The Scientific Explanation

The Hawaiian Islands are at Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), minus 10 hours, two hours east of the International Dateline.  We don't have daylight savings time so in the summer we are 3 hours behind the U.S. West Coast but in the winter we are only 2 hours behind them.  If you live in New York, remember that it is still dark and everyone is sleeping in Hawai'i when you are eating lunch!

The Local Explanation

"Hawaiian Time" can be anywhere from 15 minutes to 3 weeks behind "Clock Time". That's because the surf might be up (which will delay or entirely eliminate going to work).  Or we might have stopped to "Talk Story" with a friend. 

You'll notice that Hawai'i residents are always willing to take the time to let someone turn in front of them while in traffic or help someone in need. This "Hang Loose" attitude means punctuality is not valued as highly as personal relationships and enjoying nature.