Al Baik fast food and a baby tooth: Careem shares its top picks from 2020

Careem has shared the details of its quirkiest orders and trips for the year. (Shutterstock)
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Updated 21 December 2020
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Al Baik fast food and a baby tooth: Careem shares its top picks from 2020

DUBAI: We’ve probably all made some embarrassing orders on regional ride-hailing and delivery app Careem over the years, but have you ever had a stop sign delivered?

Well, a person in Pakistan certainly has — and the order was just weird enough to be crowned one of the regional ride hailing and delivery app’s “most unexpected items delivered” for 2020. 

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For the Saudi Ministry of Culture's Year of Arabic Calligraphy in 2020/21, we take an in-depth look at how the craft has developed from ancient to modern times.

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Careem has shared the details of its quirkiest orders and trips for the year exclusively with Arab News — and it might make you feel a little less guilty about your own ordering habits. 

Alongside the case of the mystery stop sign delivery in Pakistan, which was delivered door-to-door between two Careem users for an undisclosed reason, the company’s lost and found has turned up some interesting items over the past 12 months. 

While its most common finds were probably exactly what you’d expect — sunglasses, keys and mobile phones — one item that really caught a captain in Dubai off guard was a baby tooth wrapped in a napkin. The explanation provided when reunited with its owner was that it was “for the tooth fairy.” 

Careem, which launched in Dubai in 2012 as a ride-hailing service akin to Uber, now offers a food and goods delivery service on its Super App. It operates in 13 countries and 100 cities across the MENA region. 

Of the more than 1 million trips conducted in 2020, Careem’s shortest was a 1 km journey in Iraq. Its longest was a 140 km journey in Pakistan, made by a young girl traveling back and forth between Rawalpindi to Islamabad to move house. 

The platform’s most popular restaurant was Al Baik, a fast-food chain based in Saudi Arabia, and its most popular order a chicken nuggets meal from Al Baik. Its most popular shop was Lulu Hypermarket in Dubai but, rather mundanely, its most popular item ordered from Lulu a bottle of Al-Marai milk. 

Careem UAE General Manager Victor Kiriakos-Saad said that he was proud of the lengths the service’s captains had gone to to “unite customers with goods from across the spectrum throughout the quarantine period.”

“At Careem, we have been inspired by the many stories and acts of kindness within our communities that have been seen throughout 2020,” he said.


Coach taps Elyanna for Spring 2026 campaign

Updated 18 February 2026
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Coach taps Elyanna for Spring 2026 campaign

  • Chilean Palestinian singer also fronted firm last year
  • Star has made a donation to World Food Programme

DUBAI: Chilean Palestinian singer Elyanna is fronting yet another campaign for Coach, this time an “Express Your Many Sides” Spring 2026 initiative unfolding exclusively in the Middle East.

Across the campaign images, the focus is placed on the US fashion house’s leather bags, shown in a range of shapes and sizes.

Elyanna is pictured carrying the Tabby 26, distinguished by its structured flap silhouette and signature metal “C” hardware, presented in a warm maple tone.

Across the campaign images, the focus is placed on the US fashion house’s leather bags, shown in a range of shapes and sizes. (Instagram)

Other styles include a compact shoulder bag with a curved profile and a larger, softer leather bag designed to sit under the arm. The bags appear in smooth and lightly grained leather finishes, styled in both light and darker colorways.

In the images, Elyanna’s wardrobe is kept understated to complement the accessories. She wears lightweight layers, including fitted long-sleeve tops paired with sleeveless vests and fluid trousers in neutral shades.

She also appears in a sheer, pale green dress layered over a long-sleeve base, patterned with small heart motifs.

In the images, Elyanna’s wardrobe is kept understated to complement the accessories. (Instagram)

Last year, Elyanna was the face of Coach’s Ramadan 2025 campaign. She was seen against a desert-inspired backdrop, styled in pieces that blended contemporary fashion with cultural influences.

The music sensation also carried Coach’s signature handbags, each featuring the gold chain accents.

Elyanna said in a statement: “Working with Coach again felt natural because it’s a brand I love and connect with in terms of lifestyle and expression.

“We’re aligned in our values, and it was great to be a part of it again for another year because it continues to reflect that alignment. I was also able to donate to the World Food Programme through our partnership once more, which means so much to me.”

Elyanna has been normalizing Arabic lyrics in the Western world throughout her career, taking inspiration from artists including Lana Del Ray and Beyonce, as well as Middle Eastern legend Fayrouz.

The Los Angeles-based singer’s music is a mix of Arabic and Western beats, which she attributes to her multicultural upbringing.

Her debut album “Woledto,” released in 2024, featured nine songs: “Woledto,” “Ganeni,” “Calling U,” “Al Sham,” “Mama Eh,” “Kon Nafsak,” “Lel Ya Lel,” “Yabn El Eh” and “Sad in Pali.”