Fast Food in Hawaii- Are You Planning to Indulge?

I think at one time or another, fast food has played some sort of role for everyone. Whether it's what you were raised on as a kid, what you had to eat when you were on a budget, or what you currently still indulge with, fast food is undoubtedly a part of American culture. Which is why you will find fast food restaurants not only throughout the nation, but throughout the entire globe as well. Many travelers think that if they visit the Caribbean, Mexico, or even Hawaii, that they won't spot the familiar golden “M” arches against the red background, the purple bell, or freckle faced Wendy. Fast food is everywhere though, so it's up to you to choose whether or not you want to eat it while you're on vacation.

We posed the question, “Do you plan on eating at fast food restaurants when you come to Hawaii? Be honest :) Customer just asked which ones we have” on our Facebook page and received over fifty comments from fans. Many folks said they looked forward to the local style fast food, such as lunch trucks, plate lunches, and uniquely local spots like Zippy's, Puka Dogs, and Rainbow Drive Inn. What I find interesting is that many people are open to eating the familiar fast food from places like Jack in the Box and McDonald's, but not from the Hawaiian style fast food places. If you're vacationing to Hawaii and you plan to eat fast food, you might as well experience the Hawaiian style stuff instead of the fast food you can get anywhere- do as the locals do and kaukau!

The most popular fast food restaurant that was mentioned on the facebook conversation thread was Jack in the Box. I'm not surprised. I've noticed that people have some strange sort of allegiance to Jack in the Box, and many times it's for their extremely cheap tacos. The second most mentioned place was McDonald's, but what I found interesting is how the Hawaiian McDonald's serve items with local flavors. Like the taro and haupia pies. Now that's a great way to entice tourists to eat fast food! Make it Hawaiian!

One fan made the comment, “If you eat fast food at home, likely you'll eat it anywhere … especially if you've got kids.” Very true statement. Just because you're traveling or on vacation, doesn't mean you'll stray from your normal habits. In fact, if you're accustomed to eating fast food at home, chances are you'll eat it more than normal when traveling because it's within your comfort zones and is what's recognizable. Often times people don't want to step outside of what's familiar when traveling because of certain worries or concerns, also for budgeting reasons too. And everyone knows that when you're traveling with kids, one meal for the whole family can end up being in the triple digits.

I think the best way to approach the situation is to stay open to trying foods that are different and part of the culture you're currently in. If you were traveling to India, rotis would be a good fast food style meal. Gyros from Greece, pho from Vietnam, fried chicken from the south; there are different fast foods for different locations. And another thing, fast food doesn't have to mean McDonald's or Taco Bell. In Hawaii, it can be a delicious plate lunch from the local fish market, coconut shrimp from the Kahuku shrimp trucks, quick sushi rolls from the local grocery store, a healthy pita wrap from Pupukea Grill lunch truck, or a fresh bakery item from Leonard's.

Remain open minded when traveling anywhere, because you're only cutting yourself short by not trying the variety of flavors from around the world. And we may be biased when we say this, but Hawaii just may have some of the best dishes you'll ever have the pleasure of sampling!

Getting Stuck in the Middle

Our other monologue topic today is the role that some tend to take on when planning a vacation. It's common for one person to be the planner, therefore making the decisions on where to eat, the daytime activities, itinerary, and ultimately,