116,000 Pre-Paid $500 Hawai‘i Restaurant Cards Mailed to Qualified Recipients  

Governor David Ige. (9.30.20) PC: Office of Gov. David Ige.

Pre-loaded $500 restaurant cards were mailed out to eligible individuals under the state’s new Hawai‘i Restaurant Card Program.   The program was established to help Hawai‘i unemployment insurance recipients impacted by COVID-19.

The program is a private-public partnership that is providing the pre-paid cards for the purchase of food and non-alcoholic beverages at Hawai‘i eating establishments and fast food restaurants. The program runs through Dec. 15, 2020.   

A news conference was held today with Governor David Ige, Sherry Menor-McNamara, the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i, and local restaurant and food industry suppliers, to announce the progress. (The press conference is available for viewing at the Hawaiʻi News Now Facebook page).

Governor Ige said, “The Hawai‘i restaurant industry is one of the hardest hit and has the highest economic boosting impact. The Hawai‘i Restaurant Card Program will inject, on average, over $1.2 million into the local economy each day during this 60-day period. I want to extend a big mahalo to everyone who worked hard to create this much-needed, economy-reviving program.” Menor-McNamara said,

The Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i, along with the restaurant industry announced that more than 116,000 Hawai‘i Restaurant Cards are in the mail and are expected to be arriving in mailboxes, statewide, as early as this Friday.

Highway Inn Restaurant Owner Monica Toguchi Ryan said, “This exciting program will not only provide targeted help to the community, but it will re-invigorate the restaurant sector by bringing customers through our doors. These funds will initially be used to help pay our employees, and then pay our suppliers who range from small local farmers to fishermen. This program will help revitalize our local economy in more ways that most people could imagine.” 

The governor also announced that the one-time benefit will not impact SNAP and Medicaid benefits or eligibility.  For more details on the program and to see if you are eligible, go to: hawaiirestaurantcard.com