venue checklist.
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Leave your name, number and email. We reply within one working day (Monday to Friday).
- Licensed halal UAE F&B operator
- VAT tax invoice with TRN
- ROAST since 2018 · Cha Cha Chai since 2013
- Dubai-based