An article in the "Maruzen Hyakunenshi" (100 Years of Maruzen) reads that Yuteki HAYASHI, the founder of Maruzen, treated his friends to stewed vegetable dishes served with rice, which became popular and came to be called 'hayashi rice,' and the dish also appeared on the menus of restaurants before long.
『丸善百年史』には、丸善創業者の早矢仕有的（はやしゆうてき）が野菜のごった煮に飯を添えたものを友人に饗応し、それが有名となって人にハヤシライスと称され、いつしかレストランのメニューにもなったとの説が書かれてある。