Food Choices, Please...

I recently authored a thread on the redflagdeals.com food forum about halal chicken, and how the Popeye's chicken chain has seemingly changed their whole selection to only offer halal chicken. I was just curious as to whether this was a corporate standard (based on the responses thus far, it sounds like it is). Well, I can say that I won't be eating at Popeye's Chicken anymore. I don't like establishments that will slowly change things to suit one group / demographic of people, essentially ostracizing the rest of the consumers. In this case, Popeye's appears to be targeting the muslim food consumers, which is fine if that is what their direction is, but in so doing, I suspect that any new customers gained will be offset with customers who will no longer buy from them as they are no longer given a choice. Based on a number of responses so far, that is in fact, what is happening.

Now, I know what you may be thinking - what is the big deal? Chicken is chicken. It doesn't taste any different, I know. This issue is addressed right in the Bible (1 Corinthians, I believe) about eating meat sacrificed to idols. Now, I realize that the Bible's stance is that food is food, but each person should go with what their conscience and convictions indicate. In my case (and this may evidence my weaker maturity in these matters), I choose not to eat kosher or halal meats as I am not comfortable with the fact that these have gone through ritualistic killing (single slash to throat, bleed out animal) and blessed by a rabbi or imam. It would be nice if establishments realized that their clientele is as different as the food they serve and offer some variety. Not everyone who goes to Popeye's wants halal chicken, no matter what the logical reasoning one can give to serve it anyway. Similarly, not everyone wants kosher meats when they go to restaurants. I know Pickel Barrel (a large, Jewish-owned chain of restaurants in Toronto) offers kosher items, but at the very least, it is distinguished from non-kosher items, which, to their credit, they still offer (the last I checked).

I guess it's no different than some computer stores like Tiger Direct only offering certain brands for sale (trust me, they don't sell all brands). I tend to avoid Tiger Direct as well. No one likes to be pushed to buy in a particular direction, whether it is a consumer electronic item, or a food product. I am neither muslim nor jewish, so I am exercising my choice not to buy products that have gone through other faith rituals with which I neither subscribe nor to which I adhere.