Is Dave's Hot Chicken Halal or Haram?

Download Article

Plus, learn the difference between halal and haram foods

Co-authored by Belal Elkadri and Bertha Isabel Crombet, PhD

Last Updated: November 11, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

• Is it halal?
|
• Halal vs. Haram Food
|
• Final Takeaways
|
• Video

|Show more |Show less

Founded in 2017, Dave’s Hot Chicken is a popular fast-casual food spot serving up Nashville hot fried chicken. But is Dave’s Hot Chicken considered halal? If you’re a Muslim who’s been curious to try this fried chicken joint, keep reading for a breakdown of the company’s halal policies and what you can expect. We also provide expert insights from Islamic educator Belal Elkadri on what makes something halal (permissible) or haram (forbidden).

Is Dave's Hot Chicken halal?

Dave's Hot Chicken has not made an official statement about the halal status of their U.S. stores. Some external sources claim that all of their U.S. locations are halal, but call your local store and ask directly to be safe. Halal chicken is slaughtered humanely by a Muslim who speaks God's name before the killing.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

Is Dave's Hot Chicken halal or haram?

Download Article

1. 
   The halal status of Dave’s Hot Chicken varies by location. The U.S. website for Dave’s Hot Chicken makes no mention of the chicken being halal, and no official statement has been released otherwise. Many Muslims believe that it’s best to err on the side of caution and assume that the chicken is not halal. However, calling your local Dave’s location ahead of time to ask directly is advised.

   • The U.K. website for Dave’s states that the chicken is halal. They add that the chicken is sourced from trusted suppliers and that the company cares about the welfare of their animals, which is why they’re slaughtered humanely according to Islamic principles.
     • Locations in Muslim-majority countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE are all halal.
   • Some external sources claim that all of Dave’s locations in North America are halal certified, but you can call ahead and request to see your local store’s halal certification when you get there to be sure.
   • Make sure the halal certification comes from a reputable source. Some foods may be labeled as halal without meeting all the requirements.
   • The health of the animal, the slaughter, and the cooking process are all important factors when it comes to halal compliance.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Belal Elkadri is an Islamic education expert. He is passionate about challenging the stigmas plaguing the Muslim community and bridging the gap through education.
Advertisement

Section 2 of 3:

Halal vs. Haram Food

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Halal chicken is slaughtered in compliance with Islamic principles. According to Elkadri, chicken is halal only if it has been “slaughtered in a halal manner.” The Quran states that to be considered halal, a chicken has to be in good health before its death. A Muslim must invoke Allah’s name before doing the killing, and the killing itself should be done quickly and humanely, by slicing the bird’s throat, jugular vein, and windpipe all at once.

   • Some Islamic scholars firmly believe that the animal needs to be hand-slaughtered and that machine-slaughtered animals are not halal.
     • Their main argument is that it’s nearly impossible to ensure that every animal is properly blessed before its death, since they tend to involve large-scale productions.
   • Other scholars insist that machine-slaughter is permissible as long as Allah’s name is spoken by a Muslim before every killing with reputable Muslim oversight.
   • Machine-slaughter facilities are also more likely to accidentally stun their animals to death before cutting their throats, which is not halal.
   • Ultimately, the subject of machine-slaughter is hotly debated in the Muslim communities, with many Muslims preferring only to eat hand-slaughtered halal meat to be safe.
2. 
   2
   Foods considered haram include pork, blood, and the meat of animals that were found dead. Elkadri explains, “Haram means that things are prohibited.” He says that there are “certain things that Muslims don't do,” and “God says not to eat pork,” for example. Pork is considered unclean, as is blood and carnivorous animals like vultures, lions, and wolves. Here are some other things to know about forbidden foods in Islam:

   • Any animal that was found dead instead of slaughtered or was slaughtered improperly is considered haram. This applies to seafood, too.
   • Intoxicants like alcohol or psychedelic mushrooms are also prohibited.
   • Classifying foods as haram or halal can vary, and there is also a third option of classification: makruh, meaning something that is disliked or discouraged.
   • Elkadri shares that Muhammad warned Muslims to “stay far away from those shaded areas where it's borderline haram.” He adds, “You don't want to fall into that trap of haram. You want to try your best to stay pure from the things that God has prohibited.”
Advertisement

Section 3 of 3:

Final Takeaways

Download Article

1. 
   In the U.S., Dave's Hot Chicken doesn’t claim official halal status for all its restaurants, but there may be a halal-certified location in your area, so call ahead to ask, and request to see their certification upon arrival. Although the chicken at some Dave’s locations may not be halal, there are some halal menu items to try. Beverages like milkshakes and unsweetened sweet tea are perfectly fine to drink. Sides like cheese fries, mac and cheese, and kale slaw are all vegetarian and therefore halal as well.

   • Similar to other Islamic beliefs, choosing to eat chicken without knowing if it is certified halal is a personal choice that requires research and reflection.
   • Seek counsel with your imam or local Islamic educator if you need to.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Video

Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!