Images

There are rumours that Al Baik is opening in Pakistan — but what is it?

There are rumours that Al Baik is opening in Pakistan — but what is it?

Headquartered in Jeddah, the fast food chain sells fried chicken and the most delicious garlic sauce.
12 Oct, 2024

Al Baik, the famed Saudi fried chicken chain restaurant, might be coming to Pakistan. This begs the questions, what is Al Baik and why is it debuting in our country?

Headquartered in Jeddah, Al Baik primarily sells broasted chicken, fries, nuggets and a myriad of sauces and people LOVE it — to say they eat it up would be an understatement.

As one X (formerly Twitter) user put it, their pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia is incomplete without this delicious chicken.

The craze migrated to Pakistan, of course, and there are now social media groups dedicated to people bringing frozen Al Baik chicken nuggets and selling them in Pakistan.

So, how’s it coming to Pakistan? Well, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Saudi Arabia’s Al Baik Food System Company and Gas and Oil Pakistan Ltd under the Saudi Ministry of Investment, the Associate Press of Pakistan reported.

The agreement will explore the possibility of establishing a strategic partnership to set up and operate Al Baik restaurants in Pakistan. So don’t get your hopes for fried chicken too high — it might all get tossed out the fryer.

Why do people like it so much, you may wonder? Because who doesn’t love some fried chicken?! And while Saudi’s answer to KFC definitely lives up to the hype, it’s their garlic sauce that has people going absolutely nuts.

Thick, garlicky and a perfect accompaniment to the greasy, crispy chicken, the sauce is what slays the hardest — any Al Baik meal is incomplete without it. It’s so good that local chains (looking at you Kababjees) offer a dupe version, which, to be very honest doesn’t even come close to the real thing.

Trust us, you gotta try the sauce to be a believer.

The people of Pakistan are quite excited about Al Baik’s arrival — what can we say, we’re a food-obsessed nation. Here’s what some netizens said.

Will you be running to your nearest branch if Al Baik actually opens an outlet in Pakistan? (Because you can bet we’ll be there!)

Comments

Taj Ahmad Oct 12, 2024 06:19pm
Welcome Al Baik in Pakistan, I tasted fried chicken in Madina, Saudi Arabia back in 2013 and I still remembered the great taste of fried chicken, I’m sure if Al Baik opened store in all big cities of Pakistan, people will loved it and enjoy the taste of all foods at Al Baik.
Recommend
Ehsan Oct 12, 2024 07:37pm
We get impressed very easily with anything from abroad, last time I tried it. It was average food, much better. Chicken is available in Pakistan, but obviously not in a franchise format.
Recommend
Zeeshan Oct 12, 2024 08:14pm
I do not like AlBaik chicken.
Recommend
ejaz Oct 12, 2024 08:47pm
Nope. I will not be running to Al baik branch. Fried chicken is as bad whether it comes from KFC, Al baik, Chuch or from any other source. greasy bad is bad whatever the source.
Recommend
ZH Oct 12, 2024 10:08pm
All fast foods are unhealthy.
Recommend
NYS Oct 12, 2024 10:34pm
Retail therapy ... Another food chain offer new taste Gateway fried chicken in variety
Recommend
M.Saeed Oct 12, 2024 10:39pm
Nobody tells about the damage to the Pakistani wallets Albaik would inflict knowing well, the Saudi peoples' money frolics.
Recommend
Fast comment Oct 12, 2024 10:52pm
Quality matters, whether it’s KFC, McDonald, or any other brand. Al Baik has more spice, more garlic paste, if you ask for spice, any outlet can give. The FDA watch US outlets, don’t know who watch Pakistan based outlets.
Recommend
- Me Oct 12, 2024 11:08pm
Never found it to be anything extraordinary. The good thing is they'll be able to confront the two branches running by the same name and logo in Pindi.
Recommend
Rafi Oct 12, 2024 11:24pm
we already have one in Peshawar with the same manu & taste.
Recommend
Qayum Oct 13, 2024 02:44am
Tried it once but never again. It was below average. Pakistan has some of the best cuisine in the world... Al baik is just not good enough
Recommend
Anonymouseee Oct 13, 2024 03:06am
No businesss should be given to any of these Saudi entities that support genocide in Palestine. They have peace treaties with terrorist Israel.
Recommend
Farrukh Oct 13, 2024 03:47am
Please file cases on all fake albaiks here
Recommend
Anees Oct 13, 2024 05:13am
This is amazing!! My wife and kids are so excited. They used to (jokingly) call the Arabic text/name 'Aik Labbaik". Also, you forgot to mention their ice cream (available at some branches) that is equally enjoyable.
Recommend
Ghulam Hussain Oct 13, 2024 06:00am
wel com Albaik in pakistan. Very good taste and.....................
Recommend
Nadeem Oct 13, 2024 07:57am
Saw them in Dubai, there were huge lines so went to try it once and would not touch it again, the huge queues were due to its budget prices not taste, Dry and tasteless. Why can't we promote our own numerous local brands and make own country wise chains?
Recommend
Sl Oct 13, 2024 09:18am
Watch Out KFc End is Near! Bravo Al Baik.
Recommend
Sak Oct 13, 2024 10:12am
People were expecting some other type of investment in this Oil & Gas company. So the MOU between Aramco & our Oil company for this chicken franchise is like truck ki batti… It will keep us busy for some time.
Recommend
Ali Raza Oct 13, 2024 11:49am
Come fast plz
Recommend
Salim Oct 13, 2024 12:00pm
Don't know what's the hype? I had eaten it and it's just another fried chicken. But then everyone has got their own taste preferences.
Recommend
Kashif Oct 13, 2024 12:40pm
As @Ehsan said its average food, we've based in UAE and tried it but its simply super hyped maybe because its from SA and many find it some spiritual attachment with it.
Recommend
Make in Pakistan Oct 13, 2024 03:04pm
We should support local chains and some are very good.
Recommend
Asad Oct 13, 2024 04:26pm
Very overrated. Even the locals don't enjoy it much. Liked only by expats mainly South Asians as it is very cheap. Also, Pakistanis like to obsess over everything Arab, including Al Baik.
Recommend
Dr. Salaria Amir Ahmed Oct 13, 2024 05:35pm
Welcome to Pakistan. My late husband loved it
Recommend
F Oct 13, 2024 05:35pm
Welcome Welcome!!!
Recommend
Saim Oct 13, 2024 07:59pm
Program to chal gyaa
Recommend
Khurram shahzad Oct 14, 2024 12:34am
It is very great decision to open al baik in Pakistan. U all may know albaik donate 2 riyal on every broast. Al baik may be shut down all other mafia brands who sale broast. Low quality and high price. Al baik price in saudia in too low from other all broast shops.
Recommend
Kashif Urfan Oct 14, 2024 02:00am
It's overrated and nothing special. Dry and not succulent.at all. Don't know why everyone is going gaga over it. It's strictly average.
Recommend
Umar Oct 14, 2024 10:04am
For your information it is already in Peshawar opened about an year ago.
Recommend
Hassaan Abedi Oct 14, 2024 11:23am
Love it, specially Shrimp Sandwich of Al-Baik is of another level.
Recommend
M. Emad Oct 14, 2024 12:22pm
The famed Saudi food chain Al Baik's fried chicken will be too expensive for the average Pakistani people.
Recommend
Aj Oct 14, 2024 12:43pm
Definitely Yes.................
Recommend
Abdul Samad Oct 14, 2024 12:48pm
Alhamdulillah, I went to Saudi Arabia for Hajj in 2024 and had the chance to try Al Baik. I really enjoyed their nuggets and burgers, especially the fish nuggets, though the broast didn’t appeal to me as much. The sauces at Al Baik were amazing too. I wish Al Baik would open branches in every city of Pakistan.
Recommend
Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Oct 14, 2024 01:18pm
Pak-Saudi friendship; Zindabaad.
Recommend
Ad Oct 14, 2024 01:34pm
Keep dreaming. KFC is still number 1. AlBaik is tasteless, cheap broast. Its garlic sauce is only good thing. Other wise Albaik broast is just average. You can't compete with KFC. Even Lahore Broast and Yasir broast are 100 times better than AlBaik pathetic broast.
Recommend
Dr.Zafar Nasir Oct 14, 2024 02:26pm
I believe that Al-Baik is a renouned branch. It is well established in Saudi Arabia. I have no qualms about its taste. Most welcome in Pakistan.
Recommend
Laila Oct 14, 2024 04:14pm
@ DR. SALARIA, AAMIR AHMAD What friendship? It seems you, like most Pakistanis, are not aware of, how Saudis treat Pakistanis. Annually they execute allegedly criminal Pakistanis. No due process or fair trials. We sit and smile and feign brotherhood because we take their money (loans to be paid back with interest) from a country who is government and monarchy is complicit in gross human rights violations (human trafficking like Pakistani children and girls taken to Saudi Arabia for you know what), immorality and murder (did you forget Khashoggi?). Kindly also spend some time educating yourself on our ties with other countries. Things are far from as rosy red as we think they are.
Recommend
Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Oct 14, 2024 05:07pm
United we stand, divided we fall.
Recommend