When the Kansas City Royals' bats heat up, so do the lunch lines at Hawaiian Bros. After a sluggish offensive start to the season, the team has found its rhythm—and it's paying off in more ways than one. Not only are the Royals stacking up wins, but fans are also stacking up free meals thanks to a creative new promotion.

This year, the Royals teamed up with the fast-casual chain Hawaiian Bros for "Plates for Plates." The deal is simple: every time the Royals score six or more runs in a home game, members of the restaurant's loyalty program get a free classic plate lunch the following day. What started as a fun incentive has quickly turned into a full-blown phenomenon.

According to the Kansas City Star, Hawaiian Bros initially projected they'd be handing out free meals after about 20 percent of home games. Through 17 home contests so far, the Royals have already hit the six-run mark eight times—nearly 50 percent. The result? Massive crowds and winding lines at Hawaiian Bros locations across the Kansas City area.

The promotion hit another gear when the Royals scored six or more runs in four straight home games. Hawaiian Bros reports they've already served over 42,000 free meals and added more than 24,000 new rewards members since the promotion began. While the surge in demand has certainly kept employees on their toes, the long-term payoff for the chain looks promising.

This kind of promotion adds a whole new layer of excitement for fans. Suddenly, every at-bat matters a little more—not just for the win column, but for that free lunch. It's reminiscent of the Taco Bell "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" promotion during the World Series, which had fans on the edge of their seats for every stolen bag. Food giveaways have a way of turning casual viewers into die-hard supporters, proving that sometimes, there really is such a thing as a free lunch.

Of course, this isn't the Royals' first rodeo when it comes to feeding their fan base. These partnerships give fans another reason to pack the ballpark while introducing restaurants to a flood of new customers. But as history shows, not every promotion goes smoothly. Back in 2003, after several losing seasons, the Royals tried to lure fans with a free doughnut promotion tied to the team getting 12 hits in a home game. It was a creative attempt, but it also highlights the risks involved when performance on the field doesn't match expectations.

For now, though, the Royals and Hawaiian Bros are riding a wave of success—one that's filling both the scoreboard and the stomachs of Kansas City fans. Whether this trend continues remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: when the Royals score big, the whole city eats well.