Hawaiian Bros, the island-inspired restaurant concept, is continuing its rapid growth with new franchise development agreements signed in the first quarter of 2025 that will bring more than 100 new restaurants to five major U.S. markets: Chicago, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Houston and Atlanta.
The expansion is led by a seasoned multi-unit operator with more than 400 units across multiple states. The agreement highlights Hawaiian Bros’ strong appeal to experienced franchisees seeking streamlined operations, high-performing drive-thru formats, including end caps, and wide geographic potential.
“End-cap spaces with drive-thru service in multi-tenant buildings continue to be a winning combination for our brand,” said Grant Kreutzer, vice president of franchise development at Hawaiian Bros. “They allow us to move quickly into high-traffic trade areas with greater flexibility and often at lower costs. The drive-thru component supports our speed-focused service model and maximizes guest convenience.”
Franchisee Zach Fugate, who introduced Hawaiian Bros in Wichita, Kan. and Northwest Arkansas and is developing parts of Missouri, has signed a new development deal to bring five new restaurants to the Oklahoma City area.
“It’s a natural next step for us,” said Fugate. “The brand has already been well-received in nearby markets, and we see a lot of potential to grow Hawaiian Bros in OKC’s fast-developing trade areas.”
With drive-thru and delivery sales often exceeding 80% of total sales, Hawaiian Bros continues to appeal to franchisees by offering a variety of flexible formats, including the brand’s new 1,600 and 2,100 square foot drive-thru prototypes, and 350-square-foot ghost kitchens for qualified franchisees.
In Portland, JCK Ohana LLC, led by Joe, Alex and Lauren Karcher, is strategically entering the market by leveraging ghost kitchens.
“We saw Portland as a high potential market for Hawaiian Bros, and the ghost kitchen model gave us an efficient way to build brand awareness, train our teams, and grow a following before opening traditional restaurants,” said Alex Karcher. JCK Ohana has plans to open at least five traditional locations in the Portland area over the next few years.
