The list of fast food chains in France has a new addition – BKM or Beurger King Muslim, which hopes to rival “McDo”, Quick and KFC with a gut appeal to the country’s large Muslim minority.
Young female employees face no ban on wearing the Islamic veils outlawed in French schools as they serve up burgers that would be off-limits for a religious crowd at competitors Quick or McDonalds.
Though “Muslim” fast food abounds in France with endless street-side shawarma shops selling sliced-meat sandwiches or kebabs, Beurger King Muslim is the first to clone the set-up and decor of American-style fast food joints so popular among French youth.
And not without humour. The name is a play on both the huge American chain as well as the French slang word “beur”, which means second generation North Africans living in France.
Customers can order “bakon halal”- a bacon burger made with halal meat, or meat prepared according to Muslim ritual, “double koull cheese” — “koull means “eat” in Arabic, or “koull filet”.
The first – and only – shop so far opened its doors last month in Clichy-sous-Bois, a suburb of Paris.
BKM’s originators said they hope to create a franchise and set up Beurger King Muslims all around France – whose five million Muslims represent eight percent of the country’s overall population.
I think this is very interesting.
It’s always good to see businesses like this popping up and creating more jobs for people in these neighbourhoods.
I wonder how the food tastes though.
Anyone in France willing to check it out and let us know?