Is Noodles & Company Halal?
No. Noodles & Company is not halal certified in the United States. The chain holds no halal certification at any of its 450-plus locations. The chicken and beef used across the menu are not sourced from halal-certified suppliers. Pork is present in multiple menu items, including bacon-containing dishes and pork sausage offerings. Muslims seeking certified halal food cannot rely on Noodles & Company for a compliant meal.
Why Noodles & Company Is Not Halal in the USA
Noodles & Company (ticker: NDLS) is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. The company operates more than 450 fast-casual noodle restaurants in 29 US states. The menu spans Asian, American, and Mediterranean noodle styles, with dishes including Pad Thai, Japanese Pan Noodles, Pesto Cavatappi, and Wisconsin Mac and Cheese.
The proteins used at Noodles & Company, including chicken, beef, shrimp, and sausage, come from conventional US food suppliers. These suppliers do not use halal slaughter methods. The chicken is not zabiha certified. For chicken and beef to qualify as halal, slaughter must follow Islamic requirements: a Muslim must invoke God’s name at the point of slaughter, and blood must drain completely. Noodles & Company’s protein supply chain does not meet these conditions.
No halal certifying body in the USA has certified Noodles & Company or any of its protein suppliers. IFANCA, AHF, and ISA have no active certifications for the chain. The Noodles & Company website and allergen guide do not mention halal status.
Noodles & Company has no international locations. All restaurants operate within the United States. There are no halal-certified Noodles & Company locations anywhere.
Pork Items on the Noodles & Company Menu
Pork appears in several dishes across the Noodles & Company menu:
- BBQ Pork Mac and Cheese: slow-braised BBQ pork over mac and cheese with crispy jalapenos and green onions
- Bacon Mac and Cheese: a variant of the Wisconsin Mac and Cheese topped with bacon
- Pork Sausage: available as a protein add-on in some bowls
Pork is not limited to a single item. It appears in both the main menu and as a customization option. This means pork is handled in the kitchen daily at every location, not just at select stores.
Shrimp is offered as a protein in the Pad Thai and other noodle bowls. Shrimp is generally considered halal, but since it is prepared in the same kitchen as pork and non-halal chicken, the shared equipment presents a contamination concern.
Cross-Contamination Risks at Noodles & Company
Noodles & Company kitchens use shared pots, pans, prep surfaces, and utensils across all menu items. There is no separation between pork-handling stations and non-pork stations. A wok used for Pad Thai with chicken may be used to cook a dish that previously contained pork sausage.
The chain’s allergen guide states that shared kitchen equipment means cross-contact with allergens cannot be guaranteed. This disclaimer applies equally to cross-contact between halal and non-halal proteins.
Sauces and broths are made in large batches. The broth or sauce base for some Asian dishes may be produced in facilities or using equipment shared with pork products.
Pasta and noodles (egg noodles, rice noodles, penne) are cooked in shared water. While the noodles themselves contain no meat, they are boiled and sauced in a kitchen environment where pork is present daily.
Safe Options for Muslims at Noodles & Company
For Muslims who eat at Noodles & Company due to limited options or group settings, the following items contain no meat and no direct pork ingredients:
- Wisconsin Mac and Cheese (plain, no protein added): pasta with cheese sauce. Contains dairy and wheat. No meat in the base dish.
- Pesto Cavatappi (no protein): pasta with basil pesto, Parmesan, roasted tomatoes, and spinach. Pesto contains Parmesan cheese with unconfirmed rennet source.
- Zucchini noodle (zoodle) substitution: available in place of any noodle for lower-carb or plant-based preferences. No meat content.
- Side salads and vegetables: available as add-ons with no meat.
All of these items are prepared in a kitchen that handles pork and non-halal chicken daily. Muslims who follow stricter halal standards that include avoidance of kitchens where pork is cooked should not eat at Noodles & Company.
The vegetarian food halal question applies here: vegetarian dishes from a non-halal kitchen do not carry halal certification, and cross-contact is possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Noodles & Company halal certified?
No. Noodles & Company holds no halal certification in the United States. No Islamic certifying body, including IFANCA, AHF, or ISA, has certified the chain or its protein suppliers. The company does not claim halal status on its website or nutrition materials.
Does Noodles & Company serve pork?
Yes. Pork appears in multiple menu items at Noodles & Company, including BBQ Pork Mac and Cheese, Bacon Mac and Cheese, and pork sausage protein add-ons. Pork is handled in the kitchen at all locations.
Is the Wisconsin Mac and Cheese at Noodles & Company halal?
The Wisconsin Mac and Cheese base dish contains no meat. However, it is not halal certified, and it is prepared in a kitchen that handles pork and non-halal chicken. The dish is not an option for Muslims who require certified halal food or who avoid shared-kitchen environments with pork.
Is Pad Thai at Noodles & Company halal?
No. The Pad Thai at Noodles & Company is served with chicken or shrimp, neither of which is halal certified. The chicken is from a non-halal supplier. The dish is cooked on shared equipment in a kitchen that also handles pork. It is not a halal option.