Shahed Amanullah’s crowdsourced website found 200 United States establishments selling halal food. Twenty-five years later, the site recorded approximately 13,000 US halal eateries offering cuisine from Malaysia to Mexico.
The Pew Research Centre expects the share of US Muslims to double (from 0.9 to 2.1 per cent) from 2010 to 2050. Halal restaurant openings have outpaced that rate, reflecting Muslims’ increased economic participation in America.
‘My Muslim Kitchen’ author Yvonne Maffei claims halal food has become mainstream in America like Mexican food did in the second half of the 20th century.
“It’s something that only the (Muslim) community talked about 15 years ago, but today, I have friends who have never visited the Middle East or know what halal is, but they know exactly what hummus, falafel, and shawarma are, and they love it,” Yvonne said.
Not all Middle Eastern foods are halal. However, organisations certify halal and supply labels with symbols of conformance to food makers.
Amanullah argued that until the early 2000s, most halal restaurants were tiny, family-run establishments serving “back home comfort food” to Arab and South Asian immigrants.
“You can truly find halal food for any culture or race in this neighbourhood now,” said Washington Instagrammer Sarrah Abbasi. Abbasi evaluates Peruvian and Korean halal food.
Amanullah attributes the rapid growth of halal restaurants to the rising Muslim market and the shrinking cost difference for restaurants buying halal products.
“Muslims make up only one per cent of the country, but in major metropolitan areas, it climbs to five, six, or even 10 per cent,” said Amanullah.
Restaurants also choose halal since the price gap between it and other meats is shrinking. Amanullah credited Kansas’s halal beef manufacturing for decreased prices. He also credited Muslim integration in American society.
“Halal isn’t a bad word in America,” he said.
“You can have (New York-based chain) The Halal Guys and no one will make a big deal about it.” – @Halal
