A social organization known as the Fraternal Order of Moai was formed in 2005, in part to record the restaurant's history and preserve its artifacts.

An offshoot of the operation, Kahiki Foods, manufactures frozen meals, and is based in the nearby suburb of Gahanna.

[3] Cocktails served at the restaurant included Malayan Mist, Blue Hurricane, Instant Urge, Maiden's Prayer, Misty Isle, Jungle Fever, Head Hunter, Zombie, and the Smoking Eruption.

It was always served by the "Mystery Girl", a server summoned with a gong, and who only appeared to dance the drink to diners' tables.

[2] When Altenbach became too busy, Design Associates of Columbus was hired, principally Ralph Sounik and Ned Eller.

[2]: 1  The interior spaces had mock rainforests, aquariums, thatch huts, fountains, gongs, drums, and a massive stone Moai fireplace.

[3] In 1957, Sapp and Henry began researching for the restaurant project, including traveling with their designer Coburn Morgan throughout the South Pacific.

[3] In 1975, designer Coburn Morgan drew up plans for an expansion to the restaurant, including a treehouse dining space and museum.

[9] Sapp and Henry sold the restaurant to Mitch Boich in 1978, who entered a partnership with Michael Tsao later that year.

The company built a small food processing plant to the rear of the restaurant that year to produce its frozen meals.

[3] It closed on August 26, 2000 due to prohibitively high maintenance costs and a significant loss of business, and so the property was sold to Walgreens.

[11] The demolition crew salvaged pieces of the restaurant, including the large fireplace, which required opening up part of the roof.

He drew up plans for the site, in front of the Franklin County Veterans Memorial, and also considered spaces in Polaris, Easton, and the Arena District.

These include Shipwreck Shirley's and Rancho Kahiki, private spaces operating out of suburban houses in Columbus.

[6] From 2012 to 2019, the Grass Skirt Tiki Room operated in downtown Columbus; the bar featured "George the Monkey", a decorative fountain that stood inside the Kahiki restaurant until the piece was sold at auction to the Fraternal Order of Moai.