Hawaiian Casual Dining Legend Zippy’s Delays Its Las Vegas Arrival Due to COVID-19

Hawaiian casual-dining legend Zippy’s says that its Las Vegas debut, planned for the end of 2020, is on hold for now.

“The COVID-19 situation has affected our ability to move forward with new store openings as we focus on keeping the existing operations healthy,” Paul Yokota, the president of FCH Enterprises, parent company of Zippy’s, says in a press statement. “We own the parcel where we intend to open our first location, and we’ve identified a number of other sites for future locations as well. We have already made a substantial real estate investment in Las Vegas, so we are definitely coming to the market, just a bit later than anyone would have liked.”

Last summer, Zippy’s purchased a parcel of land at the corner of Badura Avenue and Montessouri Street in southwest Las Vegas, where it planned to build its first location, as well as a commissary operation to prepare food for future locations throughout Southern Nevada.

The 12,000-square-foot central kitchen and bakery was going to contain a 7,000-square-foot restaurant, takeout, and retail bakery.

“We had building plans and were about to complete a construction award to a general contractor when the city-wide shutdowns paused much of the economies of Las Vegas, Hawaii, and the nation. So, when we are able to focus on our expansion again, we will move quickly,” Yokota says.

The company’s first location outside of Hawaii was initially planning to open at the end of 2020, marking the 25th outlet of the Hawaiian chain. Zippy’s initially announced its arrival in Las Vegas in 2018.

Created in 1966, Zippy’s has evolved into a go-to destination for plate meals, the Zip Pac, created with fried chicken, hoki fish, teriyaki beef, and Spam served over rice, and its bestselling chili.

Zippy’s has not set a new opening date.

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