Non-Halal Restaurant Offers Ramadan Menu, Sparks Outrage
The non-halal restaurant, Tyler’s Smoke House, located in Semarang, Central Java, has caused a stir on social media. The restaurant, known for selling pork-based dishes and alcohol, came under the spotlight after offering a Ramadan ‘iftar’ package, sparking debate among netizens.
The controversy emerged after an Instagram post by @hapsaries went viral and was shared by the co-founder of Halal Corner, Aisha Maharani, via her account @aishamaharani on Sunday (23/2/2026).
Aisha, in her post, highlighted the risk of consuming food in a place that sells haram (non-halal) products, especially during Ramadan when breaking the fast.
“Breaking the fast in a place that sells haram products. Instead of gaining blessings from fasting, there is a risk of losing those blessings due to contamination with haram products,” she wrote, as reported by detikFood.
Aisha also mentioned the regulations from the Halal Product Guarantee Organizing Agency (BPJPH), which require non-halal eateries to clearly state that they are ‘non-halal’, especially if they offer an ‘iftar’ menu.
Violations of these regulations can result in administrative sanctions, including warnings, fines, and product recalls, and may even lead to criminal charges of up to five years in prison or fines of up to IDR 2 billion, in accordance with the Consumer Protection Law.
Management Apologizes
The management of Tyler’s Smoke House issued a clarification and apology. The restaurant management acknowledged that there was an error in the use of the term ‘iftar’ in their promotional material. The term was deemed inappropriate and caused misunderstanding.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and misunderstanding caused by the use of the term ‘iftar’ in our menu promotion. We realize that the use of the term was inappropriate,” said the management of Tyler’s Smokehouse to detikFood, Tuesday (24/2/2025).
As a form of responsibility and respect for the community, the restaurant decided to stop all of the ‘iftar’ promotions completely, starting on Monday (23/2/2026). This decision was taken as a corrective measure to avoid further polemics.
“As a sign of our respect, as of yesterday, Monday, February 23, 2026, we have decided to stop all of the promotions completely,” said the restaurant management in a statement.
The management of Tyler’s Smoke House also reaffirmed their commitment to be more careful and transparent in conveying menu information and promotional materials in the future. They hope that this incident will be a lesson so that they can be more sensitive to the values, beliefs, and preferences of their customers.
“This input is a valuable lesson for us. We always respect our guests in choosing according to their respective preferences and beliefs,” the management concluded.
This article has been published on detikFood. Read the full article here!
(iws/iws)