Capital One partners with Streetsense to develop F&B programme at airport lounges

USA. Financial services company Capital One has partnered with design and experience specialist Streetsense to develop the food & beverage programme at its first airport lounges, due to open later this year. In April, Capital One announced plans to open airport lounges at Dallas/Fort Worth International followed by Washington Dulles next year. It has also just announced plans for a branded lounge at Denver Airport.

Capital One selected Streetsense to develop the food & beverage offer and experience, including regionalised menus, grab-and-go programmes, retail strategy and branding.

“When designing the new Capital One Lounges, we talked to customers and industry experts to understand what works and what doesn’t in the current travel environment, and sought to create something different for travellers,” said Capital One Senior Director and Head of the Lounge Programme Jenn Scheurich. “We selected Streetsense based on their track record of developing iconic, customer-inspired spaces and touchpoints. We are thrilled with the overall food & beverage vision, menu direction and branding, and can’t wait to open the first lounge in Dallas/Fort Worth with other locations to come.”

Dishes will be served plated as small bites via full-service dining stations rather than buffet style. All food is fresh, said the partners, with a focus on locally sourced ingredients, sustainably packaged premium grab-and-go selections and vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Lounges include a fully stocked bar with craft cocktails on tap, local beers and regional wines, and a full-service coffee and espresso bar at select locations.

Streetsense said that it designed a programme that is “low-touch and high-quality”, with many travellers cautious about where they get their food and how it is served. This led to the creation of a “bespoke experience”, said Streetsense, from individually-jarred salads and single serve croquettes to activation stations such as street nuts, a cookie decorating station and custom shooters.

“Capital One is an ideal partner in developing a shared vision for what the modern pre-flight and between-flight experience should feel like,” said Brian Taff, Chief Executive Officer of Streetsense. “Particularly as the travel industry rebounds, supporting Capital One in the development of these lounges is a natural fit for our vision of creating meaningful touchpoints in places people love to be.”