Post #269376 by Swanky on Wed, Nov 29, 2006 9:48 AM

On 2006-11-29 08:52, pappythesailor wrote:
Swanky, are you sure about the Mai Kai being the highest grossing restaurant in the nation? As much as I want to believe that, I just don't. If they're so rich, why does it still look like the Hurricane happened yesterday?...

Think about it for a second. They serve 300-1200 a night, with the cheapest thing on the menu at about $20, plus the $10 for the show, and drinks. They serve 1200 a night for long stretchs of their busy season. They also have been the number one seller of rum in the nation...

As for the looks of the place, that's all a long beaurocratic story. Part of it is due to current codes requiring things be done certain ways which in the end means a whole helluva lot of money, just to fix a roof. Part of it has to do with the fact that they still have not gotten a settlement from the insurance company for damage by Wilma, what, years ago? I mean, you won't go fix your roof for $8,000 and later have the insurance company give you $4,000. Or, find they were going to give you $15,000 and now they only give you $8,000 cuz that's what you spent...

The Mai Kai looks like it does, not because business is poor. Business is great. Nor does it look like that because they do not care. They care a lot. It's just a lot of factors that make it the way it is. Maybe by the time we all get down there for Hukilau 2007, the valet area and the main hall will be restored to what we expect. Let's hope so.