What started as hot dog carts simply marked as ‘halal’ has expanded to an internationally recognized brand. After decades in the business, The Halal Guys is bringing its fast casual Middle Eastern fare to Iowa with the opening of its first Iowa location on Saturday with dozens of grand opening perks.

The Halal Guys will be stationed at 3220 Redhawk Street in Coralville, the first of five franchises anticipated to open across Iowa in the next five years.

The four equal partners, Ahamed Ahamed, Siddig Siddig, Hassan Karoam, and Asma Elmahdi, hope that The Halal Guys will fill a gap in the Iowa City dining scene. The Halal Guys will conjure up platters of gyro meat, chicken, and falafel over rice and sandwiches wrapped in pita bread, topped off with signature sauces. All the menu offerings meet halal standards and also offer a catering menu in addition to the dine-in and carry-out.

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What are halal foods?

Halal is an Arabic word meaning ‘allowed’ or ‘lawful,’ which adheres to Islamic law, as defined in the Koran. For food to be halal, animals must be slaughtered through a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery, and windpipe. The animals also must be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter, according to the BBC.

“It’s the cleanest way to put down an animal for the people to eat, and the whole process is done in the cleanest and least painful way for an animal,” Ahamed said. “Ultimately, it’s prepared in a very humane way, by Islamic principle, then it is permissible.”

Halal Guys restaurant pictured at 3220 Redhawk St. Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Coralville, Iowa.

35 years in the restaurant business

The fast-casual restaurant got its start in 1990 when Abdelbaset Elsayed, Mohamed Abouelenein, and Ahmed Elsaka immigrated to New York City from Egypt and opened a food cart. They initially sold hot dogs, but when they realized that Muslim taxi drivers would buy halal food, they switched to the platters and sandwiches that made them famous.

By 2014, the restaurant started opening brick-and-mortar locations and franchising. It now has more than 100 locations across North America and Asia.

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Sudanese owners found a home in Iowa City

The four owners of the new Coralville shop, immigrants from Sudan, grew up in Iowa City and graduated from Iowa City West High School. They each attended the University of Iowa as well.

The childhood friends frequented The Halal Guys in Chicago and Manhattan, inspiring them to bring the international brand to Iowa. They wanted to give back to a community that helped raise a group of immigrants.

“If you looked at it from the outside, the cards weren’t dealt in our favor, and we are so indebted to Iowa City; it built us up and embraced us, and we were given opportunities that we wouldn’t have had back in Sudan,” Siddig said. “It’s not just about food; it’s about celebrating the community that nourished us. We’re proud to bring The Halal Guys to Iowa City and share something special with the place we call home.”

The owners hope that the restaurant will fill a gap in the Iowa City and Coralville dining scene by serving as not only another Mediterranean restaurant but also a quick spot for people on the go.

“We are all foodies, and we all got together talking about what Iowa City needs that is not already here. In the back of our minds, we thought of halal food,” Ahamed said. “(Iowa City has) Mediterranean restaurants, but one thing we don’t have is quick service, fast like fast casual style Mediterranean, and we knew it had to be The Halal Guys.”

Halal Guys restaurant pictured at 3220 Redhawk St. Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Coralville, Iowa.

Halal Guys restaurant pictured at 3220 Redhawk St. Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Coralville, Iowa.

Coralville’s Halal Guys offering a variety of prizes on opening day

The Halal Guys will officially open at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, and will have 35 employees. The owners plan to open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

There will be plenty of ways for customers to win prizes on Christmas Day. The first 100 guests will get a free small platter. Every customer who visits the Coralville The Halal Guys location will be entered into a prize pool for an Apple Watch, Nintendo Switches, flatscreen TVs, gift cards, and more.

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“(We want to encourage people to come out) since most Iowans do not recognize the brand and because it is winter,” Ahamed said. “(For first-time visitors), definitely get the regular platter combo. It is chicken and beef over rice, and get some white sauce on there, for sure.”

The Halal Guys will open Sunday to Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Des Moines Register reporter Susan Stapleton contributed to this article.

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: This popular NYC-based food chain is coming to Coralville

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