McDonald’s is one the most popular fast-food corporations that serve 119 countries around the world with its delicious hamburgers, french fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, different flavored milkshakes, and desserts. MacDonald’s serves approximately 68 million customers daily, which includes Muslim customers as well who only eat halal food. No, McDonald’s does not serve any halal food in the United States. It does not serve certified Halal meals in the United States of America. McDonalds stopped serving halal food in the USA after 2013. However, it does have some Halal-certified food chains in other Muslim majority countries.
What is considered to be halal?
“Halal” means “permissible or lawful”. According to Muslim laws and Islamic rules, they can only eat halal animals that adhere to Islamic law, as defined in the Quran.
How to make meat halal:
For meat to be considered halal, it must be slaughtered in a way known as dhabiha. Dhabiha means cutting through the jugular vein, carotid artery, and windpipe to drain all blood from the carcass as consumption of the blood, is considered haram (things not permissible in Islam).
Mcdonald’s and halal meat in the USA:
MacDonald’s serves halal food in the USA but only in its two restaurants located in the state of Michigan, Dearborn, because it has the majority of the Muslim population.
These two restaurants were very popular among Muslims because of their services, but their popularity came to an end when MacDonald’s stopped serving halal meat.
Why did McDonald’s stop serving halal food?
MacDonald’s stopped serving halal food in these two restaurants because of the allegations MacDonald’s has to face after the issue was raised in the US regarding whether the food served is halal or not.
The Lawsuit Against McDonald’s:
MacDonald’s faced a lawsuit filed by Michigan’s Muslim community members saying that the food served by MacDonald’s is not halal. McDonalds sells non-halal items advertised as halal. Some of the employees of the restaurants also agreed with this.
McDonald’s settled the lawsuit:
MacDonald’s didn’t agree to any wrongdoing as it agreed to pay $700,000 to members of the Muslim community to settle down allegations.
That money was divided as
- $150,000 to the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn
- $275,000 to the Muslim health, Huda Clinic, center in Detroit
- $25,000 to Ahmed (a Dearborn Heights man who filed the lawsuit against MacDonald’s)
- The rest of the money went to attorney fees.
Countries don’t have halal McDonald’s food:
The following countries in the world didn’t serve halal-certified food in their restaurants, as in these countries there is less demand for halal food.
- The United Kingdom
- Russia
- Canada
- China
- Russia
Countries that have halal McDonald’s food:
On the other hand, some countries only serve halal-certified food to their customers because the majority of the population is Muslim in these countries, such as:
- Pakistan
- Dubai
- India
- Saudi Arabia
- Turkey
- Germany
McDonald’s serves some halal food items:
McDonald’s serves a variety of food items that are considered Halal
- Chicken is found in their nuggets and burgers.
- Cheese is found in their different foods, such as in their burgers and sandwiches.
- Beef, MacDonald’s has various delicious items of food served with it.
- French fries
- Desserts of different flavors
MacDonald’s with a Halal-certification location:
If someone orders the food from McDonald’s halal-certified location its means all the items are checked to be halal. It only serves Halal chicken, beef, and cheese which means that sandwiches or other menu items featuring these ingredients are authentic halal.
Conclusion:
McDonald’s is one of the best fast food organizations delivering its services all around the globe. For many reasons, halal products are not sold by McDonald’s in the United States or some other countries. The reasons could be the low demand and high cost attached to it.
However, one can get halal McDonalds foods from other countries like India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, because their customers demand only halal-certified food.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is McDonald’s halal in Australia?
Yes, McDonald’s is selling 100% halal-certified meat in Australia. All beef and lamb in Australia are halal they use the microwave to cook the meat instead of grilling them where other meat is cooked.
- Is McDonald’s halal or haram?
McDonald’s sells its halal food in Muslim majority countries although it doesn’t provide halal-certified meat in the US and other fewer demand countries which is considered to be haram for Muslims.
- When did McDonald’s stop selling halal meals in the USA?
McDonald’s only provides a halal meal in two of its restaurants, it stopped selling halal-certified in these restaurants after the lawsuit was filed against McDonald’s in 2013.
- Is it safe for Muslims to eat McDonald’s?
As McDonald’s is a partially halal food supplier so it is safe for Muslims to eat and enjoy MacDonald’s, especially in Muslim-majority countries where their full menu presents halal food only.
