Some days the thought of leaving your air-conditioned car to walk across a hot parking lot just to pick up food is exhausting. On those days, as you make a mental list of drive-thrus available, don’t forget about Genki Sushi in the Waiau Center.

Instead of the typical fast-food fare of burgers and fries, tacos or fried chicken, the well-known chain offers poke bowls, garlic chicken, kalbi, tempura, stuffed mushrooms and assorted sushi. Everything on the menu inside the restaurant is available at the drive-thru for the same price, said Patrick Isosaki, a manager at the Waiau location.

About the business: Genki Sushi has been in Hawaii for 24 years. The first location opened in Kapahulu in 1992, and the Waiau location followed in 1997.

Today there are 10 branches on Oahu, two on Maui, one on Kauai and one in Kailua-Kona. Only the Waiau restaurant has a drive-thru.

The drive-thru was in place when the company took over the Waiau building, said David Moon, purchasing director and operations manager for Genki Sushi USA Inc.

It was fortuitous. The company’s numbers have shown that 30 to 35 percent of the location’s earnings have come from drive-thru customers. Those numbers might not represent current volume, however. “With the rail construction the percentage is higher,” Moon said. “People don’t like getting out of their cars.”

Finding your way: The drive-thru lane can be easy to miss if you’re coming from the west. The best approach is to take the first turn off of Kamehameha Highway into the Waiau Center parking lot. Then take the first right turn into the aisle of parking stalls fronting the restaurant and look for the small drive-thru sign at the end of the row. If you miss that entrance, there is another right turn before Zippy’s, then you just have to drive across the parking lot toward Genki.

How to order: It’s the same as at any drive-thru window — look at the board of pictures above the speaker and order when asked. Sushi platters can also be ordered at the window, but it is recommended that such big orders be called in, especially during the holiday season. Use the drive-thru just for pickup.

Prices: Orders of two pieces of sushi start at $1.80 and go up to $5.15 for specialty items such as the four-piece Rainbow Roll or three-piece Spicy Tempura Roll. The same price range goes for nonsushi items such as edamame ($1.80), somen salad ($2.55) and soft shell crab ($5.15).

Grab and go: Depending on the size of the order, the sushi makers are pretty quick. Window hours are the same as for the restaurant. If you decide to park, takeout is also available inside.

“Grab and Go” focuses on takeout food, convenience meals and other quick bites. Email ideas to crave@staradvertiser.com.