First-Ever Saturday Celebration Invites Guests to Enjoy One of Hawaii’s Most Recognizable Local Foods at Participating Locations Nationwide
(July, 2026) – L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, the largest Hawai‘i-based restaurant chain, will celebrate the sixth annual National SPAM® Musubi Day on Saturday, August 8, with one free SPAM® Musubi per guest from noon-4pm local time at participating locations, while supplies last.
This year marks the first time National SPAM® Musubi Day falls on a Saturday, creating a weekend opportunity for guests to gather with family and friends while enjoying one of Hawaii’s most beloved local foods. Select restaurants may also feature special events, exclusive menu promotions, entertainment or giveaways, with details varying by location.
National SPAM® Musubi Day is L&L’s largest annual celebration and reflects the brand’s mission of Serving Aloha Worldwide. For many guests, SPAM® Musubi is a familiar taste of the Islands. For others, it serves as an introduction to Hawaii’s unique local food culture and the broader Plate Lunch tradition.
“National SPAM® Musubi Day has become a meaningful tradition for our L&L ʻohana because it brings people together around a food that is deeply connected to Hawai‘i,” said Elisia Flores, chief executive officer of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. “SPAM® Musubi is nostalgic and iconic. We love seeing people share that experience with family and friends, and we’re honored to continue celebrating this local favorite with communities across the country.”
National SPAM® Musubi Day was officially established in 2021 through a proclamation by Hawaii’s governor and recognition in the National Day Archives. The date August 8, or 8/08, pays homage to Hawaii’s 808 area code, a widely recognized symbol of local pride.
\THE ORIGIN OF SPAM® MUSUBI … Musubi has roots in Japanese food traditions brought to Hawaiʻi by immigrant communities in the 19th century. SPAM® later became part of Hawaii’s local food culture during and after World War II, when it was introduced as a shelf-stable protein and became widely incorporated in local cooking.
The modern SPAM® Musubi, featuring grilled SPAM® over rice and wrapped in nori, was created on Kaua’i in 1983. Today, it remains one of Hawaii’s most popular grab-and-go foods and one of L&L’s most recognizable menu items. Guests are encouraged to pair it with Plate Lunch favorites such as Chicken Katsu, BBQ Mix, Kalua Pork with Cabbage, Garlic Shrimp and Loco Moco.
The free SPAM® Musubi offer is available at participating L&L Hawaiian Barbecue locations only. Guests are encouraged to arrive early and contact their nearest restaurant for location-specific details. To find a nearby L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, visit hawaiianbarbecue.com.
About L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue began more than 70 years ago as a small shop in Honolulu and was transformed in 1976 when Eddie Flores, Jr. and Johnson Kam acquired the business and expanded it across the Islands. In 1999, they introduced the franchise to the continental U.S. and coined the term “Hawaiian Barbecue” to introduce new audiences to the Plate Lunch format, consisting of rice, macaroni salad and a choice of protein. Today, with more than 235 locations worldwide, L&L is recognized as Hawaii’s Plate Lunch and the leader in one of the fastest-growing food categories. The brand continues to share the comforting, hearty, Hawai‘i-rooted flavors of its Plate Lunch through its commitment to quality, heritage and aloha. For more information, visit hawaiianbarbecue.com.
