Airport Experience® News - Food & Beverage Issue 2026

Rethinking the Airport Restaurant

Today’s travelers move easily between grab and go meals, premium dining and lounge experiences. Rather than treating those as separate categories, Allan sees the future in concepts that offer flexibility while staying authentic to both the airport and the destination. Hybrid formats play a growing role in that approach. Farm to Flight, Paradies Lagardère’s specialty market concept, blends freshly prepared meals, local products and regional artisans in a format that serves travelers seeking speed without sacrificing quality. Each location reflects its community through local farms, makers and food producers. This philosophy carries across the broader portfolio. National brands provide familiarity and trust, while local restaurant partnerships give travelers a genuine connection to the destination—both essential to a successful concessions program. “Travelers want choice,” he says. “Sometimes that means a brand they’ve loved for years. Other times it means discovering something local before they even leave the airport. Our responsibility is making sure both experiences feel genuine.” That balance also positions airport dining to compete for traveler dwell time in new ways. As food quality, beverage programs and hospitality evolve, restaurants increasingly become destinations in their own right, even alongside premium lounge offerings. Concepts that blend hospitality, food, beverage and comfortable gathering spaces will continue to reshape traveler expectations.

Protecting Brands While Creating Experiences Bringing respected restaurant concepts into airports requires far more than signing an agreement. Every menu item, operational decision and guest interaction reflects on the brand itself. Whether partnering with nationally recognized chefs including Cat Cora, Charlie Palmer, Karen Akunowicz and Tiffani Faison or collaborating with editorial voices through Condé Nast , the objective remains the same: deliver an airport experience that feels true to the original concept while adapting thoughtfully to the travel environment. That collaborative approach extends beyond openings. Regional chefs and restaurateurs— Chef Jonathan Stranger in Oklahoma City, TRIO owner Tony Marchese in Palm Springs, and Chef Paul Mattison of Mattison’s City Grille in Sarasota —remain engaged with their airport restaurants. Culinary teams refine menus, and brand partners work closely with Paradies Lagardère to ensure quality never becomes compromised. Authenticity, Allan believes, comes from ongoing partnership rather than one time execution. Looking Ahead The strongest programs combine operational excellence and hospitality while giving travelers meaningful choices that reflect the communities they’re visiting. For Allan, the future will continue to be shaped by thoughtful partnerships, disciplined execution and investment in people. “The airport has become an extension of the destination,” he says. “When travelers choose to arrive early because they’re excited about where they’re going to eat or who they’re going to discover, we’ve done our job. That’s where this industry is headed, and it’s an exciting place to be.”