Yes indeed they may (as of this week) be the largest fast-food chain on Earth, but they’ve certainly pissed this customer off (yes, me) big time with their Halal policy.
First things first. I’m not banging on the rights and wrongs of Halal slaughter. That’s been far more eloquently debated elsewhere than I’m able to do. No, what really sticks in my craw is the default belief that me and other yids in my area (Palmers Green, London N13) my Christian pals, the Zoroastrians and Hindus – and in fact anyone else non-Islamic will (a) welcome SUBWAY’s blanket decision that we eat Halal slaughtered meat or (b) we are not the sort of customers they want. Here’s the story.
1. Brand new SUBWAY opens up in PG a few weeks back.
2. A discreet and at that point unseen by me sign on the window displays in Arabic and English the ethos: “All Meats Are HALAL”
3. I munch a standard meat-filled sandwich and sit gazing around the shop interior. I pick up a SUBWAY handbill entitled SUBWAY stores ‘Halal” FAQ. It tells me that (apparently) they believe in "working closely with local communities."
4. Apparently there has been a “strong demand” for this. I guess they are referring to PG.
Now then, PG is has a large Greek population. Been like this for years. I know quite a few. None of them are Muslims. There are a smattering of Turkish origin people here too. I know some of them. Roughly half are Islamic inclined and the others are not. And then there are few yids like me. There are some toy-boy goy-boys, druggies, a poet or two, a few ageing hookers, a large collection of blues slide guitarists, apprentice villains, a retired pathologist, 4 official witches, and a whole lot more. Not a particularly close-knit community but close enough to get the drift of an impending riot from those demanding Halal meat in the local eateries. I kept my ears and eyes open. Not a sound. Not a glimpse.
