RDU Airport, NC – The nation’s first ACC American Cafe will join four other restaurants when Raleigh-Durham International Airport’s new Terminal 1 opens next year. Other concepts include Raleigh-based Char-Grill, Charlotte-based Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina, La Tapenade Mediterranean Café and Starbucks. The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board approved the concepts at its monthly meeting today.
“RDU is excited about these new restaurants, which will open when the Terminal 1 modernization project is complete,” said RDU Airport Director Michael Landguth. “Not only are these great concepts, but we also have two North Carolina-based restaurants, as well as a commitment by the concessionaires to use locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible.”
The ACC American Café is the first officially licensed restaurant from the Atlantic Coast Conference athletic conference. The up-scale, full-service restaurant will feature a bar and menu offering locally-sourced items. The menu will also include seafood, steaks, sandwiches and pastas. Televisions will feature current and classic ACC games.
La Tapenade Mediterranean Café is new to RDU, but it is not new to airports. The café will also offer locally sourced ingredients, and the menu will feature made-to-order flat-bread sandwiches, paninis, wraps and more.
Also new to RDU is Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina. The Charlotte-based restaurant offers diners locally-sourced ingredients and homemade sauces made on –site daily. Diners will choose from made-to-order burritos, quesadillas, tacos and more.
Joining Salsarita’s in the Terminal 1 food court is Raleigh’s own Char-Grill. The quick-serve restaurant will offer its full menu of burgers, shakes and fries, as well as a breakfast menu.
At today’s meeting, HOST International, Inc. was awarded the prime food concession, which includes the ACC American Café, La Tapenade and Starbucks. Host will operate the prime food concession through a sublease to a joint venture between Host International and JQ Enterprises.
Uptown Airport Group, Inc. was awarded the quick service food contract and will operate Char-Grill and Salsarita’s. Uptown is a partnership of four North Carolina airport concession disadvantaged enterprise (ACDBE)-certified businesses: PJJD Enterprises, Inc., F.D.Y., Inc., Whitman May Enterprises, Inc., and Andstar, Inc.
Number of Passengers Traveling Through RDU Grows
During the month of January, the number of enplaned, or departing, passengers grew by 2.7 percent over Jan. 2012. The number of deplaned, or arriving, passengers grew by 1.3 percent compared to the same month last year.
Throughout the month 323,135 passengers departed RDU, while 330,984 arrived here.
Clay Wheeler Named to Airport Authority Board
Clay Wheeler today joined the Airport Authority Board as representative of Durham County. He replaces Craigie Sanders.
Wheeler is a partner with the law firm Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP and a senior lecturing fellow at the Duke University School of Law. He previously served as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
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