(Dined 09/26/22 MO @ 11:00am): Old McDonald had a farm of fast food, elder employees, and a homeless haven...!
I ended up at Kaimuki's McDonald's merely by happenstance as I was getting familiar with the Bus routes specifically from Hawaii Kai to Sacred Hearts Academy for my goddaughter/youngest niece who will be doing an internship of sorts there in the coming months. After my reconnaissance, this was the perfect opportunity to grab one of my favorite island pies and to try how they did their apple fritters. Let's be clear... I wasn't particularly a fan of this brand but loved their seasonal pies like haupia, mango, and taro. Was this a fruitful impromptu visit to Mickey Dees!?
PURCHASE
THE "APPLE FRITTER IS TAKING OVER THE WORLD TOUR" CONTINUED...
Apple Fritter ($2.99): Not that I was an apple fritter snob - eff it...yes I was! - but there was a certain way I liked mine. 1st, the price was comparable to the now higher current going rate (gone are the days of the under $2.00 fritter). 2nd, it was round shaped, the thickness and density was somewhat to my liking, and roughly the size of my hand rather than my face (an ode to the great Goldstar Donuts in Van Nuys). 3rd, there wasn't a very good amount of apple bits. 4th, the overall light brown color was decent but lacked burnt ends (I loved it burnt), and the low glaze made for an unappealing but less messy cracking effect. There were no crunchy odd crannies, corners, and nooks which I liked to break off into small little morsels. 5th, it was room temperature at best which was unexpected since it was early enough in the day with no hints of oil pockets or gooey apple juices that leaked into your mouth and dripped down your throat. I ate this as a late breakfast/early lunch. Overall, it had decent value - 2.5 out of 5.0 STARS https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=KkQSsJZYlEB3wS6cRGTIMQ&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw
Taro Pie ($1.59): Whenever I visited Hawaii, I always made a point to stop at any McDonald's for one of their special pies not found on the Mainland, and the taro flavor was a constant offering. The outside was golden, crispy, and flaky https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=e4gRYKsKn3oByBBVDJltgA&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw, while the inside was hot, steamy, and tasty with that undoubtedly thick taro texture and earthy sweet flavor https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=k5kJ6sy8iNsFz5t9URQdfg&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw. I got my taro pie fix and enjoyed every bit of it!
SERVICE
Upon entering, I simply went to the shortest line (two people ahead of me) and waited about ten minutes before I placed my order with an older woman. Actually, it appeared the entire staff was easily over 50 years of age which I thought was pretty cool! About seven minutes later, my simple order was ready and I was off to find an empty table to enjoy. I didn't notice any table service which wasn't an issue for me. All was island chillin' - mahalo!
PARKING (FREE; N/A this instance)
Although I took a bus to this location, they had a small private lot along with a drive-thru. Otherwise, there appeared to be plenty of spots along the main drag of Waialae Ave. and surrounding side streets - 'nuff said!
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
A standard-sized fast food restaurant layout with most of the space devoted to the dining area that consisted of an assortment of benches, tables, chairs, and stools (there were also a couple tables out front). Several promotional posters hung on the walls and windows for your reading pleasure. Sadly, there wasn't a Play Land, this location appeared to be homeless-friendly, but all was surprisingly clean inside and outside. Plenty of natural lighting came through the many large windows while a ton of electric recessed ceiling lights filled in the rest. There were no TVs while Top-40 music played in the background. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=a86hk8BTknb6d_jRwXP4wQ&userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
I generally found McDonald's Kaimuki location to be fine, served the purpose I needed it for, and was perfectly situated at a bus stop along a busy street across from a school. I wasn't a fan of the plethora of homeless individuals who found refuge here and made the dining experience a tad uncomfortable mainly because of the aromas emitted from said individuals. I wasn't a fan of the apple fritter, the taro pie was a savior, and I'm sure the rest of the standard menu was fine. Kudos for the hiring of older "aunties and uncles"! I found good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $5.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 3.0 STARS read more