Updated at 4:25 p.m. on 8/8/2024 — Char’d will get a grand opening at Tysons Galleria at noon on Aug. 18, the business announced on Instagram.
Earlier: A food truck that sells halal burgers has staked out a spot in Tysons Galleria (2001 International Drive) for its first brick-and-mortar location.
Char’d hopes to open on the mall’s third floor near Andy’s Pizza and Shotted in the former Urbanspace food hall by the end of July, chef and co-founder Khallil Daher told FFXnow.
A former automotive engineer, Daher later transitioned into cooking at restaurants and realized he enjoyed working with food. When he and a business partner began cooking up ideas for their own venture, they decided a food truck would be a less risky starting point.
Char’d launched as a truck serving Northern Virginia in April 2023 before expanding with a second truck in Maryland last November. Both trucks will continue to operate after the Tysons Galleria eatery opens.
“Thankfully, we’ve had overwhelming support from the community, and we’ve been able to get to this point where we can open a brick-and-mortar because people really love us,” Daher said.
In addition to being halal, Char’d stresses its use of all-natural, fresh ingredients, including grass-fed beef that’s never frozen and buns sourced from a small-batch bakery.
The short menu consists of an original Char’d burger — a single or double beef patty with American cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles and a special Char’d sauce — as well as a hot option with jalapenos. Customers can also order a grilled cheese sandwich, and chicken wings were added earlier this year.
“Our burgers don’t leave anybody feeling heavy after they’re done eating,” Daher said. “They’re light, and I can safely say they’re healthy. My kids eat them, I eat them. We don’t use artificial or cheap ingredients.”
Another point of pride is the business’ commitment to paying all of its workers a living wage, with its food truck operators typically making $70,000 to $80,000 a year, according to Daher.
“That’s something that we definitely wanted to make sure we do, because with…food costs going up, rent costs going up, everything going up, it’s become increasingly harder for people to make ends meet,” he said. “That was one of the things my business partner and I both said…If we go into this business, we want to make sure the people who work for us, they are getting paid.”
Tysons Galleria was a logical choice for the company’s first brick-and-mortar location, since it already has a customer base in the area. The Northern Virginia truck’s regular stops include the nearby office building at 1753 Pinnacle Drive.
Announced in late March, the new stall will bring some additional menu items, but it will also require adjustments. Daher hopes the team will be able to speed up their operations, while maintaining the quality and freshness of the food.
“With a food truck, people don’t mind waiting, but with a brick-and-mortar, people typically want their food as soon as possible,” he observed.
Opening in Tysons Galleria is just the start of Daher’s ambitions for Char’d, which has set a goal of expanding to 100 locations in the next five years.
First, though, the chef is just looking forward to getting the Tysons site up and running and serving up burgers tasty enough to make his customers’ day.
“They’re looking for something to give them some comfort or something that you know is going to be satisfying,” he said. “It’s going to hit that spot, and I’m just looking forward to providing that to more people.”
