This is a challenging time for all small businesses in Hawaiʻi, and in some ways, especially for restaurants. Some of those issues go back to the time of the pandemic and the government response.
One Hawaiʻi restaurant is suing the state over a tax issue that they say is unfair. This comes as the industry faces many other challenges, including the impending state minimum wage increase from $14 to $16 at the beginning of 2026.
HPR sat down with Monica Toguchi Ryan, the third-generation owner of the longtime family restaurant Highway Inn, which has locations in Kakaʻako and Waipahu, plus a cafe at Bishop Museum…