Hawaiian food from Missouri? Worlds aren’t exactly colliding, but it’s close. Hawaiian Bros first popped onto the scene in 2018. The owners have nothing to do with Hawaii, but that hasn’t stopped them from crafting one of the fastest-growing fast-food chains in the United States. And now, a new location is opening in greater Phoenix, which is great news for anyone who can never have enough Hawaiian BBQ (or macaroni salad).
Owners Tyler and Cameron McNie grew up in California, where they worked in their parent’s Hawaiian restaurant. Other than maybe some vacation days on the islands, the family has nothing to do with the island, the culture, or the cuisine. But, it was popular in California at the time, and the brothers honed their craft. Eventually, they moved east to start Hawaiian Bros (an interesting name for sure), and the food quickly caught on with locals.
While the brand took off locally, it wasn’t until Scott Ford, a former major player in managing brands like Applebeas, got involved as President and Co-CEO (with the brothers) that Hawaiian Bros began to spread nationally.