ALKHOBAR: Across Saudi Arabia, restaurants are extending service until dawn and cafes are reporting steady post-midnight traffic during Ramadan, as the pre-fasting meal of sahoor increasingly emerges as a central social moment during the holy month.
While iftar is structured, family-centered and tied to Maghrib prayer, for many Saudis, the hours before dawn now carry greater emotional and social weight.
The shift reflects more than personal preference, it mirrors broader changes in urban routines, work schedules and late-night culture during Ramadan.
“Iftar feels like an obligation,” said Maha Al-Zahrani, a mother of three from Alkhobar.
“You have to be at the table on time. Sahoor feels calmer. We sit longer. There’s no rush.”
