Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina has installed a virtual food hall, also known as a ‘ghost kitchen’, in Terminal 2.
The getReef Virtual Food Hall is operated by Reef and its Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise partner, Hubb Kitchens, led by Jason Johnson. The food hall enables passengers to order from nine restaurants in one contactless transaction, including Krispy Rice, 800 Degrees Pizza, Pei Wei, Xochimex Cantina Grill, Zinburger, Rebel Wings, Beyú Caffé, Hubb Kitchens and American Meltdown.
Customers can place and pay for their orders on their mobile devices or directly at kiosks near Gate C9 in Terminal 2. They receive real-time text updates on the status of their orders, which are picked up from specially marked lockers near the kiosks, using unique codes sent directly to passengers’ mobile devices. Travelers will be able to mix and match food from any of the restaurants in the same transaction. The food hall is intended to reduce the need for front-of-house staff and separate kitchens. Delivery to guests on the Terminal 2 concourse will begin later in 2022, providing additional convenience for travelers waiting for their flight.
Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, said, “RDU’s ghost kitchen may finally end the dilemma of every family member wanting to eat somewhere different by letting them mix and match orders in one easy, contactless transaction. The kitchen meets two of RDU’s top goals by giving guests a wide range of dining options and leveraging cutting-edge technology to improve their experience at the airport.”
Valentina Ellison, senior vice president of Reef Kitchens, added, “Reef’s first-ever virtual food hall brings dramatic innovation to the future of airport dining by giving travelers unprecedented variety and convenience. We look forward to continuing to work with RDU as we serve delicious meals to travelers and continue to pioneer the future of the ghost kitchen industry.”
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