May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii—but also in eight mainland states where Roy's restaurants serve up Hawaiian fusion cuisine.

There are 33 restaurants in the Roy's chain founded by Hawaii-based chef Roy Yamaguchi, who doesn't remember how long the restaurants have been observing the day across the pond. “;We do it in our mainland stores only,”; the chef told “;TheBuzz.”;

The restaurants will offer a special menu Saturday to highlight the isles' special day, including black cod simmered in coconut milk; pork “;toro”; steak; Wagyu short ribs of beef, each with a vegetable component, and for dessert, Hawaiian sweet bread pudding with white chocolate and bananas.

Many Roy's customers on the mainland have been to Hawaii and are repeat customers of the restaurants, and many of them “;automatically come”; on May 1; they have made it a tradition, Yamaguchi said.

Naturally, many arrive at the restaurant having no clue about May Day or Lei Day or much at all about Hawaii.

“;We let them know,”; he said.

Roy's publicity materials explain that Lei Day began in 1928 after it was realized that while most leis were given to visitors, local people were not adorning one another with the valued symbol of Hawaiian culture, of love and friendship.

Once the guests hear the origin, they “;feel festive,”; said Yamaguchi. “;Plus, we give a lei to each guest.”;

Nothing too fragrant, so as not to interfere with the aroma and flavor of the food, and not too expensive, or “;you might as well just close the doors already ... we have to make sure there's money left over so we can pay our bills,”; he laughed.

Many of the restaurants, for May Day or to mark the anniversary of their opening dates, also will bring in musicians to entertain diners with live Hawaiian music and perhaps a fire-knife dancer, which is not Hawaiian, but evokes the aura of a trip to the islands nevertheless.

The May Day celebration and the leis are “;our way of thanking our guests for supporting us, and also of educating our guests about the Hawaiian culture,”; he said.

The restaurant guests who have been to Hawaii before seem to fully engage in the experience, Yamaguchi said.

“;Because a lot of them have been to Hawaii and they really miss how they felt when they were here, and to be able to give that back to them, is just unbelievable.”;

Previous Hawaii visitors who purposefully riz-vip (RSVP) at Roy's for May Day dining also don aloha attire, Yamaguchi said.

Most Hawaii residents take aloha print fabric for granted, giving it little thought on any given workday, “;but it doesn't work that way”; on the mainland, he said. Yamaguchi likes to see mainland diners come in knowing their aloha wear is welcomed. In the dead of winter, “;they'll come in with an aloha shirt on under all those heavy garments.”;

There are six Roy's restaurants in Hawaii, one in Tokyo, one on Guam and 25 on the mainland in Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada and Pennsylvania.