The Halal Guys (New York City, 1990-2014)
Three Egyptian immigrants ran a hot dog cart in midtown Manhattan, then pivoted to chicken and gyro platters. The cart drew lines for two decades before the owners opened their first brick-and-mortar shop in 2014 and grew into a national chain.
Storefront demand turned the cart's street-level cult into a fast-casual business with locations across the U.S.
It became the standard example of a mobile food brand graduating to permanent real estate — a path Cluck Truck is trying.
Halal Guys shows the graduation route: build a following on the street, then convert it into a permanent space. Cluck Truck is attempting the same move a decade into its run.
