The Halal Guys

About The Halal Guys

Founded in 1990 by Mohamed Abouelenein, Ahmed Elsaka and Abdelbaset Elsayed, US street food brand The Halal Guys, which has more than 100 sites globally, is now franchising worldwide via a new fast casual/quick service restaurant format. The business opened its second site here in November 2023, at 6 High Road in Wood Green, north London. It initially launched in the UK in March 2019, with master franchisee ITICO F+B opening a debut site in London’s Leicester Square, and a second site opened in Earl’s Court six months later, but the Leicester Square site closed the following summer. In January 2024, it told Propel it sees the potential for 50-plus UK sites as it seeks opportunities outside of London. “We’re excited about our recent expansion with the opening of our second site in the UK,” Margaret Carrera, chief development officer at The Halal Guys, told Propel. “As for our plans moving forward, we’re constantly exploring opportunities for growth and evaluating various locations, and we’re always looking for promising locations to expand our presence further in the UK in the coming years. The UK presents a significant opportunity for The Halal Guys, and we envisage having 50-plus units. We are continuously analysing market dynamics to determine the best approach. We’re open to exploring opportunities beyond London and evaluating other cities or regions that align with our growth strategy. The UK sites are under a multi-unit franchisee. As for our franchising strategy in the UK, we’re continuously evaluating multi-unit franchisees in the UK market, and we’re in the process of evaluating additional franchise opportunities in the UK.”

Why franchise with The Halal Guys

• ✓The Halal Guys is seeking franchisees that are focused on exceptional operations and customer service and looking to build multi-unit franchise territories. Franchisees must demonstrate substantial business experience (preferably in the restaurant industry) and possess a true passion for The Halal Guys brand and the American halal food concept. They must have $1.5m net worth, $1m liquid capital available for investment. They must be ready to begin development within the next three to six months and be ready to develop a minimum five-unit territory in a major UK area. Start-up costs (multi-unit) are $315,000-$926,500, with a franchise fee of $65,000. Multi-unit development fee is $650,000, with an international fee paid upfront ($65,000 per unit, ten unit minimum required). Royalties are 6% of gross sales, while footprint is 1,400 to 1,800 square feet. “The Halal Guys’ story begins in 1990 with three Egyptian founders, who first started a hot dog cart in New York City, then switched to selling halal food because there was practically no authentic halal food to be had in the five boroughs,” the company said. “The Halal Guys is now a global enterprise, with 94 locations and over 400-plus new restaurants in development worldwide.”