Many prominent restaurants in the Saudi capital, which are mostly run by Indian and Pakistani workers, are facing serious problems due to a shortage of labor in the aftermath of the inspection campaign on illegal expatriates.

One Pakistani restaurant manager in the Al-Malaz district, who requested anonymity, said: “We are facing several difficulties these days due to the absence of waiters and cooks in peak hours. We pleaded with the Saudi government to exempt us from the crackdown in order for us to resolve our labor issues.”

“Our sales have declined by more than 50 percent because of the unavailability of special dishes in our main menu. It is hard to find new experienced staff,” he added.

A 40-year-old Bangladeshi national working at an Indian restaurant said: “Due to the campaign against illegal expats, some of our workers who could not correct their status are not turning up for work.

“Some of our staff are still facing issues with renewing their residency permit, as well as experiencing obstacles in the correction of their professional titles, while others are facing difficulty transferring their sponsorships.”

Many other restaurant owners said that the shortage of cooks is hurting their business. Many have resorted to serving fewer dishes.

“We are witnessing unrest in the services and food industry, as inspections have affected a wide segment of the labor force in the Kingdom,” said Muhammad Hussain, branch manager of a local restaurant in Al-Nassim.

Expatriates have dominated the food industry in the Kingdom for years.