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L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

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L&L Franchise, Inc.
  • L&L Drive-Inn
  • L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
Company typePrivate
IndustryRestaurants
GenreFast food
Founded1976; 48 years ago (1976) in Honolulu, Hawaii
FounderEddie Flores Jr.
HeadquartersHonolulu, Hawaii
Number of locations
208 (2021)[1]
Area served
  • United States (14 states plus 1 US territory)
  • New Zealand
  • Japan
  • Philippines
  • Malaysia
  • Indonesia
Key people
  • Eddie Flores Jr.
  • Johnson Kam
  • Elisia Flores
ProductsHawaiian Plate Lunch
RevenueUS$146.5 Million (2021)
OwnerFlores family
Number of employees
2,200 (2021)
Websitewww.hawaiianbarbecue.com

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, or simply L&L and known as L&L Drive-Inn in Hawaii,[2] is a Hawaiian-themed franchise restaurant chain based in Honolulu, Hawaii, centered on the Hawaiian plate lunch (Hawaiian: pā mea ʻai).[3]

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue beef curry meal
Beef curry meal

Johnson Kam and Eddie Flores, Jr., purchased the original L&L Drive-Inn in 1976. The company expanded from its original base of Hawaii in 1999 into Californian markets. There are now more than 200 locations across the United States,[4] including locations in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Florida, Utah, Washington, Virginia and Guam. Outside the United States, the company also has locations in New Zealand, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Elisia Flores, whose father founded the company, was appointed as chief executive officer and vice-chair in 2019. She joined L&L in 2014 as chief financial officer.[5]

History

In 1976, Eddie Flores bought a small building that formerly housed a retail outlet for L&L Dairy on Honolulu's Liliha Street. He kept the L&L part of the name and remodeled the building as a small walk-up restaurant for his mother to operate.[6] This business was the first location of the growing L&L Drive-Inn chain that specialized in the plate lunch. After this single building business became a success, Johnson Kam joined Flores in the expansion of the business to other locations in Hawaii. To help with the expansion, Flores and Kam began franchising the restaurant in Hawaii in 1988.[7] By 1997, there were 30 locations throughout the state.[8]

Expanding beyond Hawaii

California

In early June 1999, Flores noticed that a former employee was doing fairly well selling Hawaiian-style plate lunches in the San Francisco area despite the fact the restaurant was not in an ideal location. Since he realize that it was possible to sell Hawaiian-style plate lunches in California, Flores obtained a location inside the Puente Hills Mall in the City of Industry, California to open the first L&L location on mainland just a few months later in October.[9] Since Californians had different expectations on the type of foods that are usually served at an eating establishment that are called "drive-ins" (i.e., restaurants with carhop service like the Bob's Big Boy restaurant in Burbank, California that sells burgers and fries) to that which most Hawaiians would expect to receive at an L&L Drive-Inn on the islands, Flores decided to change the name of the L&L locations on the mainland to L&L Hawaiian Barbecue to strengthen the chain's association to Hawaiian cuisine.[10]

There were 49 L&L locations in Hawaii when the first California L&L location opened in October 1999.[9] After opening at the Puente Hills Mall, the chain opened other locations throughout Los Angeles County. In September 2000, L&L opened its first location in Orange County.[11]

Other western states

The first L&L location in Oregon was opened in Hillsboro in August 2001.[12]

The first L&L location in Nevada was opened in Henderson in July 2002.[13][14]

The first L&L location in Washington was opened in Lynnwood in March 2003.[15][16]

The first L&L location in Arizona was opened in Mesa in June 2004.[17]

The first L&L location in Utah was opened in Provo in August 2004.[18]

The first L&L location in Colorado was opened in Aurora in August 2004.[19]

The first L&L location in Texas was opened in Lewisville in April 2008.[20]

The first L&L location in Alaska was opened inside the Dimond Center in Anchorage in November 2009.[21][22]

Eastern states

The first L&L location on the East Coast opened in Manchester, Connecticut in May 2003.[23] This location has since closed.

Advancing into New York, the first L&L location was opened on Fulton Street in New York City in November 2004.[24][25] The New York City location has since closed.[26] L&L's only current New York location is near the Canadian border in Evans Mills.[27]

The first L&L location in Florida was opened in Jacksonville in April 2017.[28]

Central states

The first L&L location in the Midwest was opened in Champaign, Illinois, near the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign campus in October 2004.[29] This location has since closed.

The first L&L location in Michigan was opened in East Lansing in June 2005.[30] This location has since closed.

The first L&L location in Tennessee was opened in Franklin in June 2015.[31] This location has since closed.

American Pacific territories

The first expansion move west of Hawaii occurred when the L&L location in American Samoa was opened in June 2008.[32] The franchise closed sometime between September 2012[33] and March 2013.[34]

Later, the first L&L location in Guam was opened in October 2014.[35]

International

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue near Enoshima, Japan

L&L's first international location was opened in Otahuhu, a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, in February 2009.[36] In Japan, the first location was opened in the Shibuya section of Tokyo in June 2010, and a second location near Enoshima, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, in December 2017.[37][38][39] In China, the first location was opened in June 2013.[40]

The first L&L location in Malaysia was opened in Kuala Lumpur in December 2014.[35] In 2015, the first L&L location in Indonesia was opened in Jakarta in June 2015,[41] followed by the first L&L location in the Philippines,which opened in Manila in October 2015.[42]

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue's menu is centered around the Hawaiian plate lunch – two scoops of rice, a scoop of macaroni salad and a meat or seafood entrée.[43] Many of the menu items include nods to Asian and Polynesian heritage, like chicken katsu and kalua pork.[44] The menu also encompasses popular Hawaiian dishes, such as:

  • Loco Moco – two hamburger patties topped with fried eggs and gravy over a bed of rice[45]
  • Saimin – noodle soup with broth[46]

The restaurant chain is known for their Spam musubi, a simple hand-held snack from Hawaii. It consists of a crispy slice of Spam on top of warm rice with L&L's original, tangy, Hawaii-inspired barbecue sauce, all wrapped together in nori (seaweed).[47] The company introduced the Spam musubi as part of its menu offerings in 1999, helping popularize the snack across the country.[43]

On August 8, 2021, L&L established National Spam Musubi Day to mark the growing popularity of the snack. The occasion was honored with multiple proclamations by Hawaii State Governor David Ige, City and County of Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi, Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino, Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth, and Kauai County Mayor Derek Kawakami.[43]

Accolades

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue's success has earned the company many awards and continued rankings in various local and national magazines. In 2002, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue was named one of the “50 Regional Powerhouse Chains” by Nation's Restaurant News.[48] The July 2005 issue of Restaurant & Institutions Magazine ranked L&L #314 out of America's top 400 restaurant chains.[49] Additionally, Restaurant Business magazine ranked L&L #15 of its 50 Top Growth Chains in the Nation in 2005.[50] Entrepreneur magazine has also ranked L&L's parent company, L&L Franchise, Inc. at #165 out of the top 500 franchises in 2005.[51]

In January 2021, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue was referenced in the Netflix family adventure film Finding 'Ohana.[52]

See also

References

  1. ^ Murar, Katie (September 18, 2017). "L&L Hawaiian Barbecue to introduce new restaurant concept this year". Pacific Business News.
  2. ^ Staton, Ron (2004-08-21). "100th L&L opens in California". Honolulu Advertiser.
  3. ^ Hua, Vanessa (2003-07-03). "BAY AREA / More venues offer diners a taste of Hawaii, close by / Diverse population drawn to food that's similar to homeland's". San Francisco Chronicle. p. B-1. Retrieved 2007-04-21.
  4. ^ Creamer, Beverly (September 14, 2021). "Sages Over Seventy: Eddie Flores". Hawaii Business Magazine.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "L&L Hawai'i Appoints Elisia Flores as CEO and Vice-Chair". Franchising.com. August 29, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Staton, Ron (June 12, 2005). "L&L had small, slow start but it's moving fast now". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. "We have restaurants in Arizona, Colorado and Utah, and all three are doing very well -- in fact, better than California," Flores said. "The reason is a lack of competition. The stores are jam-packed." L&L's first outpost in Michigan opened in January in East Lansing. There are also L&Ls in Nevada, Washington, Illinois and New York, where the first L&L opened on Fulton Street in Manhattan in November and another opened near 34th Street in January.
  7. ^ Wilson, Christie (August 2010). "Growing by Going Global: 5 success stories prove that small, local companies can flourish nationally and internationally". Hawaii Business Magazine.
  8. ^ Enomoto, Catherine Kekoa (July 16, 1997). "Lots of chicken take lemon dip". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
  9. ^ a b Lynch, Russ (November 26, 1999). "L&L Drive-Inn restaurateur seeking mainland meal ticket: The owner of the local-style food chain wants to capitalize on his success in the isles". Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
  10. ^ Nakaso, Dan (August 9, 2005). "Plate lunches conquer Mainland". Honolulu Advertiser.
  11. ^ Seeden, Curt (September 28, 2000). "Business - End of an era: The Grinder closes its doors". Orange County Register. p. 6. L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has opened its first Orange County eatery in the Newland Shopping Center.
  12. ^ "Business Briefs Beaverton Sales Tune-up: The Beaverton Area Chamber". Oregonian. August 23, 2001. p. 14. Plate lunch: L & L Hawaiian Barbecue has opened its first Oregon outlet, inside Fred Meyer, 23105 S.W. Tualatin Valley Highway. The fast-food chain has more than 50 locations throughout Hawaii and California.
  13. ^ Barayuga, Debra (September 29, 2002). "L&L partners eye international growth: The plate lunch chain plans more locations on the mainland and Guam and in Japan". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. all 47 locations here and on the mainland... 12 L&L Hawaiian Barbecues in California, Oregon and the one that opened July 17 in Las Vegas at the Whitney Ranch Center in Henderson.
  14. ^ Rinella, Heidi Knapp (September 11, 2002). "UNLV event offers brews and buffet". Las Vegas Review-Journal. p. 1E. L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has opened at 687 N. Stephanie St. in Henderson.
  15. ^ Corcoran, Penelope (March 5, 2003). "New Spots Satisfy Hankering for Hawaiian". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. D1. Lynnwood is the lucky locale to be honored with the very first Washington branch of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, a popular Honolulu-based chain..
  16. ^ "L&l Hawaiian Barbecue". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. March 28, 2003. p. 6. You'll find Western Washington's shiny new L&L Hawaiian Barbecue tucked into the corner of a shopping center on Highway 99 North in Lynnwood, near 196th Street.
  17. ^ Seftel, Howard (July 8, 2004). "No mirage: L&L Hawaiian Barbecue brings the islands to Mesa". Arizona Republic. p. 70 – via Newspapers.com. this growing, wildly popular Hawaiian chain, with more than 50 outlets on the islands and close to 50 more on the mainland, has just moved to town... tucked away in a sprawling East Valley shopping center; two more Arizona branches are planned in far-north Phoenix and Yuma
  18. ^ "L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is now open in Provo". Deseret News. August 4, 2004.
  19. ^ Lehndorff, John (August 13, 2004). "Eatery update". Rocky Mountain News. p. 17D. L&L Hawaiian Barbecue opened recently at 14221 E. Cedar Ave. in Aurora dishing chicken katsu and barbecue short ribs
  20. ^ Eakin, Dan (April 1, 2008). "L&L Hawaiian Barbecue opens with dancers, band, priest". Lewisville Leader.
  21. ^ Niva, Josh (March 26, 2010). "Taste of Hawaii". Alaska Dispatch News. L&L Hawaiian Barbecue sprang up in the Dimond mall in November... L&L is a national chain bringing Hawaiian, Polynesian and Pacific Rim standards to mainland America food courts since 1988. Its first Alaska location is in the Dimond Center's basement food court, next to the ice rink... L&L's menu is surprisingly broad, covering fish, beef, pork and even Spam. There are even lighter options like salad and brown rice.
  22. ^ Engle, Erika (November 19, 2009). "Board shorts feature iconic L&L plate lunches". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. L&L Drive-Inn and Hawaiian Island Creations will debut co-branded board shorts, bearing images of the favored local dishes and the L&L logo... The plate-lunch board shorts come with a hang-tag that, when mailed to L&L with proof of purchase, will net the sender a $5 gift certificate good toward a food purchase. For expats, the togs will be sold online via the L&L Web site... Meanwhile, the first L&L Hawaiian Barbecue will be opening in Alaska after the Thanksgiving holiday.
  23. ^ Vann, Korky (June 5, 2003). "L&l Hawaiian Barbecue". Hartford Courant. p. G3. One of the largest and best-known chains is L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, with 50 or so locations in Hawaii and 17 more scattered around California, Oregon and Washington state. Last month, owners opened the first East Coast outlet, in Manchester. (Another is scheduled to open in Wethersfield this summer.)
  24. ^ Sax, Irene (December 11, 2004). "Wikki Wakki 'Cue". New York Daily News.
  25. ^ Dziemianowicz, Joe (March 16, 2005). "Spam Takes the Stage. Monty Python's musical puts the spotlight on a Hawaiian staple". New York Daily News. My quest brought me to 64 Fulton St., where an outpost of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue opened in November.
  26. ^ "Lebanese Standby Replaces Hawaiian Plate Lunches On Fulton". Midtown Lunch. September 23, 2013.
  27. ^ Siebel, Walter (December 9, 2012). "A taste of the Aloha State in Evans Mills". Watertown Daily Times.
  28. ^ Mathis, Karen Brune (January 24, 2017). "L&L Hawaiian Barbecue joining North Florida market". Jacksonville Daily Record.
  29. ^ Pressey, Debra (November 1, 2004). "Rural bed-and-breakfast has new owners". The News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana). pp. C-7. A Hawaii-based restaurant chain, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, has opened one of its restaurants in Champaign's Campustown. It's located at 402 E. Green St.
  30. ^ "L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Grand Opening ad". Lansing State Journal. June 23, 2005. p. 46.
  31. ^ Moriki, Darin (May 1, 2015). "L&L Hawaiian Grill to follow Hawaii native Marcus Mariota to Nashville". Pacific Business News.
  32. ^ "Popular Hawaii Restaurant Opens In American Samoa". Pacific Islands Report. June 24, 2008.
  33. ^ "Welcome to L&L Hawaiian Barbecue of American Samoa". L&L Hawaiian Barbecue of American Samoa. Archived from the original on 2012-09-22.
  34. ^ "We regret that L&L Hawaiian Barbecue in Pago Pago is now closed". L&L Hawaiian Barbecue of American Samoa. Archived from the original on 2013-03-26.
  35. ^ a b "L & L Hawaiian Barbecue to open four new restaurants in Guam, Malaysia". Pacific Business News. September 29, 2014.
  36. ^ "L&L plate lunchery says aloha to Aotearoa". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. February 19, 2009.
  37. ^ Engle, Erika (June 7, 2010). "L&L opens its first store in Japan in busy Shibuya". Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
  38. ^ "L&L Opens Tokyo Restaurant". KITV. June 7, 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-02-23. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  39. ^ Hawaiian Dining Cafe in Shibuya, Tokyo, and Fujisawa, Kanagawa (in Japanese)
  40. ^ "L&L opens first restaurant in China". KHON-TV. June 20, 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-11-21. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
  41. ^ Perdani, Yuliasri (July 3, 2015). "A tour of sizzling: mouth-watering barbecues". Jakarta Post.
  42. ^ Moriki, Darin (October 2, 2015). "L&L Hawaiian Barbecue opens first restaurant in the Philippines". Pacific Business News.
  43. ^ a b c "L&L Hawaii's First National SPAM® Musubi Day Is A "Six Ton" Success With 12,000 Pounds Of The Iconic Snack Consumed". Franchising.com. September 3, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  44. ^ Evans-Hylton, Patrick (December 2, 2020). "L&L Hawaiian Barbecue serves up island flavors". The Virginian-Pilot.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  45. ^ Combs, Lauren (September 22, 2021). "Review: E Komo Mai! L&L Hawaiian Barbecue welcomes students to the islands". Baylor Lariat.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  46. ^ Wright, Johnathan (August 8, 2017). "Another L & L Hawaiian Barbecue to open in Reno".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  47. ^ "L&L Hawaii National SPAM® Musubi Day". Franchising.com. July 21, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  48. ^ Engle, Erika (February 17, 2002). "L&L chain makes hay, gets ink". Starbulletin.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  49. ^ Rumbaoa, Rudy (July 15, 2011). "Bryan Andaya of L&L Wins Business Leader of the Year". Fil-Am Observer.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  50. ^ Restaurant Business Staff (July 7, 2005). "WATCH YOUR STEP!". Restaurant Business. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  51. ^ "108 Tips on Business, Travel, and Culture in China". Readers+Writers Journal. January 31, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  52. ^ Keller, Ginger (June 2, 2021). "Hollywood's paniolo". MidWeek.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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