A relatively recent chain of fast-casual restaurants has been growing rapidly. Hawaiian Bros Island Grill, the eatery that serves up Hawaiian plate lunch, started back in 2018, when two brothers, Cameron and Tyler McNie, decided to bring island flavors to Kansas City. 27 stores are now open or in the process of opening in Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Texas. The greater Dallas-area will soon be home to five new stores.
Plate lunch has its origins in the late 1800s when pineapple and sugar plantation workforces were on the rise. For lunch, the laborers often ate leftover meat from the night before alongside rice. By the 1950s, the plate lunch was so popular, road side stands even sold versions.
At Hawaiian Bros Island Grill you can try a version of the lunch made with your choice of protein and sides. And after lunch, you can enjoy the shop’s Dole Soft Serve, a low-calorie frozen treat that’s dairy, fat, and gluten-free. According to the company’s website, “it’s the beloved comfort food you share with your ohana –the family you were born into and the family you’ve chosen.”
Dallas-area locations in Addison, Allen, Frisco, Little Elm, and Upper Greenville are all scheduled to open soon. Dallas Observer reports the Frisco location on Dallas Parkway is slated to open this month, while the four others will open in October.
