CHICAGO, May 22, 2013 — Areas USA announces Big Bowl Chinese-Thai restaurant is open for business at O’Hare International Airport’s Terminal 5. The popular Asian eatery and Rick Bayless’ Tortas Frontera fast-casual Mexican grill are among nine new restaurants set to arrive at T5 this year, part of a massive reboot by Areas and joint venture partner Robinson Hill Inc., to expand food and beverage offerings to international travelers.
Areas USA brings vibrant, trendy restaurants that offer more variety and healthier menu options. Big Bowl offers authentic Asian cuisine including satays, spicy Sichuan and stir fry dishes prepared fresh using the highest quality ingredients, including locally grown, organic and gluten-free options. Tortas Frontera brings the sweet and savory flavors of Mexico to a diverse menu featuring tortas, hand-crafted griddle-baked sandwiches, cazuelas, slow simmered casseroles, and fresh guacamole and hand-shaken premium margaritas.
“Waiting for a flight could start to look a lot more like date night as we upgrade T5,” said Xavier Rabell, CEO of Areas USA, a leading provider of food and beverage, news and gifts and specialty retailers in more than 70 airports worldwide. “Arriving early at the airport is a lot more fun when a traveler can pass through security and enjoy an expertly prepared meal in a bowl, a hand-shaken premium margarita, or a slow-simmered cazuela on the other side.”
Big Bowl and Tortas Frontera, the first new restaurants to open in T5 since 1993, and the other seven dining outposts slated to open in T5 this year will all be located post-security checkpoints where ticketed passengers can relax and explore within a comfortable distance from their gates.
“Big Bowl and Tortas Frontera are just the beginning of a complete re-imagining of the dining experience in T5 into a more traveler-friendly destination, with new brands, a new layout and new vitality,” said Dee Robinson Reid, president of Robinson Hill Inc., the Chicago-based joint venture partner of Areas USA. “Travelers are seeing some of the changes already. In the months to come, we’re looking forward to exceeding their expectations.”
Areas and Robinson Hill are also bringing other foodie favorites such as Hub 51, KOFE powered by Intelligentsia, Natural Break, Urban Olive, Tocco and Wow Bao to the terminal. As part of its commitment to building communities, Areas establishes local partnerships in the cities where it operates concessions. Locally, Areas is working with the City Colleges of Chicago’s Washburne Culinary Institute to fill job openings and help young people’s careers take flight. To date, Areas has hired half a dozen Washburne students to work as cooks and restaurant support staff.
“Respecting our community means embracing local organizations,” Rabell said. “We want to see blue skies ahead for all.”
About Areas USA
Areas USA is a leading provider of food, beverage and retail services to the travel industry, transforming airports across America. With the ever-growing number of establishments in the U.S., including Miami International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Indianapolis International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Reagan National Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and most recently, Maryland I-95 Travel Plazas among others, Areas USA continues to deliver its superior customer service to each and every traveler. Areas is a leader in Spain and Latin America’s hospitality and retail market in airports, highways and railway stations. It operates more than 1,250 establishments worldwide.
About Robinson Hill
As part of its brand portfolio, Robinson Hill (www.robinsonhillusa.com) owns, manages and operates award-winning food & beverage and news & gift concessions in non-traditional locations, principally in airports. Robinson Hill merges brand leadership, operational excellence and a superior customer experience to achieve strong performance results. Based in Chicago, with operations at Boston Logan, Reagan National, Cleveland Hopkins, Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway Airports and Navy Pier, one of Robinson Hill’s goals is to elevate the dining and retail experience in airports, raising the bar with top brands, great food, but most importantly, a relentless customer focus.
