Airport Revenue News (ARN) announced the 2008 winners of its prestigious annual Best Concessions Awards at the annual Airport Revenue Conference & Exhibition, held this year in Dallas, Texas. The ceremony took place at the Glass Cactus nightclub at the Gaylord Texan Resort to recognize excellence in the airport concessions industry. The awards and ceremony were the culmination of three successful days of exhibiting, networking and learning at ARN’s Airport Revenue Conference & Exhibition. For the 13th year in a row, the results, to be published in the April issue of ARN as well as on the ARN Web site, reflect the industry’s choice for the best concession programs and the best concessionaires of the year in U.S. airports.
“These prestigious awards reflect the best airports and concessionaires in the industry who are chosen by respected experts,” says Pauline Armbrust, president and chief executive officer of the Armbrust Aviation Group. “We are proud to be the administrator of this important industry competition.”
As always, this year’s judges were chosen for their broad-based expertise and knowledge about concessions. The judges are separated into two groups: concessionaire judges who vote for nominees in airport program categories and airport judges who vote for store and restaurant nominees in concessionaire categories. The nominees were chosen in an earlier process by readers for their noticeably high standards of excellence in a variety of categories.
Below are the 2008 winners of ARN’s Best Concessions Awards.
ARN is a monthly trade publication covering all concession, revenue-generating and cost-containment issues of the airport industry. The publication is the foremost news and information resource for airport executives, concessionaires, consultants and others involved in the aviation industry
For more information about the poll, call Pauline Armbrust at 561.355.8488, Ext. 101, or e-mail: [email protected]. Additionally, link to the ARN Web site at www.airportrevenuenews.com.
Winners of ARN’s 2008 Best Airport Concessions Awards
AIRPORTS
Large Airport Division
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport with the Best Concessions Program Design
Orlando International Airport with the Best Customer Service
Orlando International Airport with the Best Concessions Management Team
McCarran Las Vegas International Airport with the Most Unique Services
Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport with the Best Overall Concessions Program
Medium Airport Division
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with the Best Concessions Program Design
Portland International Airport with the Best Customer Service
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with the Best Concessions Management Team
Pittsburgh International Airport with the Most Unique Services
Chicago Midway Airport with the Best Overall Concessions Program
Small Airport Division
Southwest Florida International Airport with the Best Concessions Program Design
Palm Beach International Airport with the Best Customer Service
San Antonio International Airport with the Best Concessions Management Team
San Antonio International Airport with the Most Unique Services
San Antonio International Airport with the Best Overall Concessions Program
Single Terminal Division
Newark International – Terminal C Terminal with the Best Concessions Program Design
Dallas/Ft. Worth International – Terminal D Terminal with the Best Customer Service
John F. Kennedy – Terminal 1 Terminal with the Best Concessions Management Team
Dallas/Ft. Worth International – Terminal D Terminal with the Most Unique Services
Dallas/Ft. Worth International – Terminal D Terminal with the Best Overall Concessions Program
CONCESSIONAIRES
LARGE RETAILER DIVISION
The Hudson Group Best New Specialty Retail Concept (for Life is good), Best Retail Store Design (for Hudson News at BWI)
The Paradies Shops Best Specialty Brand Operator (for Brooks Brothers), Best News & Gift Operator, Retailer with the Highest Regard for Customer Service and Best Overall Airport Retailer
Famous Famiglia Food Operator with Highest Regard for Customer Service
HMSHost Best New Food & Beverage Concept (for Phillips Seafood), Best Restaurant Design (for Phillips Seafood), Best Food & Beverage Brand Operator (for Anthony’s Seafood) and Best Overall Food & Beverage Operator
SMALL RETAILER DIVISION
La Bodega Winery at DFW Best Retail Store Design
butter LONDON Best New Specialty Retail Concept
Borders Group Retailer with the Highest Regard for Customer Service, Best Retail Specialty Brand Operator
Stellar Partners Best News & Gift Operator
Airport Wireless Best Overall Retailer, Best DBE Operator
Vino Volo Best New Food & Beverage Concept, Best Airport Restaurant Design and Food Operator with Highest Regard for Customer Service
Legal Sea Foods Best Food & Beverage Brand Operator and Best Overall Food & Beverage Operator
ARN is a monthly trade publication covering all concession, revenue-generating and cost-containment issues of the airport industry. The publication is the foremost news and information resource for airport executives, concessionaires, consultants and others involved in the aviation industry.
