Is Five Guys Halal?

Five Guys is a US burger chain, and in the United States and Canada its answer is clear. Its official FAQ says the beef it serves in both countries is not halal, kosher or organic ^[1]. So no US or Canadian Five Guys is halal by default.

The UK is different. Five Guys UK chose to bring halal beef into part of its estate to reach more customers. It now runs three tiers of stores ^[2][3]:

1. Fully halal certified. Birmingham Fort, London Park Royal and Manchester Arndale are certified by the recognised halal certification body HCO. They serve halal British beef and do not sell bacon or alcohol ^[2].
2. Halal beef with pork bacon. About 30 stores, including several in London, Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield, use halal beef but also serve pork bacon. They are not fully certified ^[2].
3. Not halal. Every other store in England, Scotland and Wales does not serve halal beef ^[2].

The list changes, so check the official Five Guys UK halal page before you visit.

A store that uses halal beef is not the same as a halal-certified store. At the UK stores that use halal beef but also sell bacon, Five Guys says the bacon is cooked on a separate grill with separate utensils "where possible" ^[3]. Some of these stores also serve beer ^[2]. A certifier like HCO only signs off the whole store when it controls every ingredient and the kitchen, which is why only three stores carry full certification ^[2].

Some Muslims are comfortable eating halal beef in a restaurant that also serves pork, as long as it is kept apart. Others only eat at fully certified places. Decide which standard you follow, then pick the store that matches it.

On hot dogs, Five Guys UK says the hot dogs in its halal stores use halal-certified beef ^[3]. The UK breakfast menu is not halal: the sausage patty is pork and the breakfast beef patty is not certified, so halal stores do not serve breakfast ^[3].

Since Five Guys says its US beef is not halal ^[1], a regular US Five Guys burger does not meet halal certification standards. Some Muslims hold that meat from Christian or Jewish producers can be eaten, while many others require halal slaughter. This is a long-standing difference of opinion, and each person follows the view they trust.

If you want something meat-free at a US Five Guys, the fries are the obvious option. They are cooked in 100% refined peanut oil and are the only item fried in it; the burgers are grilled without oil ^[1]. That means the fryer is not shared with meat, but the grill and kitchen are. Ask staff about cross-contact if that matters to you.

For a closer look at how US beef is labeled, see our page on whether beef is halal.

• UK: Check the store name against the current list on the Five Guys UK halal page ^[2]. At a fully certified store, look for the HCO certificate.
• Ask about bacon and beer if the store is in the halal-beef group. These stores serve both ^[2].
• US and Canada: Assume the beef is not halal, as Five Guys states ^[1]. A branch claim otherwise would need a certificate to back it up.
• Abroad: In markets such as Malaysia, Five Guys has said it uses halal-certified beef ^[4]. Look for a local certificate, such as JAKIM, at the counter.

If there's no certified Five Guys near you, compare other burger chains:

• Is Shake Shack halal?
• Is In-N-Out halal?
• Is Smashburger halal?
• Is McDonald's halal?

Many US cities also have independent halal burger shops. Ask to see the certificate before you order.