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The first television commercial produced by Zippy's in 2008, titled "Zippy's: Open 24 Hours"!
Zippy's McCully in the 1960s and today.
History
On October 17, 1966, the first Zippy's was established on South King Street in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi by brother Frances and Charles Higa.1 The brothers planned to launch a car wash, but eventually ended up opening a restaurant. The concept of ʻzip codeʻ was increasing in popularity at the time because it made postal services quicker and more effective. Therefore, the Higa brothers wanted to provide the same level of service within their restaurant, so they named it Zippy's. Thus, they primarily purchased standalone buildings, in order to be able to operate 24/7 and attract a large number of late-night customers.
When Zippy's initially opened, there weren't as many mainland fast food chains. However, there were other mom and pop restaurants that were slightly comparable to Zippy's in the area. Therefore, the Higa brothers chose to serve a range of local dishes due to the competition, combining American, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Hawaiian cuisine.2
In 1983, Napoleon's Bakery launched as a result of Zippy's desire to attempt something new.3 As the founders sought to create the restaurant as a quick, easy stop, customers could order dessert after they finished their meal. As a result of the bakery's opening, sales at Zippy's increased significantly.
Today, Zippy's has 24 locations throughout the Hawaiian islands with a new establishment coming soon in Las Vegas!
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1Zippy's. “About Zippy's.” Zippys. Accessed May 12, 2022. https://www.zippys.com/about-zippys/.
2Star-Bulletin staff. “Higas Still Run Zippy’s as a Family Business.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, September 29, 2002.
3Resich, Ali. “How Sweet It Is: Napoleon's Bakery.” Dining Out, November 22, 2016. https://dining.staradvertiser.com/2016/11/features/how-sweet-it-is/.
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Our Zippy's Experience
Locations & Parking
There are 24 locations throughout the Hawaiian islands and a new location upcoming in Las Vegas!
The Original Zippy's
Fun Fact!
Zippy's sells over about 100 tons of their famous chili every month!
Experience
When we first walked into Zippy's, we automatically felt an 'old-school diner' atmosphere. There were children with their grandparents, long-time friends, and even others by themselves as many people feel a large amount of comfort and ease when it comes to dining at Zippy's. As we sat in our booth, we were encountered with a menu with a variety of options that made it too difficult to choose. Our food was nonetheless delicious, hearty, and explanatory as to why people love coming here. However, the workers carry an 'Aloha' spirit, making our overall Zippy's experience top-tier.
Favorite Dishes
Chili
Zippy's most well-known dish is their chili. They offer it in its original recipe, no bean, and vegetarian variations. There are also combos that Zippy's offers with its chili, such as chili loco moco, Chili burrito, or chili and chicken.
Korean Fried Chicken
It is one of Zippy's best sellers. It is pieces of chicken that are golden fried and topped with their renowned Korean style sauce.
$$
For some local favorites, it ranges from $3 to $12. However, family meals do exceed $20.