McDonald’s Islamic Diet Lawsuit Settled For $700K In Michigan

A McDonald’s lawsuit over Islamic diet requirements has cost the chain $700,000 in a settlement, but the brand has not admitted wrongdoing in the case.

The McDonald’s Islamic diet lawsuit started back in 2011 when customer Ahmed Ahmed alleged that he was served a piece of chicken in one of the franchises in Michigan that was not slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law as had been suggested.

USAToday explains:

“The lawsuit alleged that Ahmed bought a chicken sandwich in September 2011 at a Dearborn McDonald’s but found it wasn’t halal — meaning it didn’t meet Islamic requirements for preparing food. Islam forbids consumption of pork, and God’s name must be invoked before an animal providing meat for consumption is slaughtered.”

According to the paper, the McDonald’s Islamic diet lawsuit was initiated when it was “confirmed from a source familiar with the inventory” that the Dearborn franchise had in actuality been guilty of serving non-halal food “on many occasions.”

The Fresno Bee cites the settlement notice as indicating halal procedures are respected in the two franchises:

“In the settlement notice, Finley’s Management said it ‘has a carefully designed system for preparing and serving halal such that halal chicken products are labeled, stored, refrigerated, and cooked in halal-only areas.'”

“The company added it trains its employees on preparing halal food and ‘requires strict adherence to the process.’ … He said although Ahmed believes McDonald’s was negligent, there was no evidence that the chain set out to deceive customers.”

After the McDonald’s Islamic diet lawsuit was settled, a lawyer for Ahmed said that “McDonald’s from the very beginning stepped up and took this case very seriously.”