Is it okay for Muslims to eat food from local food places as long as he takes Allah's name? I have members of my family who are following it & I believe its wrong. Plz assist me in this matter.

Respected Brother-in-Islam%0D%0A%0D%0AAssalaamu %C1laykum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuhu%0D%0A%0D%0A1. Shari?ah has emphasised on exercising precaution in consuming Tayyib food. Tayyib food is that which is Halaal beyond doubt. At the outset, one does not know the position of the food served in fast foods outlets being Halaal or Haraam. Therefore, it is not permissible to eat from such outlets. The scholar is incorrect in his view.%0D%0A2. Kindly refer our reply to a similar question - below%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd Allah Ta%E3la Knows Best.%0D%0A%0D%0AWas salaam%0D%0A%0D%0AMufti Ebrahim Desai%0D%0AFATWA DEPT.%0D%0A%0D%0AAllah Ta%E3la says in the Noble Qur%E3n:%0D%0A?Today I have made permissible for you pure things and the food of those who were given the Book (Ahlul-Kitaab) is also Halaal for you?. (Qur%E3n 5:4)%0D%0A%0D%0AOvertly the above Aayat reads that the Zabeeha of the Ahlul-Kitaab is permissible, but the fundamental principle must be understood in order to understand the Qur%E3n i.e. ?One part of the Qur%E3n explains the other?. Therefore, this verse should be understood in the light of another verse relating to the same matter:%0D%0A?Do not eat unless Allah?s name has been taken and this (not taking Allah?s name) practice is transgression? (Quran 6:121)%0D%0A%0D%0AWhile the former verse explicitly states that the Zabeeha of the Ahlul-Kitaab is permissible and the latter says, ?Do not eat unless Allah?s name has been taken?, in the light of both these verses, it is understood that the Zabeeha of the Ahlul-kitaab is permissible only if the name of Allah is taken at the time of slaughtering. The Ahlul-kitaab used to take Allah?s name when slaughtering an animal, therefore, their Zabeeha was also Halaal for Muslims. It is for this same reason that an animal slaughtered by the Mushrikeen, etc. is not permissible. The Ahlul-kitaab of today are recognized by name, less faith. There is no guarantee that they take the name of Allah%2FGod when slaughtering an animal. Furthermore, they cannot be anymore trusted in matters pertaining to Halaal%2FHaraam.%0D%0A%0D%0ASince there is uncertainty in the above slaughter manner, the Jurists are unanimous that it is not permissible to consume meat which is doubtful. Unless there is certainty that the Ahlul-kitaab read the ?Tasmiyah? i.e. take the name of God when slaughtering an animal then only will the meat be permissible. We suggest that the Muslims in the U.S.A. and U.K. slaughter the animals themselves. A committee be appointed and look into ways to facilitate for Halaal meat slaughtered by Muslims. This will make them independent from Christian%2FJewish sources.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnother proposition may be that the meat sold on the market are packed, sealed and stamped by a Muslim organisation consisting of reliable scholars and %DAlama who have proper Islamic knowledge of the principles pertaining to Halaal%2FHaraam of the Shari%E1h.%0D%0A