AIRPORT CONCESSIONS OPERATOR CREWS EARNS TOP 5 HONORS FOR THE ‘USA TODAY’S READER’S BEST’ AWARDS IN FOOD & BEVERAGE & RETAIL LOCATIONS AT LOS ANGELES, ATLANTA, WASHINGTON DULLES AND REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORTS.
Atlanta, GA – March 22, 2017 – Family owned and operated airport concessions company, Crews was voted in the Top 5 for USA Today’s Reader’s Best Award in all four (4) of the airports of the company’s operation. Crews was nominated in four (4) different categories: Best Airport Grab-and-Go Dining, Best Airport Local/Regional Dining, Best Airport Shop for Local Merchandise and Best Airport Newsstand/Travel Essential. The results were based on the complied online votes of USA Today’s readers nationwide over the course of seven weeks. The awards were presented at the annual conference of industry publication Airport Revenue News in New Orleans on March 15, 2017. The results were as follows:
Best Airport Local/Regional Dining:
- Harry & Izzy’s Steakhouse – Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
- Pink’s Pizza – George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
- Cask & Larder – Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Pappasito’s Cantina – George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
- Lemonade – Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Lemonade is the one of the most popular brands in Los Angeles. From its humble roots as the brain child of celebrity chef Alan Jackson to over 25 locations across Southern California and the Bay Area, Lemonade continues to set the standard for delicious and healthy restaurants. The cafeteria style service style of Lemonade guides travels through an array of 20+ freshly made “marketplace salads”. Continuing down the line a choice of various proteins of buttermilk chicken & Ahi-Tuna and then on to made-to-order sandwiches and savory braises. At the end of this journey, an assortment of delicious desserts and as the brand name states, six different flavors of lemonade. Lemonade has been recognized by CNN as a key reason LAX was voted the ninth (9th) healthiest airport in the U.S.
Best Airport Grab-And-Go Dining:
- Earthbar – Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Hissho Sushi – Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
- Cava Mezze Grill – Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
- Lemonade – Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Boccone Trattoria – Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Cava Mezze Grill’s authentic Mediterranean flavors set in the fast-casual setting, are redefining signature dishes for the health and budget-conscious Travelers. The restaurant’s format fits well with the high volume, condensed and fast paced profile of the airport concessions industry. Utilizing a proficient, assembly-line processes, passengers at Cava Mezze Grill are able to visually select from high quality ingredients, without the wait. The process starts with a base of a pita or a bowl of an assortment of greens or grains, a choice of up to three dips or spreads, an essential hearty protein, fresh vegetable combinations of toppings and finish it off with a savory dressing. Fresh juices and natural fountain sodas alongside a beer & wine selection make the perfect beverage pairings. Cava is built for the traveler who knows what they want with little time to waste.
Best Airport Shop for Local Merchandise:
- Gallery Eppley – Eppley International Airport (OMA)
- Savannah Candy Kitchen – Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)
- Black and Gold – Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
- Disney Earport – Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Uptown Minnesota – Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
Savannah’s Candy Kitchen (SCK) originally opened on historic River Street in downtown Savannah, Georgia in 1990. From the beginning SCK’s goal was to share sweet Southern delights in a candy wonderland, designed to entice guests to sample sweets, indulge their sweet tooth and their inner most child. Crews has adapted the down home hospitality and River Street offering of SCK into a sleek airport interpretation of the original candy wonderland. Crews team members greet guests with a warm southern greeting, often while at the front of the store where many of our confections are made in full view of travelers. All the original SCK recipes from milk chocolate pecan bark, red velvet cake and our sweet and savory pralines are made fresh everyday sharing southern hospitality with the world.
Best Airport Newsstand/Travel Essential:
- North Loop Market – Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
- Hudson News/Discover – San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Relay – Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
- The Washington Informer – Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
- 7-Eleven – Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
The Washington Informer, a news & gift/travel essential store named after one of the oldest African-American newspapers, brings a proud cultural aspect to Dulles Airport. The clean and bright design incorporates African-American tributes throughout the store while encompassing the sense of place that is our nation’s capital of Washington, D.C. The Washington Informer provides a complete gambit of every snack, publication, electronic accessories and Health & Beauty items that today’s traveler needs. Located in the baggage level of Dulles International Airport, the Washington Informer offers freshly made sandwiches, salads and wraps providing our travelers with the on-the-go meal they need. To capture the memory of every D.C.’s visitor trip Crews’s souvenir inventory are a popular purchase before their return flight.
About Company
Crews is an airport concessions DBE operator with over 30 food & beverage and retail location spread between four (4) for U.S.’s Top 30 airports across the country. Crews’s operations are found at Los Angeles International (LAX), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), Washington Dulles International (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airports (DCA). LAX boasts eight (8) food & beverage such as two (2) Rock & Brews Concert Bars, Klatch Coffee and the award winning Lemonade. Crews’s largest retail operation resides in ATL with fourteen (14) locations, one of which is the full service café/bookstore Café Intermezzo and authorized Apple reseller electronic store iTravel. Between IAD and DCA Crews operates a mix of food & beverage and retail. IAD’s six (6) travel essential and specialty retail locations are led by the internally created Capital City Ink and sister location iTravel 2 selling electronic accessories. Rounding out the operation, DCA has a true mix of concessions in Terminal B also known as “South Pier”. The terminal’s flagship location is local Mediterranean fast casual concept Cava Mezze Grill. Cava offers a fast, delicious and quality Mediterranean fare at the pace travels need. Crews also redeveloped the End Pier to grab-n-go concept Lickety Split, news & gift kiosk iTravel 2 and full service bar Sip, Munch & More. Crews is an organization with entrepreneurial spirit that values creativity, customer service and “innovating the traveler’s experience.”