New York City — The Halal Guys, the fast-casual restaurant famous for pioneering American halal food, is unveiling its newly designed restaurant concept. The new design pays tribute to the brand’s roots as a New York City street cart and incorporates new, innovative safety precautions for customers during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Halal Guys selected Rubber and Road Creative, a San Francisco-based brand strategy and retail design firm, to work together on a design that could elevate the customer experience and brand identity for its growing international franchise while continuing to prioritize the health and safety of its customers and team members.
The strategic design concept uses hinged graphic metal panels, subway tiles that conjure images of city cabs and urban trains and manhole covers on the floor of the ordering queue as a nod to the experience of visiting the original New York City street cart. The location’s open design provides transparency and allows customers to see everything being safely prepared from the grill and skewers.
“It has been 6 years since we opened our first franchised restaurant, and while we are proud of our early stores, The Halal Guys’ brand has evolved and we felt it was important to acknowledge that,” says Margaret Carrera, chief development officer of The Halal Guys. “We hope the new design pays homage to the origins of The Halal Guys while continuing the evolution of the brand well into the 21st century.”
This new concept will also feature two seating options for individual and communal gatherings. Customers can choose between comfortable banquet park bench-style seating around New York City-themed photo tables or window barstools.
