14 ways to take halal food to the next level

Many Americans know and love halal food as Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, but new pathways of cool flavors, styles and concepts are being forged as time goes on. We have found examples of contemporary halal food, inspired by tradition and informed by today’s customers’ craving for fresh, craveable, grab-and-go options.

Halal Shack, an incredibly successful fast-casual concept created by a SUNY alum, is a microcosm of halal’s evolution, as it has welcomed two sister concepts, Jamal’s Chicken and Baba’s Pizza.

Of course, there is a cultural and spiritual element involved with halal food that shouldn’t be overlooked. That’s why dining teams at colleges like Harvard and Stanford are intentional about including the Muslim campus community in the making of the menus and special events.

Whether or not your customers seek halal food for spiritual reasons, there are plenty of opportunities to offer fresh, trending, fantastic food when going halal, whether it’s a chicken bowl, a chopped salad, an herbed stew over rice or a New York slice.