[ALOHA] Hawaiian Food Franchise Opening in Former Taco and Waffle Spots in Metro Atlanta

A new location of Hawaiian Bros Island Grill is coming to the city of Morrow in Clayton County.  The Kansas City, Missouri-based chain first entered the metro Atlanta market in December 2025 with a ghost kitchen at the Decatur Food Hub (2670 E. College Avenue) but the new Morrow restaurant will mark the chain's first standalone unit in the metro.  

The new Hawaiian Bros is opening at 6705 Jonesboro Road where it will replace what was until August 2025 a 2,304 square foot freestanding drive-thru enabled Del Taco.  The ground up Del Taco opened on the site of what had been a former Shoney's in April 2023.  

The first Hawaiian Bros opened in Missouri in February 2018 and today the chain has expanded to more than 80 locations across fifteen states.  The menu is centered on classic Hawaiian fare including bowls, wraps and sandwiches as well as plates like Kilauea Chicken and Luau Pork.  The eatery also features Dole Soft Serve.  

Hawaiian Bros offers a menu similar to Hello Hilo, the fast casual restaurant opened by the family behind King's Hawaiian which debuted its first and currently only location in Gainesville during the summer of 2023. 

Related: Piccadilly To Go to open in place of former Del Taco

Another Hawaiian Bros is under construction in Downtown Atlanta where it is replacing a former Waffle House.  The Downtown location is situated in a 2,364 square foot space in the lobby level of the One12 Courtland student housing tower at 112 Courtland Street, at its intersection with John Wesley Dobbs Avenue.  

The company reportedly does about $2.5 million in AUV (Average Unit Volume) but CEO Scott Ford sees a path to $3.5 million AUV through what he described to Nation's Restaurant News as "strategic marketing and operational changes."

The reviews of the Decatur location - 3 stars with 94 reviews - leave a lot to be desired so hopefully the "operational changes" take place sooner rather than later.    

Real estate sources suggest that the chain is in active discussions for multiple other locations in and around metro Atlanta.

Have you been to Hawaiian Bros.?  Do you think Hawaiian Bros. will do well in Morrow?  Where else would you like to see Hawaiian Bros. open?

Please share your thoughts below.