Honolulu airport food service rated worst in nation
KRYSTLE MARCELLUS / KMARCELLUS@STARADVERTISER.COM
The departures area at Honolulu International Airport on Dec. 16.
Only 45 percent of travelers are satisfied with food and beverage options at Honolulu International Airport, making it the worst-rated in the U.S.
The ratings were compiled from among users of AirportXP, a mobile application that allows travelers to rate and share experiences with airport officials in real-time.
AirportXP is a tool developed by New York-based Phoenix Marketing International. Its seven-point satisfaction scale was used to calculate percentages based on the number of travelers rating food and beverage service at 6 or 7, the scale’s top two ratings.
Tampa International Airport scored the best at 76 percent, followed by Salt Lake City International’s 75 percent rating, and the 72 percent earned by Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Los Angeles International Airport is the third-worst in the country with 53 percent, while the 50 percent satisfaction rating for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport makes it second-worst, with a score five percentage points better than Honolulu.
“Travelers, especially those that are in airports on a regular basis, are very discerning when it comes to the choices they have in food and beverage,” said Scott Ludwigsen, executive vice president of Phoenix Marketing International Travel Research Group. “Our research tells us that airport officials need to be paying careful attention to the variety of food and beverage options, availability of food and beverage concessions post-security and the condition and cleanliness of food areas. All of these are determining factors for airport executives to be taking into consideration, as they strategize and plan food and beverage options,” he said, in a statement.
149 responses to “Honolulu airport food service rated worst in nation”
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Seems like we’re the worst in all business related categories. Perhaps the priority list at the legislator is misdirected at best. We really need to look at the business environment that impeding our progress.
Myths. We stay dah best in the high cost of living. Best in gridlock. Most homeless. Never underestimate the tourist attractions of Hawaii.
Most regressive taxes.
And most Hostess bars on one street.
not a surprise. Waihee did a terrible job on this airport. Dingy, dirty, hideous and now terrible food. Really depressing facility. On top of that, major scandals and rip-offs.
Give us all a break. You must return to the Hekawi tribe
Bean808. Indian, Allie, can stick a feather in me.
Waihee’s brother is a pig farmer here. His livelihood depends on good food
Blaming one person is ridiculous. It has to be a combination of many factors. I don’t know what they are but it clearly ties into the many problems we have in this state. Having just returned from a trip to Japan I can easily state that the food at the two airports I flew through were both good as well as economical. How the Japanese can not only make good food at the airport but also sell it for about the same economical prices that they do in the cities is interesting to me. They clearly have a culture that doesn’t allow them to rip off customers.
I thought there was a bunch of illegal stuff that when on at the airport, tied to Waihee. What ever became of that?
I bet Ige doesn’t do a damn thing about it. A do nothing one term governor.
Mediocre food at an airport is not a reason to raise taxes and blow millions in taxpayer money by an incompetent airport administration.
Incompetent and the word Hawaii together is being redundant. It’s our default mode.
Who said it was?
The train is supposed to cure everything. No worries.
Have you ever even heard of the folks that did this survey? Are you expecting some radical thing just because of it? What would you suggest?
Data sources don’t matter. If it’s in print and provides a jumping off point for mindless, meaningless complaints, it’s good as gold.
But but we thought EVERYTHING the SA or any news media prints was factual and accurate? By the way 57% of what population still want the train?
Ige will be serving plain old natto.
Few choices, high prices, no place to sit, but my favorite complaint of all? An eatery that opens and closes at times that are incomprehensible to me. Why have a food and beverage service, if you can’t stay open? The bar at the mauka end of the inter-isle terminal is always closed early. Why?
Your answer: State rum.
That’s a question for the vendor. I think the contracts mandate opening during certain times, but others are left to the vendor.
That bar serves great ice cream because they didn’t make it.
on a recent late night flight, the gates were jammed with passengers waiting for planes, but most of the stores and restaurants were closed. How does this make any sense? If they were open, they would’ve made money.
As long as Starbucks is open I’m good.
We are NUMBER 1.
Hawaii’s film industry is one of the worst in the US.
Next up: The Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat.
Yeah. My puppies need plenty room for wag dah fluffy tail. Need da kind, wide seat 4 do dat. Tanks, ‘eh!
Pay toilets coming soon….
Well that’s according to AirportXP. How reputable is the mobile application? Has it been around as long as something like Yelp?
I don’t need a mobile app to tell me that the food at HNL is pretty bad.
Well we could bring in gourmet restaurants to the airports but who’s going to pay gourmet prices after spending a bunch of money here? Restaurants will probably go out of business with the rent and lack of customers willing to spend.
Good food can be had at a fair price without the “gourmet” designation.
Food doesn’t spoil there. Even the one cell bacteria avoids the food at the HNL’s airport.
I don’t know if Yelp is as good as this app either. Ever siince a report came out that those business that did not advertize with Yelp were getting more negative reviews posted than those that advertize with their website. I agree with thee survey, of all the airports I have embarked/disembarked on, mostly international, have better selection of food, beverages and facilities. Ours is run down and old and not traveler friendly.
Waste of band width covering Hawaii nei.
What I want to know is where they found those 45% of folks who were happy with the food and service at HNL
lol.
Even the bus stops in Saudi Arabia are air conditioned.
I didn’t know the restaurants didn’t have air conditioning.
Not true. I spent two years at King Khalid Military City (KKMC), many visits to Riyadh, Al Khobar, other cities in the country. No aircon at bus stops. Give me a break. hehehe
Thanks, localguy, for helping, amela.
That was from a 1966 survey.
Also gotta be the most expensive. Rip the tourist off while out bounding with the worse food.
Agree …………
Anyone who fools the tourist is in for a surprise.
I think all airports have rip off prices. There is a place or two at the airport that are decent but most are fast food places.
And you want to bring in better restaurants? Imagine the prices. Anyway I don’t go to the airport for fine food just something to hold me over till I get to my destination.
96744. Yeh. The homeless in Hawaii complaining about how little food is being served. No more leftover for throw away. Next time, pile the serving until overflowing.
Along with exorbitant union wages and rent, the state also takes a huge percentage of their income. Just like they do at Aloha Stadium.
Yes. Same with the debacle of Restaurant Row.
Not only is the food but the airport, in general, has to be one of the worst not only in the nation but in the world.
One pleasant surprise is that they had a moving sidewalk from an international flight to customs for at least part of the distance. Seems like a mile walk. Hope they expand those.
What about the infamous moving sidewalk from the interisland terminal to main terminal? Broken in one direction every time I go there. They can’t even maintain that thing, whether due to incompetence or an overall scheme to ensure lucrative non-stop repair contracts.
and the side that’s always broken is the one going uphill!
Hoss… No wonder why mo more roaches at the airport. Nasty food.
No joke, while waiting to board a plane, once saw a rat crawling along inside one Honolulu airport waiting area. He was pretty big and fat so he might have been the only one enjoying the Honolulu airport food.
No more.. Sorry.
Of course that’s based on the fact that you have been to every airport in the world?
But Yelp is doing the research for us.
personally…. i think it’s waaaayyy over-priced! talk about price gauging!
HNL airport needs a serious revamping anyway!
Hawaii is wearing out the word overpriced.
Hawaii ‘ s forensics in finding great food lies in the number of homeless people hanging around the eatery’s trash bin. Hence, why no homeless around the airport.
Why would anyone eat the food at an airport?
Not everyone looks forward to the in-flight meal.
Captured audience. Especially if one flies baggage, one might be a pit hungry after a long flight.
Assumption is to serve a decent meal. We didn’t expect a disappointment.
Because they’re hungry?
Snator. Terrible food has a way of losing the hunger feeling.
Tita.. Maybe he is a point man to check out if it is safe for the rest of the gang?
My puppies would sue me if I took them to eat at Honolulu Airport.
Probably cause you’re a money hungry attorney who passed it on to your children. Sue, sue, and sue more.
Phil Collins sings sue…sue sude oh.
This is the same garbage that Hawaiian Airlines serve.
I only eat at the HNL airport when I need help in my bowl movement.
You realize HAL is the only airline that serves complimentary meals to coach flyers, right?
Hawaiian has ono food…in First Class.
That a boy as a HAL shareholder.
And you all thought that I was joking with all of my negative comments about Hawaii, last year? Never underestimate a novice.
Hawaii is giving me a lot to comment about. I would be bored if I moved away.
You’d be doing the rest of us a favor by moving far away. Ask for more meds for your compulsive behavior. Trying and utterly failing to impress us with your nonsense one liners.
Butinski. I have to prove that even a novice knows what is going on.
Strangely, one of the most welcoming airports I visit with some regularity is also one of the smallest. Tiny little Traverse City (TVC) in Michigan is just a great place to fly in and out from. No major restaurants at the airport but Traverse City is home to a very active food, vineyard, and craft beer scene. It’s clean, relatively modern, not usually over crowded, and very friendly. Even the TSA workers smile and are courteous.
Honolulu International Airport, U.S.worst-rated food and beverage options in the U.S
With extremely high lease costs that the airports charge who can afford to conduct a business there?
All the vendors that are there.
Hence, U.S.worst-rated food and beverage options in the U.S – payback.
You asked who can afford to be there, my response, the vendors that are there. And for the most part these are all big local and national fast food chains anyway, BK, CPK, Lahaina Chicken, Starbucks. I didn’t do any research, but I doubt that HNL charges rates that aren’t comparable to the mainland airports.
That’s how we roll, worst business climate, worst traffic, worst roads, worst politicians, etc.
Mytake. At Hawaii has the friendliest puppies.
Worst film industry.
No surprise.
Crappy airport, crappy schools, crappy parks, crappy public service, crappy roads, etc……Yet we keep voting the same old crappy politicians in to office.
Because we have stupid and crappy voters.
Let’s make a distinction here: it’s the voters who are stupid and the politicians who are crappy.
Gruber would say otherwise
ha…ha..ha..ha..ha…..i had tears in my eyes reading all these comments on the airport……geezus, never laughed so much lately esp. with all the tragic news etc…but these comments take the cake so they say….ha..ha..ha…
Yep. The SA just knew that they were asking for trouble by publishing this article with a comment section at the bottom of the web page.
Who cares? Tourists who come for one reason, its’ Hawaii LOL
Is tourism that important? The way our airport welcomes people with one of the ugliest airports in the world and then when saying good bye, we leave a worse taste in their mouths.
Yes. Hawaii has the happiest tourist when they leave us to go back home. AKA, good riddence.
The airport is more into shopping options than eating options. Prices are high, there are few “reasonable” options, and quality of the food is horrible. I’ve taken to bringing in my own food from my favorite takeout places and eating it while waiting for my flight.
Could not agree more…the food at the airport completely sucks….and has ever since they closed that sky room decades ago. Other airports in the world have some of the best food I’ve ever had….when at this airport I don’t even bother.
compare it to my Bismarck airport. You all are missing a great deal. Or compare to the San Francisco airport….Waihee’s corrupt administration ripped the public off in this bad project.
I would agree that SFO is a great airport, never been to Bismark, but it’s a very small regional that handles a way smaller volume of traffic than even the relatively small HNL. And the Waihee administration has nothing to do with the vendors now in the airport.
allie, how long have you lived in Hawaii? what’s your first-hand knowledge of the Waihee administration?
Allie loves to eat raw bison.
San Franciso is tops with their food courts and a wide variery of food such as Japanese, Chinese, Italian, etc. with many healthy salad or other options. There is definitely quality control of the eating establishments in other airports like San Fran, LA, etc. At Honolulu airport, it is more important to make money skimming taxi service, make work construction jobs, etc. and grease the palms for those in charge who decide who gets to serve food at the airport.
Agree with you.
Also reasonable, have to lay over for connecting flight to Atlanta, always look forward to grabing a meal from them.
Congratulations Honolulu! Another “WORST IN NATION”. Keep up the LOUSY work.
Nation? Try the entire globe.
It doesn’t matter to me as I never buy any food at the airport. They cost a whole lot more than at any grocery store. Only problem is that you can’t bring your own beverage onto the waiting room so you have to drink all you can before passing through security. I can live with that.
I agree
And don’t forget the “high raise “type prices $$$$$
The most embarrassing airport in the world might be more appropriate. The International airport in Lagos, Nigeria, is a palatial oasis compared to HNL.
Lucky we live Hawaii! No need to eat at airport.
Hawaii just has a 45% rating because we serve spam musubi……LOL
New York people tell me that Spam is rubbish meat that they send to Hawaii
International airports, especially in the Asian hubs such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore, offer such a wide range of restaurants from upscale to fast-foods, that people go to the airport just to eat. I know lots of friends in Singapore, for example, who make it an outing to one of the terminals because of the good food there. Of course, the airport is 24 hours. As an international hub, Honolulu should consider making the airport a welcoming place.
Best food courts I’ve been in Dallas, Denver, Narita, New Orleans and San Francisco. I can believe Honolulu is the worst in the world.
Yes, we’re number 1. The best of the worse.
Its about time! Place is a dump.,..
Even the Honolulu Airport food service workers rated themselves at the bottom.
I sold a can of Alpo dog food for five bucks at this airport to a hungry person. That’s how bad the food is.
Even the flies avoid the food.
Do you think? Worst airport in the USA. Even 3rd world countries have a better airport.
Inside the terminals all you hear is mindless drivel over the PA system, over and over. Dark, dingy, smells of jet fuel/exhaust fumes, noisy. Due to shoddy and slow service during check in, lines frequently go outside the building, stand in the sun and rain just like in a 7th world country.
Remember when the airport bureaucrats were caught giving multiple contracts to fix the same problem over and over? Remember when airport bureaucrats changed the signage leading to the airport and it was basically illegible? Failed to stick with airport standards.
International arrivals looks like a prison holding area. Actually from the outside the entire airport looks like a prison. And worst of all is the Wiki Wiki Bus Nazis. Not the initial Aloha experience you expect from Hawaii.
This news article only needed one sentence to make a point.
The same could be said for you.
Next stop. Zippy’s.
Zippy’s is just as bad as the airport.
High prices, lousy service, bad cooks.
The airport has always been plagued by cronyism in management. It’s like the old Vegas joke. My wife said take me someplace expensive to eat. So I took her to the airport.
I think that your dear wife meant to say expansive. Not expensive.
Let’s see Burger King, Star Bucks and whatever restarant they call themselves doesn’t work for me. And I live here. Poor service and food products that are not up to par equals bad ratings. That’s why most of us locals bring our own if can.
You are more than welcome to borrow my can opener.
All of these comments should make Hawaii sink to the bottom of the ocean.
The whole airport is worst in the nation.
Thank goodness Subway was still open with us getting on a late flight, all the way to the East coast.
Like others have mentioned, stores, places to sit and eat are closed at night. The food is mediocre and expensive.
Have a look at SFO airport if you want to know how it’s done properly, without holding the traveling public for ransom with high prices.
Quality with price control, it’s not that difficult.
Happy Sodium Nitrates.
San Francisco airport has one of the best food courts in the US.
Bet you that my loving puppies eat better than 99% of all of you out there.
Are they fat and black? Yum.
who said they serve food at the airport?
Not surprising we also have one of the WORST airports. Its incredible since I travel the world for work, Love Hawaii but the airport is so bad. Oh well its not like we depend on the tourists. hahahaha Hawaii is ran like a 3rd world by plantation style politics !
Yes it could be better.
Honolulu International Airport food service rated worst in nation now and forever. Nothing will change come hell or a destructive tsunami hits Oahu’s south shore particularly from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor areas.
HMS needs competition for the food … give them 50% and another contractor 50% … it’s called competition.
Jeezus, why all the complaints? If you don’t like the food then don’t eat there. I see a lot of people scarfing Whoppers and personal pizzas and they look perfectly happy. Eat a fancy meal and get diarrhea on your flight yeah that works well.