Zippy's facts for kids
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| Industry | Restaurant |
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| Founded | October 17, 1966 |
| Founder | Francis and Charles Higa |
| Headquarters | 1765 South King Street,
Honolulu, Hawaii
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Number of locations
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23 |
Zippy's is a popular restaurant chain that started in Hawaii. It has 23 locations where it serves a mix of American, Japanese, Chinese, and Hawaiian foods. This mix of styles is called fusion food.
One of the most famous items on their menu is chili. You can find Zippy's restaurants on the Hawaiian islands of O'ahu, Maui, and Hawai'i. They also have a location in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Contents
The Story of Zippy's
How It All Began
On October 17, 1966, two brothers named Francis and Charles Higa opened the first Zippy's in Honolulu, Hawaii. At first, they planned to open a car wash. But they changed their minds and decided to start a restaurant instead.
The brothers wanted a name that sounded fast and efficient. At the time, zip codes were a new and faster way to send mail. The Higa brothers liked this idea, so they named their restaurant Zippy's.
They chose to buy buildings that stood on their own. This allowed them to stay open 24 hours a day, which was great for people looking for food late at night.
A Menu for Everyone
When Zippy's first opened, there were many small, family-owned restaurants in Hawaii. There were not many big fast-food chains from the mainland yet. To compete, the Higa brothers decided to sell a wide variety of foods that local people loved.
In 1983, they added Napoleon's Bakery to their restaurants. They wanted Zippy's to be a "one-stop shop" where customers could get dinner and dessert in the same place. The bakery was a big hit and helped Zippy's become even more popular.
Zippy's Today
The Higa brothers created a company called FCH Enterprise, Inc. in 2002 to manage their restaurants. Francis was in charge of the company's main goals, while Charles handled the daily tasks, like ordering food.
Francis passed away in 1999, and his son, Jason Higa, is now the CEO of the company.
In the early days, Charles Higa used to drive huge pots of chili to different locations in his car. Now, the food is made in a large kitchen in Waipio and sent to all the Zippy's restaurants.
On October 10, 2023, Zippy's opened its first restaurant outside of Hawaii in Las Vegas.
What's on the Menu?
Zippy's is famous for being open 24 hours a day. It serves a mix of American, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Hawaiian foods. People in Hawaii often call this mix "local" food.
The most famous item is their special chili. Zippy's sells over 110 tons of chili every single month! Besides chili, they also sell popular plate lunches, like the Zip Pac, which includes a variety of foods in one box.
Other Parts of Zippy's
Most Zippy's restaurants have a special counter for Napoleon's Bakery, where you can buy cakes, pastries, and other desserts. A couple of Zippy's locations also have a separate sushi bar.
See also
- List of Hawaiian restaurants
- List of restaurants in Hawaii
