As a continuation of Hawaiian Airlines' onboard hospitality, the airline is redefining island-inspired dining in the Main Cabin with a new onboard service program that delivers greater choice, improved quality and a deeper connection to the flavors of Hawai'i.
Starting July 1, guests in Main Cabin on most flights between Hawai'i and the U.S. continent will enjoy pre-ordered meals from a fresh, chef-curated menu available for purchase. Hawaiian, which developed the program with Maui-based, James Beard finalist Chef Sheldon Simeon, is also introducing new locally made products and enhanced service elements.
"At Hawaiian Airlines, food has always been a core expression of our Hawaiian hospitality—our special way of welcoming guests onboard and inviting them into our island home," said Alisa Onishi, Managing Director of Hawai'i Marketing at Hawaiian Airlines. "We designed our new Main Cabin meal program based on guest preference for more control and choice, while allowing us to deliver food that better reflects the richness of Hawaiʻi's culinary traditions. By moving to a pre-order model, we're expanding beyond a single standard meal to offer a broader menu that reflects how our guests want to dine today."
Chef-driven Menu Rooted in Hawai'i
The heart of Hawaiian's new dining program comes from its partnership with Chef Simeon, a nationally recognized restaurateur. Known for his Maui restaurants, Tin Roof and Tiffany's, Simeon brings culinary expertise and a passion for celebrating Hawai'i's food culture.
His menu features elevated takes on local favorites and comfort foods, including dishes such as crispy mochiko chicken with garlic noodles, barbecue teriyaki chicken bento and corned beef hash with eggs. Many items highlight signature flavors from Simeon's restaurants, including his popular sauces, K mayo, teriyaki and banana bread syrup, as well as his popular crispy topping made from rice crackers and furikake.
"For me, food is about sharing where you're from and the people who shaped you," said Simeon. "This menu is inspired by the flavors I grew up with in Hawai'i—comforting, familiar and full of heart. I'm excited to bring those dishes onboard so guests can experience a true taste of home, wherever they're headed."
Menu offerings deliver an experience that is both familiar and distinctly Hawaiian—prepared with fresh local ingredients made no more than 12 hours before each flight.
In March, Hawaiian welcomed Chef Dell Valdez, the Hawaiʻi-born culinary leader behind Vein in Kakaʻako on O'ahu, as well as Dell's Kitchen & Bakery and Mio PASTALOGY, as the carrier's new Executive Chef. With Valdez overseeing Hawaiian's international Business Class and domestic First Class menus and Simeon designing the Main Cabin meal program, Hawaiian is offering a thoughtfully curated dining experience to guests in every cabin.
More Choice, Better Quality for Guests
Already offered in First Class, the pre-order model puts guests in control of their onboard dining experience throughout the cabin, with First Class guests now benefiting from an expanded selection of menu options. Through the Alaska Hawaiian mobile app or website, travelers can select meals up to two weeks in advance (and as close to 20 hours before departure), choosing options that best fit their tastes, preferences and dietary needs—including plant-based and gluten-free selections.
The Main Cabin program will launch July 1 with a curated set of initial offerings, with plans to expand the menu this Fall. Throughout the year, Hawaiian and Simeon will introduce new dishes and rotate items, ensuring the menu remains fresh, relevant and reflective of seasonal ingredients and evolving guest preferences.
Hawaiian Hospitality Remains at the Core with New Onboard Partners
Hawaiian's Mea Hoʻokipa hospitality remains central to the inflight experience. Complimentary onboard touches will continue, including a welcome beverage, snacks by new local partners Anahola Granola and Diamond Bakery and a mahalo sweet treat from Hawaiian Host Chocolates or Honolulu Cookie Company served before arrival.
In addition to complimentary alcohol for guests seated in Premium Class, Hawaiian will introduce new complimentary onboard bites for guests seated in Premium Class: Kauaʻi-based Anahola Granola's Tropical Granola Bar, which features island favorites, papaya and pineapple, paired with honey-roasted oats. Main Cabin guests will enjoy Hawaiian shortbread macadamia nut cookies by Diamond Bakery, made in Hawai'i and crafted with rich, indulgent flavors served in the morning, and Hawaiian Maui onion kettle chips served in the afternoon.
Designed With Sustainability in Mind
The new program also advances Hawaiian's commitment to caring for the 'āina (land). By aligning meal production with actual guest demand, the airline is reducing unnecessary food and packaging waste.
Most meal packaging is compostable or recyclable, including fiber-based containers and materials that significantly reduce reliance on single-use plastics.
Huakaʻi by Hawaiian Members Enjoy First Two Meals Free
Hawai'i residents who are Huakaʻi by Hawaiian members, or who become members by June 24, will enjoy a special, one-time offer to experience the new menu as part of the program launch. As a thank you for their continued loyalty, starting July 1, Huakaʻi members who make a meal selection for an upcoming trip will automatically receive the first two items free of charge.
"We're excited to mahalo our Huaka'i members—all of whom are kamaʻāina and among our most loyal guests by inviting them to taste our new menu and be part of this exciting chapter of onboard dining with us," said Onishi.
The airline continues to share local flavors, support local partners, and deliver hospitality with authenticity and care, while investing in modernized spaces, upgraded technology, refreshed Airbus A330 aircraft interiors and expanded community and sustainability efforts.
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