Chicago's Airport Concession Program Receives Nation-wide Honors from ACI-NA

The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) was recently recognized by Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA) with awards for O'Hare International Airport's Terminal 5 food and beverage concessions program and for "green" concessions practices at both O'Hare and Midway Airports. This special recognition came as part of the 2017 ACI-NA Excellence in Airport Concessions Awards.

Terminal 5 at O'Hare International Airport was recognized for its iconic restaurant brands, celebrity chef concepts and beautiful dining environment; taking second place in the Best Food & Beverage category. The lineup includes American fare at local hot-spot Hub 51, Asian cuisine at Wow Bao, Mediterranean fare at Urban Olive, and authentic Mexican dishes at Tortas Frontera by Rick Bayless. In addition to Chicagoan Chef Bayless, local Chef Bruno Abate operates his Tocco concept in Terminal 5, serving up traditional Italian cuisine. The concessions program in Terminal 5 is managed by Westfield.

In the category of Best "Green" Concessions Concept or Practices, the CDA garnered another second place honor with its continuing efforts to lead in sustainable practices. Five years ago, the CDA implemented an award-winning, airport-wide directive outlined in "The 2012 Sustainable Airport Manual" (SAM). The CDA has incorporated sustainability into airport design, construction and operations. As part of the continuous improvement process, concessionaires were charged with meeting a list of guidelines and best practices, from the complete ban on Styrofoam and petroleum based packaging and utensils; to the procurement of only third-party-certified green cleaning supplies; and to the reduction of waste by donating at least 90 percent of surplus pre-packed food.    

"From the selection of award-winning local dining operators, down to the decision to use a compostable fork that bio-degrades after only three months; we keep the needs of our passengers and community in mind," said Ginger S. Evans, Commissioner, CDA. "We thank ACI-NA for this recognition."