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    NYC’s The Halal Guys Headed for Central Ohio

    Another national fast-food chain is making its way to Central Ohio.

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    New York City based The Halal Guys is expanding to Ohio with a planned seven locations in the Columbus region.

    Franchisee group Smart Choice Food LLC will be responsible for the state’s first locations. While exact addresses of the seven Halal Guys restaurants are yet to be announced, the first local restaurants are slated to open later this year.

    What started as a food cart in 1990, has expanded to 85 locations worldwide with a reported 400 plus locations in development.

    The Halal Guys menu features halal-friendly customizable platters and sandwiches as well as hummus, baba ganouj, falafel and baklava. In addition to its halal meats, the concept is known for its mysterious, mayo-based white sauce.

    Photo provided by The Halal Guys

    “We could not be more excited to join the Columbus community and welcome Central Ohioans to our diverse fan base,” said Andrew Eck, marketing director for The Halal Guys. “I highly recommend testing your spice tolerance with our fan-favorite hot sauce!” 

    Currently, the closest Halal Guys location to Columbus is in Chicago, IL.

    “We were passionate customers before we became franchise partners, and whenever we visited New York or Chicago, our first (of many) stops was always The Halal Guys,” said Smart Choice Food LLC. “We believe in this brand and are confident it will be successful in Columbus.” 

    Columbus’ economic upswing pre-COVID influenced the team’s decision to expand to Ohio and more specifically, Columbus, “But it was the people and sense of community that really got us interested in bringing The Halal Guys to the area,” said franchisees Mohamed Alwah, Yara Fardous and Sam Saad. “This is a diverse city full of strong, resilient and welcoming people, and we wanted to be a part of that.”

    The Halal Guys are the latest in some fast-food first announcements for the state. In early March, southern chicken and biscuit favorite Bojangles announced it would bring 15 locations to Central Ohio. Last fall, Del Taco announced its plans for seven regional restaurants, two of which are already open in Bellefontaine and Circleville.

    For more information, visit thehalalguys.com.

    Photo provided by The Halal Guys
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    Susan Post
    Susan Post
    Susan is the editor of The Metropreneur and associate editor of Columbus Underground, and also covers small business and entrepreneurial news and the food scene in Central Ohio.Susan holds a degree in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing from The Ohio State University. She sits on the board of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and loves coffee, whiskey, cooking and spending time with friends and family.
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