The Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility in Olomana has again received approval to spend up to $80,000 this year on meals from Zippy’s, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue and Times and Foodland grocery stores because it doesn’t have enough cooks in its kitchen.

The 30-bed facility got the greenlight to buy emergency meals in January. This is the third year in a row that the state has turned to fast food to supply those meals for staff and minors detained in the facility.

In 2023, the kitchen was down to just one cook. The facility spent about $61,000 on emergency meals that year. Last year, it spent just $5,000 after hiring a second cook.

But the facility’s kitchen needs a third cook to be considered fully staffed. The salary for state government cooks ranges from $63,000 to just over $67,000, according to job postings.

Leanne Gillespie, executive director of the youth services office, said the state’s hiring process is partly to blame. Applicants sometimes wait up to nine months before starting their positions, she said.

“It really puts us in a difficult position,” Gillespie said. “We are required to provide meals for our youth. And we’re talking about growing teens. These meals need to be substantial.”

The facility is also required to provide meals for staff who can’t leave their posts.

The facility posted solicitations for emergency meals on the state’s procurement website for the last two years but hasn’t received a response from any interested vendors. The nearby Women’s Community Correctional Center also couldn’t provide meals with little notice.

So the agency has turned to some of Hawaiʻi’s fast food joints.

“L&L Kailua Town is very accommodating,” the request says. “They are able to provide emergency meals at the last minute and charge us less than their prices on their menu.”

Staff also like Zippy’s in Kailua because they can order online. In the past, they’ve also used Foodland for overtime meals for staff, the request said.