Local dining at airports

Airport food used to be as bad as airplane food, but the trend these days are local restaurants setting up shop at major airports.

One airport concessionaire— HMSHost—estimates that local brands now make up to 40 percent of the dining options at the average airport.

When San Francisco International added more local brands, its sales increased up to 55 percent.

LAX is planning to re-create the Los Angeles landmark with Farmers Market To Go, which will include local staples like Monsieur Marcel’s Bistro, ¡Loteria! Grill, and even the pet-friendly Three Dog Bakery.

Delta’s Terminal 4 in JFK features Uptown Brasserie, which is co-owned by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson.

Danny Meyer’s famous Shake Shack and Blue Smoke On the Road have also moved in.

For a more down-home option, the airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan plans to open Bell’s Brewery Bar, with beers on tap from their own Michigan breweries.

Atlanta, Minneapolis and Portland, Oregon, are just are few other airports that are going local…and seeing the benefits.

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