Hawaiian Bros: spreading aloha and growing with purpose

For Scott, this all spelled opportunity. He officially joined the team to help increase the speed of throughput at several new locations, then was offered the position as President shortly after. It wasn’t long before he reached out to Bridget Moen to see if she could help extend the Hawaiian Bros brand further through her areas of expertise: strategic gift card programs and third-party partnerships, specifically delivery. They say it was hard to ignore the feeling that they were on the brink of something special.

• Hire smart. Employees are stewards of the Aloha Spirit. Recruit and retain people who show kindness and treat every single person who interacts with the brand as ‘ohana—like family.

• Be selective with franchisees. The unit economics of Hawaiian Bros are attractive to a franchisee, but the order volume requires deep expertise. Partner with multi-unit, multi-concept franchisees who believe in the company mission and have a proven track record of success.

• Focus on throughput. With a high volume of orders, speed is critical. Use systems that will prevent throttling and get orders out as quickly as possible. This is a powerful way to strengthen trust with customers and delivery people.

• Get all the orders right. The plate lunch is simple: one protein, 2 scoops of white rice, and a scoop of macaroni salad. There are only 81 SKUs and 6 menu items. Strive for perfection.

• Pay attention to feedback. Negative reviews are opportunities for improvement. Read customer pain points out loud as a team and develop action plans to make things right. Do not let anybody fall through the cracks.

• Build brand awareness. Once a customer has their first taste of Hawaiian Bros, it’s highly likely that they’ll come back for more. As evidence, look no further than the loyalty program, which is nearly 300,000 members strong. Focus marketing efforts on getting the first order.

When it comes to opening new locations, making an unforgettable first impression is key. Leading up to a new store opening, Hawaiian Bros has a practice of giving away meals to first responders and their families, and eventually anyone who comes upon the line of people. Hawaiian Bros can dish out $30,000 worth of free food over several days, and Scott believes this is a strategic investment: “Creating a big line not only turns heads and prepares staff, but it also primes the pump. If you create momentum from the beginning, that momentum will continue after the promotion with paying customers.”

While it’s important to attract in-person traffic, it’s equally important to reach customers wherever they are. Bridget works hand in hand with the Hawaiian Bros team and third-party delivery platforms like Uber Eats to go beyond brick-and-mortar walls. With Uber Eats in particular, Bridget has collaborated with the chain’s dedicated account manager, Paige LaPorte, plus Uber Eats city managers and ad specialists, to develop a strategy that drives measurable results on the platform. This breaks down into 3 steps:

To underscore the success of these initiatives, Bridget points to Kelce Jam—a music festival in April 2023 that celebrated Kansas City’s victory in February’s big football finale. The event, which 18,000 people attended, was a community celebration. A joint booth presence from Uber Eats and Hawaiian Bros kept attendees entertained and fed. Customers in the area also saw tailored ads and offers from Hawaiian Bros when they opened the Uber Eats app, contributing to a 360-degree experience.

Creating a splash around something like Kelce Jam requires true partnership, which Bridget says she feels deeply with Uber Eats. “The team really understands our brand and the end-to-end customer experience,” she says. “We work together on top-down initiatives like these bigger cultural moments, but we also get very granular with bottom-up insights around budget allocation and customer behaviors at the city level. Everyone brings a unique perspective to the table.”