April 2025

Monthly News & Updates

Chairman's Message

Aloha HRA Members and Friends,

As April comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the value of being part of the Hawaiʻi Restaurant Association and how our collective efforts continue to make a meaningful impact on our local foodservice industry.

Over the past year, HRA has been actively engaged in initiatives that support, elevate and advocate for our restaurant community. From celebrating our industry legends at the Hall of Fame Dinner Gala, to connecting our members with key lawmakers during our Legislative Meet and Greet and hosting our first-ever Restaurant and Foodservice Industry Expo; we’ve been focused on creating opportunities, building relationships and strengthening our voice as an industry.

HRA has also been a consistent presence in local media—advocating for restaurant owners, workers, and the overall health of our industry. Whether it's discussing labor challenges, rising costs, or changes in regulations, we’ve made sure your concerns are heard.

As many of you are already feeling, ongoing inflation and the potential impact of new tariffs continue to challenge our bottom lines. Rising food and operational costs make it more important than ever that we, as industry leaders, stand united. The stronger our membership, the stronger our voice when it comes to influencing decisions that directly impact our businesses and livelihoods.

As a member of HRA, you gain access to a network of like-minded professionals, timely updates on legislative developments, valuable educational opportunities and events that not only celebrate our industry but also bring us together as a community.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to host our next big event: the Annual Golf Tournament—a fun day of camaraderie and networking, all while supporting our mission to serve Hawaiʻi’s restaurant and foodservice industry.

If you're already a member, mahalo for your continued support. If you're considering joining, there’s never been a better time to get involved.

Here’s to a strong spring season for all our restaurants and partners!

Warm Regards,

Andy Huang

Chairman, Hawaiʻi Restaurant Association

Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Victor Lim (McDonald’s), Ave Kwok (Mauna Kea Marketplace), Chuck Bussler (Fête), Sheryl Matsuoka (Hawaiʻi Restaurant Association), Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, Robynne Maii (Fête)

Outdoor Dining Now a Permanent Option for Honolulu Restaurants

A restaurant bill was signed into law allowing outdoor dining to become a permanent feature across Oʻahu.

Bill 1 (2025), which was signed into law by Mayor Blangiardi, was initially a pilot program in 2022. During its trial, 15 businesses were granted permits to service outdoor dining to guests.

In addition to the first batch of businesses, more eateries are now allowed to expand their seating onto sidewalks, parklets and other designated public...

How to Get More Profit with

Outdoor Seating

Patios can be quite lucrative. However, getting more guests in seats through outdoor dining can also come at a cost, both in time and money.

Whatever your restaurant type, we'll give you some practical and effective ways to get more profit from your outdoor space this year.

How to Set Prices That Boost Profits And Keep Customers

Menu pricing isn’t just about covering costs—it’s about finding that sweet spot where profitability, customer perception, and operational reality meet. 

Set prices too low, and you’re leaving money on the table.

Too high, and you’ll drive customers away.

Somewhere in between is the number that makes sense for your food costs, your market, and your restaurant’s unique position. 

In this article, you’ll learn:

• How to factor in costs, competition, and customer expectations
• Which pricing strategies work in a real-world restaurant setting
• How to test and tweak prices without losing loyal guests

How Online Food Ordering Transforms Restaurants:

Key Benefits Explained

Hey there, fellow food enthusiast! Ever noticed how ordering your favorite meal has become as easy as pie? That’s the magic of online food ordering systems. They’ve not only spiced up our dining experiences but also served up a platter of benefits for restaurants. Let’s dig into how these systems are changing the game.

The benefits of online food ordering system go beyond convenience. They streamline operations, increase sales, and enhance customer relationships. Restaurants that adapt to this digital transformation gain a competitive advantage, broadened customer base, and improved cash flow while keeping up with...

Thinking Like a Restaurant Owner: How Apprenticeship is Fueling Leadership Development in the Restaurant Workforce

Running a restaurant requires stamina and a business-savvy skill set – expertise that is best acquired on the job. Find out how apprenticeship is maximizing the hands-on nature of restaurant employment to help operators advance and promote employees who can master cost management as well as they wield their knife skills. Walk away from this webinar understanding the value of apprenticeship to restaurant business longevity and actionable information to implement it at your operation.

Webinar: Thursday, April 24th

2:00 PM EST (8:00 AM HST)

60 minutes



Empowering Women, Growing Businesses

The Women Entrepreneurs Conference is focused on helping women entrepreneurs grow their business by providing information on access to capital, revenue growth opportunities, financial management, networking and connecting, and inspiration by learning from successful women business owners.

May 2, 2025

Prince Waikīkī

11:30 AM - 7:00 PM

emPOWER Grant: Application Closes on April 30

High energy prices, perhaps now more than ever, mean reducing your electricity costs could be crucial to keeping your small business or nonprofit open here in Hawaii. An EmPOWER grant could help with just that as you continue to navigate the challenges of today’s economy.

Submitting a grant application does not guarantee being awarded a grant.

Any grant awards will be disbursed after project completion as a reimbursement once all required documentation has been submitted, verified and approved by Hawaiʻi Energy.

2025 State of the Industry Report

Opportunity and cautious optimism will drive restaurant industry growth in 2025.

Consumers plan to continue spending in their local restaurants, pushing industry sales nationwide to a projected $1.5T, while restaurant operators will continue to fuel economic growth in their communities by adding a projected 200K jobs, bringing total industry employment to 15.9M.

Meeting customers’ wants and needs and creating an experience that keeps them coming back will be paramount to growth. Expanding the definition of value to include a dynamic mix of experience, innovation and affordability will create opportunity for higher traffic and greater loyalty. And a renewed focus on word-of-mouth recruitment tactics will help reinforce the drawing power and opportunity of industry careers.

2025 Restaurant Operations Survey

The National Restaurant Association is collecting information to produce the Restaurant Operations Data Abstract – the most widely recognized source of restaurant operating data in the U.S.

All survey respondents will receive a free electronic copy of the 2025 Restaurant Operations Data Abstract, which will contain important financial data for restaurant operators to see how their business compares to similar restaurants. Please include your email address at the end to receive a copy of the report.

Please be assured that all information provided is anonymous and strictly confidential. It will only be used to compile totals for the report.

The survey should take no more than 20 minutes to complete. Please submit a completed survey by May 31.