ZOOM convenience stores are slowly disappearing from Dubai Metro stations: Why?

Dubai: For many Dubai Metro users, ZOOM stores were a fixed part of the commute — a predictable stop between ticket gates and platforms. Over the past few months, that familiarity has begun to fade as several ZOOM outlets inside metro stations have quietly closed.

Shoppers, commuters, and outlet supervisors say several ZOOM stores at stations such as BurJuman, Union, and other busy interchanges are no longer operating. In some locations, shutters are down with no signage explaining the closures.

Business listings reinforce those observations. Branches such as the Rove Trade Centre / Al Jafiliya ZOOM are marked “permanently closed,” while others, including Al Ras, are listed as inactive or temporarily shut.

Online commuter discussions suggest the gradual shift began earlier this year, with users reporting closures in areas such as Deira and Oud Metha, including older metro locations that had already shut years earlier.

Performance review

While no official announcement had previously been made about a broader strategy shift, ENOC, which owns ZOOM, has now explained the reason behind the changes.

“ENOC has adjusted its ZOOM store footprint at selected Dubai Metro stations as part of its strategy to focus on fuel convenience and to continuously review the performance of its non-fuel retail operations,” an ENOC spokesperson said in a response to Gulf News.

ENOC is assessing where ZOOM stores perform best and adjusting its network accordingly. Metro stations tend to rely on short, impulse purchases during peak travel times, while petrol station outlets attract customers making more deliberate stops — a key difference in retail behaviour.

This helps explain commuter observations that the closures are limited to metro stations, while ZOOM outlets at petrol stations across Dubai continue to operate as normal.

Loss felt by commuters

For many residents, the closures are more than a retail change. ZOOM stores were part of everyday routines — a quick snack, a coffee refill, or a Nol card payment without leaving the station.

“I’m going to miss their bagel and hotdog offers. It was an easy grab during my commute,” said one daily metro commuter. Another commuter focused on a favourite item, saying: “That ZOOM hotdog was so good. I’ll really miss it.”

Others said the stores were not just impulse stops but intentional visits. “I always bought donuts and coffee from ZOOM. I live near a metro station and would sometimes go there just for that. It’s sad to see them go,” said a UAE-based resident on Reddit.

ZOOM’s metro outlets offered more than food. They accepted Nol cards, handled DEWA and gas bill payments, Salik top-ups, and operated long hours aligned with metro schedules.

Managers at ZOOM outlets that remain open said staff from closed stores were expected to move to other locations.

ZOOM is not disappearing

ENOC stressed that the changes do not signal an exit from convenience retail. Instead, the closures are part of an ongoing review rather than a blanket withdrawal from metro locations.

“This ongoing review enables the Group to optimise operational efficiency and align its retail formats with evolving customer needs,” the spokesperson added.

The company said that “ZOOM stores remain an integral part of Dubai’s retail convenience infrastructure,” adding that ENOC will continue to manage and evolve its store network across the UAE to meet changing customer needs.

That evolution is already visible across the metro network. While ZOOM’s presence inside some stations is shrinking, the retail spaces themselves may not remain empty for long. Some former outlets are expected to reopen under new operators, with names such as Madina Group speculated for certain stations.

For now, the changes point to a broader shift in where convenience retail works best — shaped by commuter habits, store results, and the everyday economics of life in Dubai, playing out quietly between train arrivals.