All President Barack Obama had to say on one of his trips back home was that he wanted to stop for a plate lunch at Rainbow Drive-In, a favorite hangout when he was a Punahou student. “Boom, that started the whole thing,” says Jim Gusukuma, a key figure at the old-time eatery in Kapahulu.

The spotlight burned even brighter when the 57-year-old drive-in was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” about eight years ago and on other Food Network shows. Tourists flocked to discover the plate lunch that local people have grown up on — two scoops rice, macaroni salad and a main course, usually drenched in gravy.

The plate lunch originated as a midday meal for laborers who could sweat off the calories in the afternoon heat. Today, it’s hefty enough to feed two, plain ol’ hog heaven for the person who can’t resist the addictive combination of a mayonnaisey mac salad, the chew of white rice and the savory richness of the entree, like the best-selling chili.

During the eight years of Obama’s presidency, “We don’t know if he came here … I don’t think Michelle would approve of Rainbow!” Gusukuma said, laughing.

Claim to fame: The iconic eatery has operated with the same recipes and business philosophy since it was founded in 1961 by Seiju Ifuku, who learned to cook while serving in the Army during World War II.

“Make it cheap, sell a lot and rely on volume,” was Ifuku’s motto, Gusukuma said in a Honolulu Star-Bulletin interview 18 years ago. That’s still the maxim, he said. “We’re not going to fancy it up, we’re going to fill people up for a reasonable price; that’s what we do.”

He added: “It’s great that local Asian food is getting twists and people try to stretch the limits of that food, but it’s not something we worry about.”

Best-sellers are still the mixed plate (barbecue beef, chicken and fish), chili dog and boneless chicken cutlets slathered in gravy, all guaranteed to induce a comatose state of bliss. Not exactly health food but, “we believe our recipes are as healthy as they can be or want them to be,” Gusukuma said. “Everything in moderation.”

After all, he reasoned, the gravy is based on chicken stock seasoned with konbu (seaweed) and dried shrimp. Besides, people grumble if a recipe is changed, he added.

Another tradition that Rainbow maintains is serving food on a plate and in an old-style cardboard pie box, instead of a compartmentalized plastic-foam clamshell. “Personally I would not want to call it a plate lunch if it’s not on a plate,” Gusukuma said. “It may cost more, but “it’s part of Rainbow culture, it’s something people expect.”

Luciano “Boy” Pineda, 62, has been a cook at Rainbow for 30 years, but still has a good time slinging hash and everything else as fast as he can while bantering with his two younger assistants. The pace and the heat in the cramped kitchen don’t bother him. Another cook at the drive-in has been there for 22 years, Gusukuma said. Only a few have been entrusted with the recipes.

The family: Rainbow Drive-In was the third restaurant Seiji and wife Ayako Ifuku opened, after the Welcome Inn on Maunakea Street and Kalakaua Drive-In, a hotspot through the 1950s. Seeking lower lease rents they moved to Kapahulu Avenue and opened Rainbow Drive-In on Oct. 2, 1961.

Their three children grew up working at the restaurant but went into different careers. When Ifuku retired around 1990, management was taken over by Harvey Iwamura (daughter Betsy’s husband who started at Rainbow in the mid-1970s). In 1995, daughter Sherie’s husband, Gusukuma, left United Airlines to help run the restaurant. Today Iwamura is president and Gusukuma is senior vice president.

Six relatives — including Betsy and Sherie, also company officers — still work with some 40 other Rainbow employees. But with only Christopher Iwamura (Harvey and Betsy’s son) to carry on from the next generation, “we’ve had to go outside the family,” Gusukuma said. Chef Hiroshi Fukui (formerly of Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas) and Crystine Ito as marketing and customer service manager, give them new eyes to see how they might improve. “The ultimate goal is to perpetuate Rainbow Drive-In and make sure we’re around into the future.”

Another legacy is the Ifuku Family Foundation, which offers scholarships to culinary students and grants to community organizations, like the Waikiki Health Center.

What’s new: In 2012, the RainbowTiki logo shop opened at the entrance, selling T-shirts, caps, bags and a few food items. Next to the drive-in on Castle Street, Rainbow opened Hawaii’s Favorite Kitchens in 2015, which includes four old-time franchises, KC Waffle Dog (an offshoot of KC Drive Inn), Shimazu Shave Ice, PokeStop and Mike’s Huli Huli Chicken.

In May this year, Rainbow partnered with a new company to open its first franchise in Kalihi (see Page 9). The franchise is being run by the newly formed Rainbros LLC, headed by Ted Davenport (owner of Subway franchises in Hawaii, Gyu-Kaku and Ruby Tuesday restaurants). Their long-range plans are to open Rainbows in Kapolei and Maui.

Gusukuma said, “We’re very, very lucky to be in this location, and lucky to have this legacy, and really, really fortunate we have great customers who support us.”

RELATED STORY:

>> New Rainbow Drive-In in Kalihi earns seal of approval

“Old Friends” catches up with longtime local food producers. It runs on the third week of each month. Email suggestions to crave@staradvertiser.com or call Pat Gee at 529-4749.