16th February 2019
The restaurant operator behind the US street food brand The Halal Guys’ laucnh in the UK believes there is plenty of scope for growth beyond its initial 20-site agreement.
ITICO F+B partner Jan van Delden has revealed the plan is to grow small clusters of restaurants in cities across the UK, starting in London. The debut site will open in the capital’s Irving Street at the end of March.
A second site in central London will follow in late May or early June, with a third later this year.
Egyptian immigrants Mohammed Abouelenein, Ahmed Elsaka and Abdelbaset Elsayed launched The Halal Guys as a street cart in New York 28 years ago. An expansion into restaurants in 2015 has led to 85 outlets under The Halal Guys brand across North America and Asia, with 400 more in the pipeline. The brand has a short menu of griddled chicken and beef gyro served on a platter over rice or in a pitta or wrap with signature white or hot sauce. There is also a vegan alternative made with falafel.
The company expects to open four or five sites a year with a London Hub, with an initial target of 20 sites across major UK cities. An addition to high-street site, train stations and shopping centres are also being considered. The first Halal Guys drive-thru opened recently in Chicago.