Hawaiian Airlines Overhauls In-Flight Dining With Pre-Order Model

Hawaiian Airlines is shifting its Main Cabin dining strategy, moving away from complimentary sandwich offerings to a pre-order meal program launching July 1 on most domestic transpacific routes.

The airline partnered with Maui-based Chef Sheldon Simeon to develop locally inspired menus featuring dishes such as crispy mochiko chicken with garlic noodles, barbecue teriyaki chicken bento, and corned beef hash with eggs. Meals are priced between $10.99 and $16.99 and prepared fresh no more than 12 hours before each flight.

Pre-Order Process and Scope

Guests can pre-order meals via the Alaska Hawaiian mobile app or website up to two weeks in advance and as close as 20 hours before departure. The program applies to flights between Hawai'i and the U.S. continent, excluding the HNL-JFK route, which will continue offering complimentary meals. Interisland, South Pacific, and international flights are not included.

Passengers who don't pre-order can still purchase snacks and items from the Pau Hana snack cart onboard, and all guests continue to receive complimentary welcome beverages, local snacks, and mahalo sweet treats before arrival.

Chef Leadership and Menu Development

"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."

Simeon's menu incorporates signature items from his Maui restaurants, Tin Roof and Tiffany's, including his K mayo, teriyaki and banana bread syrup, plus a crispy rice cracker and furikake topping.

The Main Cabin program complements the airline's existing First Class dining, overseen by Executive Chef Dell Valdez, who was appointed in March. Valdez manages First Class and international Business Class menus.

Loyalty Program Incentive

Hawaiian Airlines is offering Huakaʻi by Hawaiian members—the airline's loyalty program for Hawaiʻi residents—complimentary access to the first two meals on the new menu as a mahalo, or thank you. Members who join by June 24 are eligible for the promotion.

Complimentary Offerings and Sustainability

While the pre-order model introduces paid meal options to Main Cabin, the airline is enhancing its complimentary snack offerings through new local partnerships. Premium Class guests will receive Anahola Granola's Tropical Granola Bar featuring papaya and pineapple. Main Cabin guests receive Diamond Bakery's Hawaiian shortbread macadamia nut cookies in the morning and Maui onion kettle chips in the afternoon. All guests receive mahalo treats from Hawaiian Host Chocolates or Honolulu Cookie Company before arrival.

Hawaiian Airlines emphasized sustainability measures in the new program. By aligning meal production with actual guest demand, the airline aims to reduce food and packaging waste. Most meal packaging is compostable or recyclable, using fiber-based containers that reduce single-use plastics.

Menu Expansion and Service Changes

The airline will introduce additional menu items this fall, including a cheesy omelet and cheeseburger mac and cheese. Morning menus feature breakfast items for flights departing between 6 a.m. and 9:59 a.m., while afternoon and evening options are available for departures between 10 a.m. and 8:29 p.m. Limited selections are available on red-eye flights.

"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 Hawaiʻi 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."

Why It Matters

For operators, Hawaiian's shift to pre-order dining reflects broader industry trends toward ancillary revenue generation and personalization. The program allows the airline to reduce waste through demand-based food preparation while maintaining premium positioning through celebrity chef partnerships. The tiered approach—with different chefs managing Main Cabin versus premium cabin menus—enables Hawaiian to balance cost management with brand differentiation across fare classes. Local supply chain partnerships strengthen community ties while supporting regional food businesses.

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Written by FBM Publications Editors