Wednesday, September 2, 2015
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down to have a meal at the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Whether at a “dine in” place or grabbing something on the go to eat at my terminal, I always seem to forget to eat before I travel. I am not alone it seems.
Restaurants in the airport in Atlanta rake in the dough so to speak. Each year the food service at the airport reports sales in the millions of dollars. That money however comes with a cost. Regulations in an airport are understandably higher in terms of security. That trickles down to the restaurants inside as well. Knives have to be tethered, there are surprise inspections, rent is high by comparison to the amount of space for each employer. That same space drawback means cramped quarters for employees and small areas for food storage and prep. To top it off all of these restrictions and quandaries can’t affect the quality of whatever the product is. Read that as I don’t care what you have to deal with in the back I still want my Chick-fil-A sandwich or my burger or whatever the case may be to taste as good as it would in a regular store.
I had the opportunity to head into the airport and hang out with the folks at Fresh to Order to get a first hand look at what all of this looks like, not just in theory, but put into action in the real world.
Hillary Mantel (left) and her husband James eat at the Terminal B food court inside the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
Capt. Dave Oeser (center) waits for his lunch after placing an order at Fresh to Order inside the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
Shanterika Shealey uses a tethered knife to cut a sandwich at Fresh to Order inside the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
Shanterika Shealey (center) passes a finished sandwich to her coworker in cramped quarters on the line of Fresh to Order at the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
Alfred Ward reaches for a tethered knife to slice chicken for a salad at Fresh to Order inside the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
Marcus Bell (center) cooks chicken breasts on an electric grill at Fresh to Order inside the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
A tethered knife sits ready to use inside Fresh to Order at the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
Shawn Zellner (center) restocks bags of chips at Fresh to Order inside the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
Lula Omer unpacks bread in cramped quarters in the kitchen of Fresh to Order at the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
Marcus Bell finds a spot to rest a pan as he grabs fresh chicken breasts inside the walk in cooler at Fresh to Order inside the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
Shanterika Shealey uses a tethered knife to cut a sandwich at Fresh to Order inside the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
A tethered knife lies on the counter of Fresh to Order at the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.
Kanitra Williams (left) uses a tethered knife at Fresh to Order inside the Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2015.