Time is a luxury when you’re running late at the airport. We have all been there, racing to reach our gate, in a panic, thinking we may miss our flight. Now add to that the stress of being hungry!
Airport food apps are answering our on-the-go hunger pangs with a solution that works when we’re in a hurry. Delivery or pick-up? It seems like either option offers a better food experience when I’m running late at the airport.
When we’ve got little time to spare, we may be tempted to pick up those pre-made, tightly wrapped sandwiches that are almost always a disappointment – forget it.
We all know that it’s hard to find adequate airport food. But what about picking up some made-to-order grub or having it delivered to get to the gate faster?
Enter: A new breed of airport food apps that aims to deliver or have you pick up your airport food, so you don’t have to wait in line or run around trying to find a better food option. At least four new airport food apps are ushering in a new generation of technology at the airport that’s making eating at airports better.
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Top airport food apps that offer pick-up and delivery options for the rushed traveler
1. Grab
You can use Grab in 24 airports in two countries in the US and UK. I had the opportunity to meet the Grab team in Sweden at the Passenger Terminal EXPO to find out more.
Grab has been around since 2015. If you use the American Airlines app, you can find Grab there, and if you use the Heathrow or DFW app, you can discover Grab there too. Recently, they announced you could use them at Stansted Airport.
Jeff Livney, Chief Experience Officer at Grab, told me that “being hangry at the airport is a problem of the past,” with Grab.
2. Airport Sherpa (This airport app closed on March 16, 2020, according to a twitter post on their feed).
Airport Sherpa offers its service exclusively at BWI Airport. They track your itinerary, and you can order your food a week in advance. The app provides both pick-up and delivery.
3. AtYourGate
AtYourGate provides delivery and is only available currently in San Diego. The app is available for seven of the airport’s more than 80 concessions.
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4. Deliveroo
The Deliveroo app will deliver food to you if you are at Amsterdam’s Airport Schiphol, or Dubai International Airport (DXB).
Deliveroo at Dubai Airport launched last year and is the region’s first-ever airport delivery service at Dubai International.
Currently available at Terminal 3 near A gates, the service, named DeliverooDXB, allows passengers to get freshly prepared food delivered straight to their boarding gates within minutes of ordering.
Passengers flying from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol’s E concourse can now order Deliveroo food and drinks on their mobile phones for delivery.
Though airport food apps are new and still don’t offer services at many airports, we hope our list is useful if you happen to be flying through any of these airports. Keep your eyes peeled, too, as these services are rapidly expanding.
Do you use airport food apps? Let us know about your experience!
UPDATED March 16, 2020
