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Lemonade LAX: A Beloved Airport Dining Destination Closes as Terminal 5 Prepares for 2028 Modernization

Los Angeles, CA – November 12, 2025 – After over a decade of serving travelers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Lemonade, the acclaimed fast-casual restaurant operated by Crews, has closed its Terminal 5 location as the terminal undergoes a major demolition and rebuilding project in preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games. The new Terminal 5 is expected to reopen in 2028, and airlines previously operating from the terminal have relocated to other terminals: American Airlines to Terminal 4, JetBlue to Terminal 1, and Spirit Airlines to Terminal 1.5.

Since Crews’s opening of Lemonade in September 2012, it has delighted travelers with Southern California style comfort food served cafeteria-style, featuring seasonal marketplace salads, braises, sandwiches, and fresh, healthy options. The concept quickly gained recognition for redefining airport dining, earning accolades from USA Today readers as one of the best airport food options in the country and helping LAX rank as the ninth healthiest airport in the U.S. in 2012, according to CNN.

“Lemonade LAX was built to give travelers a healthy, flavorful alternative to traditional airport food,” said Nicholas Crews, CEO/Managing Partner of Crews. “Our team is incredibly proud of the experience we created for guests.”

The restaurant’s menu has been praised for its creative, seasonal offerings, including quinoa spring vegetable salads, beluga lentil salads with mushrooms and feta, and an assortment of indulgent desserts like chocolate buttercream cupcakes and red velvet cake. Signature lemonades such as blueberry mint, peach ginger, and cucumber mint quickly became a refreshing favorite among passengers.

Lemonade was the result of a partnership with local chef Alan Jackson, the culinary mind behind the Lemonade Restaurant Group, whose vision combines quality, convenience, and modern comfort food. Quick Serve Restaurant Magazine described Lemonade as “the future of quick- serve restaurants…more important, more universal, less trendy, and at the tip of the innovation triangle.”

While Terminal 5 undergoes its transformation, Crews thanks its loyal guests for more than a decade of support.

Crews Founder Bob Crews Honored at AMAC 2025 Catalyst Awards

New Orleans, LA – Crews Hospitality is proud to announce that its founder, Bob Crews, was honored at the 40th Anniversary Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) Catalyst Awards, held during the 2025 AMAC Annual Conference.

Bob Crews was recognized as a founding member of AMAC, commemorating his decades-long commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the aviation industry. In addition to this milestone, Crews received the 2025 Catalyst Award for Concessions Innovation.

This award honors an airport or corporation whose concessions program has demonstrated exceptional commitment, creativity, and originality in achieving and exceeding its Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) goals over a two-year period.

The Catalyst Awards are among the most significant accolades in the airport industry, celebrating individuals and organizations that lead the way in championing diversity and inclusion.

Crews Hospitality Wins Award at AXN Conference 2025

Washington, DC — April 2, 2025 — Crews Hospitality has been honored with the Best Quick-Serve Restaurant Concept – Large Airports award at the 2025 Airport Experience News (AXN) conference. The recognition was given for the company’s innovative Fat Sal’s/Yakumi dual-concept location at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) terminal 3.

Combining the indulgent, over-the-top offerings of Fat Sal’s with the sleek, sushi-forward menu of Yakumi, the concept has redefined quick-service dining for airport travelers. The unique pairing delivers bold flavors, speed, and quality in one high-traffic terminal, offering something for every palate.

The AXN Awards spotlight the most innovative and impactful developments in the airport concessions industry. This win further solidifies Crews Hospitality’s role as a leader in modern airport food and beverage offerings.

Los Angeles Airport marks full opening of Terminal 3 concessions programme with local and minority-owned, Crews Hospitality.

USA. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), in partnership with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) Airports and Delta Air Lines, yesterday celebrated the local and minority businesses taking part in the new-look dining and retail concessions programme at Los Angeles International Airport Terminal 3.

The programme was completed recently and features 22 minority business owners. The concessions include a mix of local favorites and celebrity-owned restaurants, travel essentials, gift stores and a range of airport firsts.

The programme is expected to achieve Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) participation of 43% for food & beverage and 36% for retail, outperforming the 25% and 20% project goals respectively.

FULL ARTICLE HERE!

Crews Hospitality Wins Best ACDBE Operator in US Airports at the 2023 AXN Awards

CREWS HOSPITALITY (CREWS) WINS TOP AIRPORT F&B/RETAIL OPERATOR HONOR  

Denver, CO, March 1st, 2023 – Crews Hospitality, LLC has won the Airport Experience News Award for the Best ACDBE Operator in US airports. Airport Experience News (AXN), the industry’s leading news publication, hosted the event that recognizes, honors, and celebrates US airports, leaders, operators, and concepts that are transforming the landscape and evolving the industry.  

Held Wednesday, March 1st at Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Denver, CO, the awards were the final event of a three-day conference and exhibition attended by many industry leaders representing airports throughout the US. An honor bestowed on winners through the votes of airport executives from across the country, the award for Best ACDBE Operator was accepted by Nick Crews, CEO & Managing Partner and Rob Crews, Managing Partner.  

“We are honored to receive this award and recognition as the Best ACDBE Operator of the year by Airport Experience News,” said Managing Partner, Rob Crews, “Words can’t describe how much this recognition means to us coming out of the most devastating time in our industry’s history. Our teams in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC work with passion and dedication that’s second to none and this award belongs to the entire Crews family/team.” 

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Crews has been an innovator of hospitality experiences since the opening of its first location in 1972. As an ACDBE Prime Operator, Crews currently operates 35+ award winning food & beverage and retail locations in four (4) major US airports. Crews was one of the first small operators to directly operate both retail, specialty retail and a full portfolio of food & beverage locations (i.e. Coffee, QSR, Bar, Grab & Go, Casual Dining, Confectionary Kitchen). Crews excels in all areas of executing our operations to the point that Crews seeks opportunities to leverage our infrastructure to support lounge and fellow concessionaires, ACBDE and Non-ACDBE alike, through logistical support services and distribution of products throughout LAX. Crews believes that rising tides lifts all boats and working in collaboration with fellow airport tenants to  deliver the best overall experience for our guests and airport partners. 

Crews’ success transpires through the core tenants of partnership, operational excellence, innovation and integrity. Although the Crews family has been in business for nearly 50 years, the Crews team still thinks and acts very much like a start-up company.  Through this mindset and a focus on the professional and personal development of our team members we instill the entrepreneurial spirit at every level of our company, creating our recipe for success for Crews, our partners and guests alike.  

HJAIA Crews General Manager
John Mangione

Awarded 2018
“General Manager of the Year”.

John Mangione of Crews Awarded ‘2018 Retail General Manager of the Year’ Honors for the Second Consecutive Year at Hartsfield‐Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Atlanta, GA – December 20, 2018 – Locally family owned and operated airport hospitality company, Crews (d.b.a. Airport Retail Management LLC, JV) has been under the leadership of its exceptional Senior General Manager, John Mangione for over four (4) years at Hartsfield‐Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).  John has been recognized by the world’s busiest airport’s Department of Aviation as the Retail General Manager of the Year for 2018 at the annual End of the Year Awards celebration on Friday, December 14th.  This is Mangione’s second consecutive year winning the award, as he was the recipient in 2017.

John began his career with Crews in 2008 as a controller in contact’s inaugural year and has over 30 years of leadership experience in retail operations. In 2014, he was promoted to Senior General Manager for retail operations at Crews’s Atlanta affiliate, Airport Retail Management (ARM). As Senior General Manager, John is responsible for our “excellent rated” operations, guest satisfaction, driving sales growth, as well as the leadership of the ARM management team. His depth of industry knowledge and his proven ability to build high‐performance teams has been key to our success of Crews. Under his leadership, Crews has been awarded the 2018 International Moodie Davitt Report Food and Beverage (FAB) Awards for Café Intermezzo/Buckhead Books located on Concourse B in ATL and the 2018 USA Today Reader’s Choice Award for Savannah’s Candy Kitchen located on Concourses B and C in ATL.

About Company

Crews is an Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) operating company with thirty four (34) food & beverage and retail locations spread between four (4) of U.S.’s Top 30 airports across the country. Crews’ operations are found at Hartsfield‐Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), Los Angeles International (LAX), Washington Dulles International (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) Airports.  Crews’ largest retail operation resides in ATL with thirteen (13) locations. The aforementioned full service café/bookstore Café Intermezzo and our Authorized Apple Reseller electronic store, iTravel, are among two of ATL’s top grossing locations in their respective categories. LAX boasts nine (9) food & beverage locations including two (2) Rock & Brews, Klatch Coffee, and the award winning Lemonade. 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 Capitol City Ink and sister location iTravel2 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 one of the country’s fastest growing brands, the Mediterranean fast casual concept, Cava Grill. Crews also redeveloped the End Pier to grab‐n‐go concept Lickety Split, news & gift kiosk, iTravel2 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.”

Crews Opens Jersey Mike’s Sub Location at LAX

MANASQUAN, N.J., Nov. 7, 2018 – Jersey Mike’s Subs, known for its fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs, opened at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) yesterday on November 6. Operated by Crews, the new Jersey Mike’s restaurant is located in the Terminal 2 Dining Terrace.

This is the third airport location opened by the sub franchise in recent months. A restaurant opened at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in August and another opened at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in September.

“We are excited to partner with the Crews family and the entire team at LAX to provide Jersey Mike’s authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled sub sandwiches to travelers at the airport,” said Phil Capozzi, VP Non- Traditional Development, Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc. “Everyone at Crews shares our commitment to operational excellence, exceptional customer service, and giving.”

As part of the celebration, Jersey Mike’s is collecting donations for The Right Way Foundation, which provides mental health and employment services to former foster youth.

Other Jersey Mike’s airport locations include: McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Newark Liberty International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Orlando International Airport.

Started in 1956, Jersey Mike’s now has 1,500 restaurants open and under development nationwide. It was named the country’s fastest-growing Limited Service Chain and fastest-growing sandwich chain in the 2018 Nation’s Restaurant News Top 100.

The growth is fueled by passionate Jersey Mike’s fans who crave their subs made Mike’s Way® with the freshest vegetables – onions, lettuce and tomatoes – topped off with an exquisite zing of “the juice” – red wine vinegar and olive oil blended to perfection. Jersey Mike’s premium meats and cheeses are sliced on the spot, piled high on in-store baked bread and served up with a helping of neighborly banter from a dedicated and high-energy team.

Nick Buford Crews, President of Crews, said, “This partnership with Jersey Mikes furthers Crews’ vision

of “Innovating the Travelers Experience” by offering the Terminal 2 Delta guests with a sub above.”

About Jersey Mike’s

Jersey Mike’s, a fast-casual sub sandwich franchise with more than 1,500 locations open and under development nationwide, believes that making a sub sandwich and making a difference can be one and the same. Since 1956, this has been the driving force at Jersey Mike’s — serving customers, teams, and franchisees. Watch Founder and CEO Peter Cancro make subs and talk (sub) shop. The company’s commitment to excellence is what makes Jersey Mike’s a great franchise opportunity. From day one, Jersey Mike’s works with franchisees to ensure the best possible location, training, marketing, and ongoing coaching and support. Jersey Mike’s currently is seeking single- and multi-unit operators who have a unique passion for the business, giving to others, and bringing energy to people’s lives to help grow the fast-casual sandwich concept throughout the nation. For more information about available franchise opportunities, visit: www.jerseymikes.com/franchise or call 732-292-8272.

Other information, can be found at: www.jerseymikes.com. Follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jerseymikes) and Twitter (twitter.com/jerseymikes).

About Crews

Crews is an Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) operating company with thirty-one (31) food & beverage and retail locations spread between four (4) of U.S.’s Top 30 airports across the country. Crews’ current operations are located at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Crews is privately held family owned US based organization with entrepreneurial spirit that values creativity, customer service and “Innovating the Traveler’s Experience.”

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