The Buzz
The Buzz
The new Outback Steakhouse in Hawaii Kai next to Roy's Restaurant is closer to Roy's than appearances indicate. New Outback
Steakhouse has
same Aloha spiritManaging Partner Chris Jones and his wife Lee, who serves as office manager, are restaurateur Roy Yamaguchi's 50 percent partners in some 24 Roy's Restaurants, including the new one on Maui, in Tampa Florida, and in California. Just not the one next to the new Outback.
Chris and Lee Jones operated an Outback Steakhouse in Georgia before they got the call inviting them to open the new Hawaii Kai location. "We couldn't pack our bags fast enough," she says.
Yamaguchi was among the partners that opened Hawaii's first Outback Steakhouse in Waikiki in August of 1997.
Media consultant Kit Warrington, principal of KWME Inc., gave the restaurant a good review for the "practice night" she attended.
"Their whole attitude of community is so incredible, they'll make a real good tenant [of Hawaii Kai Towne Center]," she says. Lee Jones says they staged a benefit the night before they opened, "We sold box lunches for $5 and all proceeds went to the American Heart Association."
The restaurant paid for the food and labor; its staff volunteered to do the cooking and service.
She says any school or nonprofit group can apply for Outback fundraising help by faxing them a proposal. "We feel like the community gives us so much, we like to give back."
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4757, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com