Airport Experience® News - Conference Issue 2025

“For beverages, an interesting concept called ‘next-level fat-washing’ has been popping up in the spirits world,” Thormeier continues. “It’s a technique that involves taking a fat or oil and infusing it into alcohol, freezing the concoction until the fat solidifies, and then skimming the fat off, so just the flavors of the fat remain. Picture an olive oil martini with olive oil-infused vodka.” Trying Out Trends As concessionaires note emerging food and beverage trends, they employ several tactics for introducing these trends into their operations to see if they have staying power. Both Delaware North and Areas USA, for example, will bring in a trendy item as a short-term promotion to see if guests take interest. “Our limited-time offers are where we use the opportunity to lean into trends, particularly in the beverage sector,” Delaware North’s Thormeier says. “We have a dedicated team that plans them out to stay current, giving travelers the option to try something new or stick with the classics.” Areas USA’s Mendola points out that, “The data never lies, so when we introduce limited-time offerings, we know if our guests are interested.” Avolta similarly will try out special promotional items. “We have historically offered adult beverage promotions throughout the year, but this year our culinary team crafted a promotional menu that includes a food pairing at participating restaurants to appeal to travelers looking for a more curated dining experience,” Steelman says. “In the first few weeks of 2025 – as a nod to a new year with new beginnings – we paired a glass of celebratory bubbly with a grilled chicken grain bowl made with a mix of rice and quinoa, broccoli, tomato, cucumber relish and a lemon vinaigrette.” SSP America’s Stanton notes that observing consumer behavior shifts

has led to certain menu changes the company has recently made. “For example, appetizer menus are expanding because consumers are opting for an appetizer or two in lieu of an entrée – the perception of time, variety, price and a desire to share with others when dining all factor into this growing demand,” he says. “We’ve expanded our appetizer selection and rebranded some items as ‘sharables’ to meet customer expectations. On many menus, we’ve grouped sandwiches, sliders, tacos, burritos and the like together as ‘hand helds,’ which communicates a smaller portion and faster preparation.” Need For Speed Of course, in the busy airport terminal speed of service will always be a top priority among travelers. “The post pandemic world is all about convenience, convenience and convenience. More than ever, our guests expect their meals to come out quickly,” Mendola says. “The standard for ready-to-go has been raised and travelers want to be able to pick up a high-quality item without the wait.” And this need has translated to which service styles are most popular. “Last year saw growth for fast-casual restaurants, quick-service restaurants and convenience stores, and less so for casual and fine dining. We expect that 2025 will continue to bring a shift in traffic from full-service restaurants to limited-service restaurants,” Thormeier says. Stanton also notes the importance of speedy service in an airport, but he still sees opportunity in full-service offerings. “The ability to experience high-quality dining in a quick-service concept is still a winning format for the food travel market, but there’s also space for casual dining and full-service concepts, particularly those with expanded bar seating,” he says. “This arrangement resonates with many passengers and is often preferred over a traditional sit-down table.”

Above: Açaí-based foods and creative mocktails are among the trends being incorporated on SSP America’s restaurant menus, says the company’s Bob Stanton.

Paradies Lagardère has found that travelers have different service style needs based on their specific circumstances. “We’ve done some interesting customer research with the marketing research and innovation firm Burke identifying traveler ‘personas’ and studying their behavior and preferences,”Cheung says. The research found that while families largely gravitate to quick-service and fast-casual restaurants, higher household income retirees and business travelers still appreciate sit-down restaurants. For Avolta, blending different dining styles will be the focus this year. “Travelers will see a growing number of hybrid concepts that blend food and beverage with retail appearing in airports,” Steelman says. “This year, we’ll open Eataly in John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), for example, where travelers will be able to enjoy a bite at the full-service restaurant or a drink at the wine bar and then browse the retail area. It will be an elevated dining experience offering a deeper level of engagement that travelers will really love.”

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AX NEWS MARCH 2025