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A Taste of New York City

We, at The Flight Deal, love our food as much as we love our travels. From the street stands to the Michelin-star rated restaurants, we strongly believe there is something delicious to be found everywhere throughout the food spectrum. We are fortunate enough to be based in New York City, where access to all types of cuisines is unlimited.

Amongst our favorites, one of our guilty pleasures is The Halal Guys. What started out as a street cart in midtown Manhattan, notorious for queues stretching the length of a city block, has now evolved into an ever-expanding food cart and restaurant business. Any New Yorker can likely share a tale about standing in that crazy line at some odd hour of the day/night, waiting even up to 45 minutes in inclement weather, for a delicious rice plate…and still say that it was well worth it.

(We recommend getting the “combo over rice” with a generous heaping of white sauce and a dash of hot sauce. The “combo” has both chicken and beef.  Tip: the hot sauce is REALLY spicy, even for those who have a high tolerance for spice, so go easy with that one. If you are accidentally overzealous with the hot sauce, simply throw on some more white sauce to tone down the spice level.)

The platter – Photo: (c) The Flight Deal

Some people are surprised that there are several Halal Guys restaurants. Keep in mind that while the food pretty much tastes the same as what you would get at their food cart (bonus points for consistency!), there is a difference in pricing. At the restaurant, which is not really your typical sit-down restaurant (though there are limited tables and chairs), you have a choice between two platter sizes:  Regular and Small.  The Regular size is equivalent to what you would receive at the food carts but costs about $1 more at the restaurants.

However, what surprises people even more is the fact that they now have a Rewards Program!

The Halal Guys Rewards Program:

In a nutshell, their Rewards Program is your typical points-based program, where you accumulate points in order to earn something for free (in this case, a platter).

• Earn 1 point for each beverage, side dish, and/or dessert.
• Earn 2 points for each sandwich/gyro.
• Earn 3 points for each platter, regardless of which size you order.

Earn a free platter once you reach 50 points!

The reward card on our key fob – Photo: (c) The Flight Deal

Things to note:

You can pick up the rewards card at the register; however, you need to register the card yourself. (Most places that offer a rewards programs allow the cashier to register for you, but that is not so at The Halal Guys.)  You will have to go online to their website and enter in the unique card number along with your personal info.  This should only take you about 2 minutes to complete.

After you register your card, you will receive a free beverage at your next order. Also, you receive double points during your first 30 days from registration. Go treat your friends and family!

In our experience, the 14^th St/2^nd Ave location doesn’t do a very good job at asking or reminding you if you have their rewards card. (In fact, they barely even advertised it; we happened to see a pile of the Rewards Program brochures sitting on their counter and inquired about it.)  So don’t forget to scan your rewards card so you can start reaping those points!

We can only write about our experience based on the locations within New York City.  It seems that The Halal Guys has expanded, both domestically and internationally, and so we cannot say with certainty whether or not this Rewards Program applies at all locations.

Also, in case you are wondering, The Flight Deal is not affiliated with The Halal Guys in any way.  We are simply just a big fan of their food!

The Key Take Away:

So why did we write this? It literally has nothing to do with regular travel (unless you are visiting NYC!). But loyalty programs exist everywhere within the travel industry. It pains us when we see our fellow passengers booking flights but not attaching their frequent flyer number to their boarding pass. Frequent flyer programs are free so you should definitely sign up. Make use of the program as it can easily save you money in the long run. Ultimately, the cheapest way to travel is via miles and points. Don’t underestimate the value of these programs and what you may later get to redeem with the miles/points, just like getting a free meal and beverage at the Halal Guys using their rewards program.

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The Flight Deal does not sell travel products or services. We provide you with information about third-party travel suppliers’ offers, and link you to their sites. The information posted by The Flight Deal is valid at the time of publication. However, we have no control over the suppliers, and we therefore do not warrant or guarantee that their offers will not change or become unavailable. Nor are we responsible for their products, services or site content. Please see their sites for their most up-to-date offer information and all applicable terms and conditions.