Airport Experience® News - Food & Beverage Issue 2026

Airport dining has come a long way. There used to be a lag time of as many as 10 years before a street food and beverage trend would hit an airport restaurant, but those days are over. Technology and social media have made our world smaller and consumer expectations are higher than ever. “People are now expecting the same experience and same choices and options when they dine in airports as they have when they go out on the weekend to dine where they live,” says Alain Zemmour, vice president of operations for Concessions International (CI). “The inside of the airport is really starting to line up with what’s outside of the airport.” Indeed, concessionaires and their culinary teams have leveled up their offerings significantly in recent years to appease today’s savvy traveler. “Food in the travel industry has really been evolving over the past several years and has become a part of the journey itself, and we as chefs have really taken to that and have elevated our menus accordingly,” says Brian Kumrow, vice president of culinary service at SSP America . “It’s exciting to me that travelers lately are looking for food experiences to be a highlight of their travel, so we’re really trying to offer great experiences in various options along the way. Whether that be in a quick service concept, a grab-and-go cooler, a fast food spot or a sit-down restaurant, we want to figure out what they’re looking for and make it an experience that they’re going to remember.” Kumrow adds that keeping close tabs on consumer dining demands is key. SSP America’s approach includes tracking sales mix data, consumer survey responses, insights from brand partners, and analytics from industry forecasters.

“That combination allows us to stay ahead of trends rather than chase them,” he says. Sal Mendola, director of culinary and concept development at Areas USA , notes a similar strategy and adds that “reading, reading, reading” is extremely valuable. “Reading magazines, reading articles, just really trying to understand and identify trends as they’re starting up because it’s really important to make sure that we identify trends before they’re getting big so that we can start to do the work and introduce something not after it’s been popular but as it’s just starting to get popular,” he explains. “I think that’s the difference between good and exceptional – it’s about anticipating guest needs, the new flavors that are coming in and being ready for them.” Richard Wiggins, senior director of culinary for Paradies Lagardère , follows this immersive method. “We track trends the way chefs always have: through travel, dining, watching what innovators are doing, listening to guests, and constantly studying food,” he says. “It’s about staying curious and constantly refining.”

Above: Alain Zemmour (left), vice president of operations for Concessions International, and Eric Baines (right), director of food and beverage for Concessions International, work to elevate the company’s culinary offerings. Tracking The Trends While some specific food crazes come and go (Dubai chocolate, anyone?), there are other, broader food and beverage trends that have proven to have lasting power. These are the trends airport culinary directors are focused on. One such trend is the continued popularity of global flavors, ingredients and cuisine. “Filipino cuisine has emerged and just gotten really, really hot and popular, especially sisig; Korean food continues to get bigger and bigger; Vietnamese too,” Mendola says. “This is cuisine that may not have been approachable, 10, 15, even five or six years ago and are now household names. I spoke earlier with a friend about how even with gochujang, which not long

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AX NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2026