Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, one of the biggest and busiest air transit locations in the country, is hoping to give travelers a better taste of Atlanta by encouraging local restaurateurs to open eateries throughout the terminals.
As part of the initiative, the airport has decided to distribute over 100 new contracts to qualifying food and beverage vendors. Richard Blais, the Kinjo brothers (of MF Sushi), and Shaun Doty (of YEAH! Burger) are just a few of the big name local chefs competing for their chance to help add quality and “southern flair” to Hartsfield-Jackson.
Although smaller kitchen sizes, electric appliances, and tighter security regulations certainly present unique challenges for those opening eateries at the airport, there are many potential benefits, too. “For some restaurants, the added hassle of the airport is still worth it,” argues Kelly Yamanouchi of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “One reason: exposure. An average of nearly 250,000 passengers going through Hartsfield-Jackson every day — many of them business travelers on expense accounts.”
To capture this captive audience, restaurant owners can distribute promotional magnets imprinted with information about their various locations, as well as a couple of menu highlights to pique consumers’ interests. Distributing business card magnets at the airport may encourage out-of-town travelers to seek out a restaurant’s in town location. Meanwhile, local consumers who receive the magnets from an eatery’s primary location are likely to stick them to their refrigerator and remember to visit the new spot the next time they head to the airport.