Is Guac Time Halal?

Guac Time Mexican Grill opened its first restaurant in New York City in June 2021. By early 2024 it had ten locations, with three more on the way, including one in Jersey City ^[1].

The chain says all of its meat is HFSAA-certified, hand-cut zabiha halal ^[1]. A 2025 profile by the Food Atlas of New York, a City University of New York project, describes the meat the same way ^[2].

This is a stronger claim than "we use halal chicken." It covers all the meat, and it says the animals are hand-slaughtered. HFSAA is a US halal certifier. If you only eat meat from hand-slaughtered animals, the words "hand-cut zabiha" are the detail to look for.

Guac Time serves fast, casual Mexican food. The Food Atlas profile highlights its guacamole, made fresh each day ^[2].

Because the halal claim covers all meat ^[1], the main proteins should fall under it. Still, menus change and new items are added. If you see a meat you have not ordered before, it is fair to ask whether it comes from the same certified supplier.

We did not find a published list of every supplier or of non-meat ingredients such as cheese and sauces. If those matter to you, ask the branch. Some people also check whether cheese is made with animal rennet. Our beef page and chicken page explain how slaughter rules apply.

Guac Time is growing quickly, so a new branch may not have its paperwork on display yet. Use these steps at any branch:

1. Look for the HFSAA certificate. It should be on display, name the restaurant and show a valid date.
2. Check the date. An expired certificate is not proof of current status.
3. Ask about new menu items. Confirm that limited-time proteins come from the same certified supplier.
4. Check the certifier yourself. HFSAA has state pages on its website where you can look for the restaurant.

One profile we read listed slightly different addresses for the same restaurant ^[2]. This is common for fast-growing chains, so confirm details with the branch before a special trip.

If you order through a delivery app, the halal label on the app is set by the restaurant or the app, not by a certifier. It is a helpful hint, but the certificate at the branch is the real proof.

If there is no Guac Time near you, compare other Mexican chains. Our pages on Chipotle and Taco Bell cover two of the biggest names. We also have pages on Guacado and Talkin' Tacos, which many halal diners ask about.

A fully halal chain makes ordering simpler, because you don't have to sort halal items from non-halal ones. Wherever you eat, the certificate on the wall is the best proof.