Great Plates Or Regrets Before Boarding
Airport food has the power to rescue a bad travel day or make it absolutely miserable, depending on where you end up eating. When done right, terminal restaurants can actually make layovers something to look forward to instead of dread. Sadly, many airports seem determined to serve the kind of food that makes you nostalgic for airplane meals. With such extreme differences in quality, let's start with the American airports, where getting a decent meal is the biggest challenge.
1. LaGuardia Airport, New York
Terminal A delivers a masterclass in dining failure with limited post-security options, endless queues, and cramped seating arrangements. For visitors touching down in NYC, the nation’s culinary capital, LaGuardia’s disappointing food scene feels like a poor reflection of the city’s legendary cuisine.
David from Simply Aviation on Wikimedia
2. Sacramento International Airport, California
Limited operating hours and a lack of directional signs contribute to disappointing meals where California's world-famous fresh produce is strangely missing. Travelers regularly encounter stale sandwiches and exorbitantly priced snacks, making every meal a costly disappointment.
3. Orlando International Airport, Florida
Fast food giants like McDonald's and Cinnabon dominate Disney's gateway airport, while meaningful sit-down restaurants with local character remain frustratingly scarce. When the supposed "most magical place on earth" can't offer decent airport dining, expectations quickly turn to letdown.
4. Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey
Terminal C's food court showcases chain restaurant mediocrity at its finest and is often ranked low in customer satisfaction. Despite its proximity to NYC's incredible culinary reputation, Newark stubbornly serves generic options that completely ignore its advantageous location.
5. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, Louisiana
Cajun flavors appear, but not with the prominence one would expect in New Orleans. Authentic, New Orleans-style seafood is surprisingly scarce, and many travelers are advised to eat before arriving—signs of an airport dining scene that fails to reflect the city's celebrated palate.
Grant L. Robertson on Wikimedia
6. John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York
Compared to other terminals, Terminal 1 offers a thin variety and middling quality. Add in long waits and a confusing layout, and the experience sours fast. NYC's celebrated food culture never quite shows up, further turning mealtimes into missed opportunities.
7. Kansas City International Airport, Missouri
Dining options cluster unevenly throughout the terminal and leave travelers at certain gates with disappointingly few nearby choices. While local BBQ occasionally appears on menus, it's not widely accessible across the airport. Recent infrastructure improvements surely helped, but food consistency remains unpredictable.
8. St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Missouri
Among the airport's dozens of dining establishments, only The Pasta House Co. consistently earns ratings above three stars from weary travelers. Crowded, excessively noisy dining areas compound the problems. Surprisingly, authentic St. Louis-style BBQ with sweet tomato sauce is nowhere to be found.
9. Raleigh-Durham International Airport, North Carolina
National chains like Chick-fil-A and Panda Express dominate the dining scene, with minimal representation of North Carolina's distinctive regional food identity. Though Whisky River offers pulled pork, traditional barbecue elements like vinegar-based sauces and collard greens are conspicuously lacking.
formulanone from Huntsville, United States on Wikimedia
10. Chicago Midway International Airport, Illinois
Fast food outlets overwhelm Midway's dining scene, which offers Chicago-style hot dogs that inconsistently deliver authentic neighborhood flavors. Plus, national chains overshadow local concepts by creating a bland uniformity that fails to represent Chicago's diverse and celebrated culinary traditions.
Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA on Wikimedia
After all that disappointment, it's only fair to spotlight the terminals that actually deliver. These airports prove that good food and travel can go hand in hand.
1. George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Texas
Hungry travelers in Houston are spoiled for choice—Hugo's Cocina plates up authentic bites, and Pappadeaux Seafood tempts with Gulf flavors. Add Cajun flair, smoky BBQ, and Tex-Mex favorites, and you've got food worth lingering for, especially during a long layover.
2. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia
Atlanta's airport brings true Southern soul to your layover. You'll find James Beard-nominated One Flew South alongside beloved spots like Paschal's and Chicken + Beer. Even rapper Ludacris got in on the action, opening his own restaurant here.
3. Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Illinois
Celebrity chef Rick Bayless made O'Hare a culinary destination with his incredible Tortas Frontera. Between James Beard pop-up events, you can grab authentic deep-dish pizza or gourmet burgers that actually taste like they came from downtown Chicago.
4. Portland International Airport, Oregon
Portland's quirky food scene thrives at PDX through Blue Star Donuts and The Country Cat. The farm-to-table freshness you'd expect from Oregon shines through every bite, plus there's no sales tax on your food purchases here.
5. Boston Logan International Airport, Massachusetts
Compact terminals mean exceptional food stays within easy reach throughout your journey. Here, Shojo impresses with Asian fusion and creative cocktails that showcase innovative flavors. Meanwhile, fresh local seafood and traditional New England fare celebrate regional tastes without tourist trap pricing.
6. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Maryland
Chesapeake Bay's legendary seafood takes center stage through Gachi House of Sushi and authentic crab cake vendors. Local beer pairings enhance every briny bite, making BWI a highlight for travelers who appreciate Maryland's coastal culinary traditions.
JosephBarillari~commonswiki on Wikimedia
7. San Francisco International Airport, California
Emphasizing locally sourced dining, this hub highlights Napa Farms Market alongside local wine bars. Building on that theme, artisanal coffee shops and fresh seafood counters showcase organic and sustainable ingredients that actually deliver on flavor.
Craig Howell from San Carlos, CA, USA on Wikimedia
8. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona
Dawn departures get a major upgrade at Phoenix Sky Harbor. The Refuge Coffee & Wine serves as a local favorite, ultimately nailing Southwest flavors with healthy options and quality coffee that reflects Arizona's surprising culinary diversity perfectly.
9. Philadelphia International Airport, Pennsylvania
Philly's airport wears its foodie pride proudly—yes, you can grab legendary cheesesteaks from Geno's and Tony Luke's without leaving the gates. Beyond that, pizza, ramen, and sleek wine bars keep travelers satisfied, celebrating the city's bold flavors with every bite and sip.
10. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Texas
Earning a place among the world's top ten airport dining destinations, this hub does so for good reason. Crowd favorites like Pappadeaux and Salt Lick BBQ lead the way, and plenty of Tex-Mex and Southern comfort dishes make a layover feel worth it.
