This location just recently opened a few months ago in mid-2017. It is located in a large shopping complex surrounded by many large corporate offices at a busy intersection of Orlando. They offer an array of sandwiches, salads and rice bowls. This restaurant uses the “Subway” model of service, in that meals are made fresh-to-order with the customer’s guidance.
Food
They offer a fresh/healthy alternative to traditional fast-food lunch choices. When you enter the restaurant, it is set up very much like a Subway/Quiznos Sandwich shop. All the meats, produce, breads and sauces are on display for customers to see and select. The menu does offer some of their suggested items, but essentially with all the ingredients on display you can build your own sandwich, salad or rice bowl just the way you like it. One nice touch is that they toast their buns and melt the cheese to create a warm sandwich. One drawback is that the meats are all pre-cooked, so they do lose their fresh taste if they have been sitting in the bin for a period of time. However this is how many fast food restaurants operate to improve efficiency and speed for customers.
The only item on the menu that employees mentioned was NOT Halal was the Baja chicken soup. All other items on the menu were verbally confirmed as halal.
Location
The restaurant is located in a large shopping complex on the opposite end of the Wal-Mart. A good landmark is the 7-11 Convenience Store and Gas station. It is located in a business district with many corporate offices, so it is well suited for the office worker lunch crowd. Visitors to Orlando may find it to be a little far if they are staying close to the tourist attractions, but isn’t hard to find.
The restaurant looks very clean and well lit. The seating area is located in the front and the counter area for ordering is located in the back. The rest room is clean and well kept. There is ample parking in front of the location.
Service
As with many fast-casual restaurants, the key to success is fast, friendly service. The employees were very friendly and efficient. They interact with customers as they are making the order and asking about various options as they build the sandwich. Service can slow down if the store is busy or if there is an indecisive customer debating all the pro and cons of the various topping for their order.
Price
A large flat screen above the counter displays the menu and size option. There is very little variation in pricing between the different menu items which simplifies the order and payment process. Since the menu consists of many fresh and perishable produce, the cost reflects this nature so you can expect to pay between $5 and $10 per item. The nice feature is that Muslims can enjoy a halal version of Subway and explore all the protein options and not just be limited to veggie or tuna.
Overall
For most, seeking healthy halal options can be difficult especially on the go. This restaurant provides a fast-casual Subway like solution where you can find healthy items that are also halal. In American society, the menu isn’t very innovative but it serves to provide a great base of sandwiches to choose from. A nice feature is that they toast their breads and cheese so the sandwich isn’t cold. Also nice is the wide array of items they offer, so you can customize the sandwich the way you want it.
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