The basics:
- Namkeen gave away 733 sandwiches to Rutgers students Sept. 17
- Original promotion limited to 300 sandwiches
- North Brunswick restaurant served 811 guests overall that day
Two months after launching its new restaurant in North Brunswick, New Jersey-born hot chicken concept Namkeen set out to do something special for students returning this fall to nearby Rutgers University.
As part of a Sept. 17 event, the fast-casual brand planned to give away 300 hot chicken sandwiches. However, within four hours, all 300 sandwiches were gone and the students kept coming, according to Namkeen.
Rather than ending the promotion, the team went out for additional supplies, restocked the kitchen and kept cooking. By the end of the day, Namkeen had doled out 733 complimentary sandwiches to Rutgers students and served 811 guests overall, according to Namkeen North Brunswick owners Nabeel Shamim and Maryum Nasim.
Credit to the crew
Shamim shared, “At our grand opening, we gave away 100 sandwiches, so we thought 300 for Rutgers would be a great way to welcome students back. We never anticipated this kind of response. When the first 300 were gone within four hours, we got more supplies and kept going for as long as we possibly could.”
Throughout the day and into the night, the North Brunswick restaurant remained packed as the Namkeen crew continued cooking and serving hundreds of guests, he said.
“The biggest credit goes to our crew,” Shamim said. “They kept going until we couldn’t anymore — cooking, serving and doing everything possible to take care of everyone who showed up. It was a long day and an even longer night, but seeing the response from the Rutgers community made it incredibly special.”
For Shamim, it was about more than the numbers. Besides introducing itself to its neighbors at Rutgers, he hopes the event will be the start of a lasting relationship with students and student organizations in the area.
“We wanted to welcome Rutgers back, and Rutgers showed up in a way we never expected,” Shamim added. “We’re incredibly grateful. We hope this is just the beginning of what we can do together with the Rutgers community.”
According to Shamim, Namkeen North Brunswick plans to continue working with Rutgers students and organizations on events, collaborations and initiatives throughout the academic year.
Heating up
Founded six years ago in Chatham by husband-wife team Usman Chaudhry and Amena Chaudhri, Namkeen is known for fusing Nashville hot chicken with bold Pakistani flavors.
Its signature items include chicken tikka mac & cheese, Nashville hot chicken sandwiches and a unique twist on chicken & waffles. The menu also features loaded fries, smashburgers, sandwiches, grilled cheese, wings, tenders and house-made sauces.
Besides local restaurants in Chatham and North Brunswick, Namkeen has spots in Metuchen, Union and Parsippany. The brand has expanded out of state to with three spots in New York, one in Georgia and one in Canada.
Through a franchising program created in 2025, the brand seeks to expand beyond the original owner-operated outposts.
Union and North Brunswick were among the first franchised locations to open. Namkeen expects to add nine more units across five states this year.
The post Namkeen serves 733 free sandwiches to Rutgers students appeared first on NJBIZ.
