ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery has been serving up shawarma for 17 years at its University location in southeast Albuquerque.

Recently, they went viral on social media.

“I was actually amazed that it took a big hit and the social media,” said Haytham Khalil, the owner of Sahara Middle Eastern Eatery. 

Khalil said he was surprised a post about them got thousands of likes and hundreds of comments and shares on a local foodies group.

But it wasn’t just for their food. The family got recognized for not only feeding homeless people, but also treating them with respect. 

Khalil’s son, Calvin, says he was raised in the family business and this family practice.

“It’s really not about, you know, one’s personal background or circumstances, just whoever comes in through our doors, we’d be more than willing to serve them,” Calvin said.

Khalil said they’ve been doing this since his dad first opened the restaurant. They said they’re not worried about giving out all the free food.

“It’s fine. We’ll never break us though, never break us feeding people. God, give you even more. Yeah, so it never was for the money,” Khalil said.

It’s also created a unique relationship with people in the area who don’t have a home.

“If you are nice to them, they become nice to you. And they will not bend your building or hurt you, or actually, they’re very nice. Most of them, I never had any issues, but we have just a good relationship with respect between each other,” Khalil said. 

Over the years there have been some minor issues, but their friends look out for them in return for the kindness.

“This is a humanity. It has nothing to do with the business. That’s humanity,” Khalil said. 

The family says they help anyone out who’s hungry, not just homeless people. This relationship has been working so well they’ve been able to expand to other ventures, like creating and selling Dubai chocolate and even adding a chocolate vending machine at Cottonwood Mall.