Talabat Middle East review: Urgent complaint: unauthorized credit deduction & appalling service - talabat pro customer

Dear Talabat Support Team,

I am writing to escalate a serious complaint regarding the unauthorized deduction of my Talabat credit, the subsequent mishandling of my case by your support team, and the completely unacceptable behavior of your staff member, Mr. Farooq. This experience has been extremely frustrating and falls far below the standard expected, especially for a loyal, paying Pro subscriber.

Background & Issue Summary:

Original Complaint: On February 28th, 2026, I raised a complaint regarding a total of 213.71 AED being deducted from my Talabat credit balance between November 2025 and February 2026 without any prior notification (email, SMS, or in-app alert). My initial requests were:

Restoration of the deducted amount.

Clear visibility on upcoming credit expiries (similar to the feature available for Talabat Points).

Mishandling by Talabat: When I checked the status on March 2nd, 2026, I found my original ticket had been closed without any resolution or notification. Upon contacting customer care via the app chat, an agent called and admitted the previous agent mistakenly moved my ticket to the wrong department, leading to its closure. I questioned how a ticket can be closed without customer confirmation and why it wasn't simply transferred correctly. The agent apologized and opened a new ticket (Reference: B81A356EC39D4462828CDF127AE17453), promising a call back within an hour.

Unacceptable Conduct by Mr. Farooq (Complaints Department): I received a call from Mr. Farooq (number: [protected]) shortly after. I have never experienced such poor customer service. Our call lasted approximately two hours. For the last 30 minutes of the call, he remained completely silent after placing the call on hold without any explanation. The call is recorded (Date: 02 March 2026, Time: ~4 PM UAE Time). Mr. Farooq is clearly unsuitable for a customer service role. I strongly request that his supervisor listen to this recording.

The key point of contention was my request for transparency regarding credit expiry. Mr. Farooq stated it is my responsibility to manually calculate expiry dates and amounts. I strongly disagree. The Talabat app provides a clear "Points Expiring Next Month" feature, demonstrating that such transparency is technically possible. The complete absence of a similar feature for Talabat Credit is a significant flaw in your platform. A user should not need to perform manual calculations; this information must be readily available in the app.

My Stance & Requests:

Unauthorized Deduction: It is unacceptable for Talabat to deduct customer funds without providing clear, timely, and proactive notifications. I did not receive any warning about these 213.71 AED credits expiring.

Lack of Transparency: The absence of an in-app feature showing upcoming credit expiry (like the one for Points) is a poor user experience and puts the onus unfairly on the customer.

Therefore, I demand the following:

Immediate Restoration: The full deducted amount of 213.71 AED must be immediately restored to my Talabat credit balance.

Future Notification Guarantee: A firm commitment that I will receive clear and timely notifications (in-app, email, or SMS) for any future credit expiry, well in advance.

Feature Request & Confirmation: Confirmation that you will pass this feedback to the relevant team to implement an "Expiring Next Month" feature for Talabat Credit, mirroring the existing functionality for Talabat Points. I need to know exactly how much credit is due to expire in the next 3 months.

Action Against Misconduct: I request that this complaint be reviewed by Mr. Farooq's supervisor and appropriate action be taken regarding his unprofessional behavior. Please listen to the recorded call from 02 March 2026 at ~4 PM UAE time, particularly the final 30 minutes where he provided no response.

Acknowledgment of Loyalty: As a customer of over 3-5 years, a Pro subscriber, and an ADCB Talabat credit card holder, I expect to be treated with respect and receive a basic level of service and transparency. This experience has been the complete opposite.

I expect a prompt and serious response to this email. Please confirm receipt and provide a timeline for resolving this matter.

Thank you.