USA. John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 4 operator JFKIAT has officially opened the SSP America-operated Beacon Bar & Kitchen and an adjacent Hudson store with a double ribbon-cutting ceremony in the terminal’s renovated Concourse A.
Offering passengers a Sense of Place, the Beacon Bar & Kitchen has been designed to make customers “feel transported to the charming Northeastern coast of Long Island”, according to JFKIAT. The features include lighthouse-inspired décor finishes, aimed at capturing the scenery of the region.
The restaurant’s menu offers a blend of locally-inspired dishes and passenger favourites. To ensure speedy service, SSP America has enabled orders to be made via an on-table QR code or a self-ordering kiosk.
SSP America Chief Executive Officer Michael Svagdis said: “The Beacon Bar & Kitchen concept is a great example of our focus on bringing a ‘taste of place’ to the T4 passengers. T4 is a special terminal not just because it’s one of the biggest gateways to the United States, but because of the community the IAT team, Delta Air Lines, and partners have built.
“Our passionate team of food travel experts look forward to doing all we can to support the expansion, redevelopment, and ongoing initiatives.”
The Hudson travel essentials and convenience store – featuring self-checkout – includes local products from Reisman’s Bakery, Sweet Sam’s Baking Company, Brooklyn Bites, Hal’s New York, and North Fork Potato Chips, among others.
Hudson Executive Vice President and Deputy Chief Executive Officer Brian Quinn said: “Hudson is thrilled to expand our presence in Terminal 4 and give travellers the best travel essentials, electronics, and local products in our new store.
“We thank our partners at JFKIAT for the opportunity to continue to elevate the traveller experience and deliver retail offerings worthy of one of the most iconic cities in the world.”
As part of the redevelopment of T4, JFKIAT is reimagining its commercial offerings to introduce retail, food & beverage, and service concepts that are reflective of New York and offer a “best-in-class” experience for its customers.
Earlier this year, Delta Air Lines consolidated its JFK flights at T4, a move which is set to bring passenger volumes to the terminal’s highest ever levels.
JFKIAT President and CEO Roel Huinink commented: “The Beacon Bar & Kitchen and Hudson openings mark an exciting milestone in the transformation of T4, and we are proud to partner with both SSP America and Hudson to introduce new offerings to our travellers.
“We look forward to presenting additional concepts as more projects in this redevelopment come to fruition, and also our continued work with our partners to bring these significant improvements to life.” 
Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining.
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