The platter is on the move

If you've ever stood in a lunch line in downtown Boston for a heaping tray of chicken over rice drowned in white sauce, this one's for you. Chicken & Rice Guys, the Boston halal street-food favorite, is expanding in two directions this fall: west to Worcester and north to Woburn.

Worcester, your lunch break just got an upgrade

Since late September, Chicken & Rice Guys has been serving weekday lunch out of Cafe Nexus at 6 Waldo St. in downtown Worcester, Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Worcester Business Journal reported. According to the Journal, the company said in a social media comment that Worcester is a trial for the next few months. So if you want it to stay, show up.

On the menu, per Patch: halal chicken, beef and lamb gyro, and tofu, served over rice, in a salad, or with pita, plus combo plates, hummus, baklava, and a lineup of sauces. Can't make it in person? The WBJ says delivery is available through services including Uber Eats and DoorDash.

Cafe Nexus itself opened in May and serves coffee, crepes, and sandwiches, and it has gaming consoles for customers. Lunch and a round of Mario Kart? We won't judge.

North Shore and Route 128 crew: Woburn is next

Closer to Boston, the company is moving its warehouse and commissary from Ferry Street in Everett, its home for 10 years, to a 4,834-square-foot space at 218 West Cummings Park in Woburn. A press release said operations were set to begin in October, with takeout to follow. No takeout start date has been announced yet.

"After 10 years operating out of Everett, we needed a base built for where we're headed next," co-founder and operating manager Jaemin Lee said in the release, as reported by NBC Boston. "Woburn broadens the boundaries of where we can operate and opens up markets we haven't been able to reach from inside the city."

Landlord Cummings Properties said some of the company's busiest shifts already run in Burlington, Lexington, and Waltham. It expects the Woburn site to serve as a launchpad for growth along the I-93, I-95, and Route 3 corridors. Translation: more trucks, closer to the suburbs.

From one truck to a regional favorite

The company began with a single food truck in 2012. It now runs restaurants, a fleet of trucks, and a catering business. Its Boston restaurants are at 280 Washington St., 85 Bedford St., and 17 Drydock Ave., and truck schedules are posted at cnrguys.com.

The bigger picture: halal is having a moment

The expansion lines up with a national trend. A Research and Markets report published October 14 projects that the North American halal food market will grow from $109.59 billion in 2025 to $247.42 billion by 2034. The report credits rising demand for certified products, multicultural eating, and wider retail and online availability.

Before you go

  • Halal note: The company's website describes its food as "Boston's Middle Eastern Halal Street Food" and lists "Halal Chicken" on the menu. We have not independently confirmed a certifying body. If you have questions about specific items, such as the gyro, ask staff when you order.
  • Check first: Worcester is a trial run, and Woburn takeout has no start date yet. Confirm hours at cnrguys.com before you head out.

Tried the Worcester spot yet? Tag us with your platter pic.

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