Is Subway halal?

Halal and non-halal Subway stores

Subway is a franchise, so menus differ by country and even by store. In Muslim-majority countries, Subway is normally halal. In the UK and Ireland, some stores are certified halal: they serve halal chicken and beef, swap ham and bacon for turkey versions, and show a halal certificate in the window. In the USA and most of Europe, the meat is not halal-slaughtered and the menu includes pork.

Islam allows the good things and asks us to check that meat is lawful:

What to order at a regular Subway

• Veggie Delite or a veggie patty, if the patty has no animal ingredients.
• Tuna: fish needs no slaughter, so the tuna mix is generally fine.
• Cheese, salad, breads and most sauces are usually halal by ingredients.
• Avoid: ham, bacon, pepperoni, salami, and the chicken, turkey and beef, which are not halal-slaughtered in a regular store.

The ruling is similar to other fast-food chains. See Can I still eat at McDonald's as a Muslim?

Cross-contamination at the counter

At Subway the same gloves and knife often touch every sandwich. You can politely ask the staff to change gloves and use a clean knife; most are happy to do it. If a crumb slips through by accident, most scholars say you aren't sinful for what you couldn't control. See Is it haram to eat food that touched pork?

Can I eat the chicken at a non-halal store?

Most scholars say no, because the chicken isn't slaughtered the Islamic way. A minority view allows meat from Christian or Jewish suppliers based on Quran 5:5, but that view is debated when the meat is machine-slaughtered or stunned. See Is all chicken halal? The safer choice is to save the chicken sub for a halal store.