What’s up with these lockers at Zippy’s?

Depending on the location of your latest Zippy’s run, you might have noticed these food lockers occupying part of the restaurant.

As it turns out, the current locations with lockers — McCully, Waipahu, Makiki, Waiau, Kapolei, Waipio, Mililani, Ewa, Kahului and Hilo — all launched around mid-November to mid-December last year, except for the Mililani store, which had food lockers since early 2023.  

“Mililani was our test location, and actually went through three different hardware tests before we finally settled on what you see in store today,” says Anthony Mejia, vice president of technology for FCH Enterprises Inc., the parent company of Zippy’s. “Mililani is a very busy location, so we wanted to see if we could implement a functional system with our team members and this new technology before expending to other stores.”

So, how do these lockers work?

Lockers are designed for Zippy’s orders that are placed online for delivery or pickup (if the restaurant location you’re ordering from has lockers available). According to Mejia, the online ordering software integrates directly with the lockers so that Zippy’s staff know which guest’s food goes in which numbered pod. Customers are notified via text message at various stages of the meal, like when their order is almost done and when it’s ready for pick up.

Once the order is ready for pick up, customers receive an additional text message that says their food will be in a specific numbered locker. All the customer has to do is respond to the text when they arrive at the location with the word “OPEN.” The lockers also have pick-up instructions on them.

At that point, the locker will light up, signaling which food locker the customer’s order is in, and the door will unlock. If customers ordered for delivery using services like DoorDash, Uber Eats, Bite Squad and Postmates, there are specific instructions at the counter for delivery drivers (there’s a QR code to scan, the customer’s first and last name should be inputted, and the option “Open Locker” should be selected).

The entire process is designed to be done in less than 10 seconds, according to Mejia.

While the lockers are currently in 10 Zippy’s locations, customers can expect to see them in most locations some time in 2025, Mejia says. On the Mainland, Zippy’s Arroyo Crossing location in Las Vegas — the business’s first location to open outside of Hawaii — has had much success with their food lockers already. Zippy’s upcoming Summerlin South location — also in Las Vegas — will feature lockers in them, too.

“We will be taking a break installing the food lockers in more of our stores until after the New Year, but our guests can expect to see them in all Zippy’s stores in the future — look for most remaining locations to have lockers by 2026,” he says. “In terms of new technology, we are also starting to test ordering and digital payment at the table for guests via a tablet on our dining room side. There will be more exciting innovations in the second half of 2025 and beyond.”

Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.