Editor’s Note: P.F. Chang’s is on an expansion path in airports. The Asian bistro brand has opened five new locations in major airports since early 2023, three of which are in the United States, and will open another restaurant at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport early next year.
Rafik Farouk, vice president of global brand development and retail for P.F. Chang’s, recently spoke with AXN’s Carol Ward about the brand’s ambitious plans for expansion within airports in North America and elsewhere.
Ward: Can you give me an overview of your current North American airport locations?
Farouk: We’ve been very blessed to be in six different airports in the U.S. and one in Mexico. We are in Atlanta, which was our first airport adventure. We’re also in Salt Lake City, Seattle, Detroit, Tampa and at DCA – Ronald Reagan International Airport. We have more airport locations in the pipeline, including Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Terminal A, which will be opening next year. Airports are a very big focus for PF Chang’s global business, which includes U.S. and international airports. Airports are great venues for the brand. People love PF Chang’s and we can guarantee an excellent experience that matches the experience people are accustomed to in our street locations. It’s no different than what you get in the street – the same menu, same execution, same great recipes, along with the heritage of the brand.
Ward: What is your model for airports, in terms of service style and dayparts?
Farouk: The airport locations are growing in two different segments: the full service, dining experience with the bar, and also the grab-and-go or quick service where people can take it with them to the flight. I think PF Chang’s over the last couple of years has done a really good job on developing a brand within the brand, which we call the PF Chang’s To Go. We don’t develop that in the streets any longer, but we have learned from that experience to be able to incorporate it into our design. Because PF Chang’s food can be cooked faster – we cook on 800-degree woks – we’re able to accommodate the need of speed with a very high-quality standard.
Ward: And you’ve incorporated breakfast in some locations, correct?
Farouk: Yes, we do serve breakfast in four of our airports – it accounts for a good part of our business. We’re making it an Asian experience with [a few] standard American offerings. The breakfast menu draws a lot of crowds in airports [with menu items like] our Mongolian beef with a fried egg on top.
Ward: How are you approaching airport contracts? Do you partner with primes? Franchise? Direct lease?
Farouk: We have different models. Our first expansion in an airport was a joint venture, but every other model after that was either a prime [operator] or an ACDBE [operator] through a license agreement. We follow what the airport RFP requires, but it’s very important to us to have the right partner to bring the PF Chang’s experience to consumers at the airport.
Ward: Finally, as you look ahead, what are your goals as we head into the new year and over the next few years in North American airports?
Farouk: The large hubs in the U.S. are definitely the number-one focus for us in terms of airports, and we continue to do very well where we have locations in those hubs. The opportunities over the last two years [have been plentiful] and we continue to work very hard to partner [on opportunities]. Our goal is to have a PF Chang’s experience in the top 20-30 airports around the country – that’s a goal we would love to achieve over the next three to five years.
Image Courtesy:
DCA Concessions 2023 03 25.
P.F. Chang’s Grand Opening.
Photography by J. David Buerk:
www.jdavidbuerk.com
www.facebook.com/DavidBuerkPhoto
@DavidBuerkPhoto
