JAKARTA - The tradition of halalbihalal and open house is an inseparable part of the Idulfitri celebration in Indonesia. This moment is usually used to visit each other, apologize, and strengthen relationships between families, friends, and colleagues.
In addition to being held at home, the tradition is now increasingly held in public spaces, including fast food restaurants, which offer a relaxed and accessible atmosphere to gather together.
For example, in the atmosphere of Eid this year, fast food restaurants such as McDonald's Indonesia also held a series of simultaneous open house activities which took place on March 26-29, 2026 at 10 restaurants spread across several cities.
This activity is one of the alternative places for people to gather who want to celebrate Lebaran together outside the house.
The event was held at several selected restaurants and featured various activities with a sense of togetherness. Visitors who came not only enjoyed the dishes, but also could participate in activities such as halalbihalal, light entertainment, to the distribution of free food in limited quantities. The atmosphere that was created was also tends to be relaxed and familiar, with the presence of various communities.
Caroline Kurniadjaja, Associate Director of Marketing McDonald's Indonesia said that this activity aims to provide a gathering space for the community at the Lebaran moment.
"This open house is presented as a means to strengthen relationships at the Eid al-Fitr moment, as well as a form of appreciation to various parties who have interacted with us," he said.
He also added that the enthusiasm of the community in various cities shows that the tradition of gathering and sharing at the Lebaran moment is still important.
"The response we received was quite large, and this shows that togetherness in moments like this still has a strong meaning for many people," he added.
This activity was held in a number of cities, including Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, Bandung, Semarang, Malang, Makassar, to Pekanbaru. The participants who attended were diverse, ranging from customers, local communities, to community groups such as orphanage children and the elderly.
In addition to being a gathering place, the event was also filled with various entertainment, such as the appearance of local comedians to performances from the community. At one of the locations in Bogor, the presence of the Project Pop music group also enlivened the atmosphere by inviting visitors to sing along.
This open house phenomenon in public spaces shows that the way people celebrate Eid al-Fitr continues to evolve. Not only limited to the house, the tradition of silaturahmi is now also present in various places, including restaurants, which are an alternative for cross-community meeting spaces in a more relaxed and inclusive atmosphere.
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