Osama Hanif was as hungry for an opportunity to prove himself as he was to eat his favorite halal food in Kansas City, he said, reflecting on the years-long process to open an east coast franchise restaurant in the Midwest.
“Once I had my first taste of growing a company, I knew I wanted to keep it going. I am the type of person who jumps into the deep end and figures out how to swim,” said Hanif, a 23-year-old franchisee of the national food chain, The Halal Guys. “That is why we pursued opening The Halal Guys during the pandemic. No one wanted to open up a business at that time, but we saw the potential.”
The Halal Guys
The Halal Guys is a halal fast casual restaurant that got its start on the streets of New York City. Three Egyptian men recognized how Muslim cab drivers were looking for a place to enjoy halal food in Manhattan, so they bought a food cart and opened the first The Halal Guys in 1990. Since then, The Halal Guys has opened more than 100 brick-and-mortar restaurants across the globe, and Kansas City is getting its first taste.
Click here to learn more about The Halal Guys.
The grand opening for The Halal Guys’ Kansas City location was set for Friday. Throughout the grand opening celebration, Hanif and his team planned to host giveaways — with the most coveted prize being free The Halal Guys for one year (one platter a week for 52 weeks) for the first 10 people in line, he teased.
“Even if I wasn’t the one to bring The Halal Guys to Kansas City, I would be the first person in line when they opened,” Hanif said. “That is how much I love this food.”
All food served at The Halal Guys is halal certified. Halal is an Arabic word that means lawful or permitted, so halal food is that which adheres to Islamic law, Hanif explained.
“A prayer is said when the animal is slaughtered, and all of the blood is drained from the animal’s body,” he said. “That means that any toxins or potential disease causing agents are removed, so it’s a very high quality of meat. It’s better for you, and the animals are cared for humanely and responsibly.”
The Halal Guys offers beef gyro, chicken and falafel platters and sandwiches and is known for its world famous white sauce.
Click here to check out its full menu.
Osama Hanif, The Halal Guys
Ambition over age
Hanif had just turned 20 when he began applying to become a franchisee with The Halal Guys in 2020; but when he submitted the inquiry, he did so under his father’s name, he recalled.
“I wasn’t trying to trick anyone; I just knew he was going to be the one signing the papers,” Hanif said. “So I got a call from the franchise and they asked if this was [my father] Mohummad. I panicked and said yes and went on with the conversation. I was the one answering all of the emails and setting up the meetings. … I told them after about a month and proved to them that it’s not a matter of age — it’s a matter of hard work and willingness to learn.”
Growing up, Hanif watched videos about The Halal Guys and their food, quickly becoming captivated with the story and mission of the business, he shared.
“I was able to get the franchise on board, despite my age, because they realized that I wasn’t some young kid who liked The Halal Guys,” Hanif said. “I was a young kid who understood The Halal Guys.”
Although Hanif’s inquiry was under his father’s name, he and his father were on the same page that Hanif would be the one leading the franchise, he said.
“I can’t sit here and say that I did this all on my own because I’ve had a lot of support from my parents, my uncle and my dad’s business partners,” Hanif said, noting that his father is in the business of owning and operating gas stations. “They are the people who I call for advice. They let me make my own decisions, my mistakes, but they’re always there when I need them.”
The Halal Guys was also not Hanif’s first business venture. Restless during the pandemic, Hanif founded Nexus Wholesale Imports — a wholesale company that sells products to retail stores and gas stations.
“It grew very fast, and it was how I was able to prove to my dad that I was ready to take on something bigger,” Hanif explained. “It’s still in operation, but I was able to train other people on the business so that I could focus my efforts on The Halal Guys.”
While running Nexus Wholesale Imports and securing a partnership with The Halal Guys, Hanif graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a bachelor’s degree in finance in December 2021.
Anser Tai, Osama Hanif and Fahah Hanif, The Halal Guys
First of five
Hanif signed a five-store deal with The Halal Guys, allowing him to open up franchises in most of Missouri and part of Kansas.
The Halal Guys
“We can go all the way out to St. Louis, Missouri, and down to Otlathe,” he noted. “We’re trying to create this triangle of where we think the franchise will do the best.”
Originally, Hanif had his heart set on opening the first location in Midtown, he said.
“We really wanted to be in Midtown, but until the streetcar is ready to go and the construction is complete, I don’t think it’s wise to have a store there,” Hanif explained. “I can definitely see it being the location of our third or fourth restaurant. … The way we were thinking about finding a location from the beginning to where we ended was drastically different. We realized that the suburbs are where we need to start and then shift toward downtown.”
The first location just outside of Liberty, Missouri, is also located next to one of the busiest Chipotle restaurants in the Kansas City Metro, Hanif added.
“That was a huge selling point for us,” he said. “I’ve learned that passion is not enough to run a business; you have to sometimes take a step back and look at it from the standpoint of numbers.”
Hanif and his team are already on the hunt for securing a second location, he said, noting that he’s been talking with some building owners in Johnson County.
“Kansas City is very ready and excited for The Halal Guys,” Hanif said. “Ever since we announced that we were bringing it to Kansas City, I’ve had people commenting on social media every day asking when we were going to open. I am excited to finally share this food and this brand with everyone.”
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The American Dream
The story behind the Halal guys is the epitome of the American Dream, Hanif said.
“Three guys from Egypt immigrated to New York. They came to the land of opportunity, worked their butt off and created something amazing — to this day, the line never stops,” Hanif said. “It’s become a staple for the people of New York. Whether a person is eating The Halal Guys for the first time, or for the 1000th time, their reaction is still the same; their eyes light up, and they can’t believe how good it is.”
It’s a journey that Hanif sees for himself, he continued.
“My parents immigrated here from Pakistan and worked very hard to give me the opportunities to be able to go after my ambitions,” he shared. “When I look at The Halal Guys, I can just relate to their story.”
