Hawaiian Bros Island Grill is celebrating its first brick-and-mortar store opening in Indiana this week with free lunch and giveaways.

The store at 7910 S. U.S. Highway 31, which opened on Sept. 1,  is serving lunch during a VIP Event on Sept. 5.

Local first responders, medical professionals, teachers, students and business employees can get a free Plate Lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

A grand opening celebration is planned for 11 a.m. Sept. 12, when the first 100 customers will receive a gift card ranging from $25 to $500 and a free T-shirt. One guest will win free Hawaiian Bros for a year.

Hawaiian-style plate lunches are featured at Hawaiian Bros Island Grill.

Hawaiian-style plate lunches are featured at Hawaiian Bros Island Grill.

The menu at the fast-casual chain, which began in Kansas City in 2018, features Hawaiian-style plate lunches, with proteins like grilled chicken and pork in sauces at various spice levels, served atop steamed white rice or vegetables and macaroni salad. All menu items are prepared fresh in-house, the chain said.

New Hawaiian plate lunch restaurants in Indiana

The area is becoming home to more Hawaiian-style restaurants.

Mo’ Bettahs Hawaiian Style Food made its debut in central Indiana this week when a restaurant at 8894 E. U.S. Highway 36 in Avon opened on Aug. 31. A Zionsville Mo’ Bettahs at 10725 N. Michigan Rd. will open on Sept. 12.

Meanwhile, Honolulu-based chain L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is opening a shop at 3935 E. Southport Road in Indianapolis.

Mo ‘Bettahs: Lastest chain to bring Hawaiian plate lunches to Indiana

Hawaiian Bros has been operating out of the Circle City Eats ghost kitchen at 1021 N. Pennsylvania in Indianapolis since December 2025. Another location is being readied at 5946 Promenade Shops Boulevard in Noblesville.

Hawaiian Bros has more than 80 restaurants across 14 states. Most, as with the Indianapolis-area locations, are franchisee-owned.

One hot art show, Butter 2026

1 of 37

Artist Lavett Ballard is shown with her installation titled “The Inheritance” at the Butter 2026 fine art media preview at The Stutz on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Indianapolis. (Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar)

Contact reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cjackson@usatodayco.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com: @cherylvjackson or Bluesky: @cherylvjackson.bsky.social. 

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How to get free food at the new Hawaiian Bros in Indiana

Dining and Cooking