2020 Awards

Coffee and coffee shops are a pivotal element of every airport’s F&B offer. Whether it’s a big international brand, a small local coffee shop chain or a unique individual outlet, each has their part to play.

In a coffee-conscious world, customers are increasingly knowledgeable and discerning. They expect great quality coffee that is expertly made; a range of tasty and interesting snack foods that may include sandwiches, panini, pastries, cakes, patisserie and biscuits; friendly and efficient service and somewhere comfortable to relax for a few minutes.

But it’s not just about coffee. There is an abundance of traditional, new and innovative hot beverages available for passengers to enjoy during the journey.

In recent years we have witnessed surging demand for many wonderful blends of tea along with herbal & flavoured infusions or high-quality chocolate drinks.

So if you own or operate a truly world-class coffee or tea shop then this award is for you. Just tell us why you think yours is the best.

Smoothies and juices present a tantalising array of opportunities for innovation and creativity. New tastes and blends are constantly being concocted at airport juice and smoothie bars across the world.

Juices and smoothies are the perfect remedy for the thirsty, tired, time-poor traveller and wellbeing-orientated traveller. The yoghurt or milk base of the smoothie, or the healthy vitamin-filled juice blend, make highly convenient and nourishing beverages for international travellers.

As airports and food & beverage operators strive to cater to the increasingly health-conscious consumer through natural and often organic ingredients, juice and smoothie bars are vital to ensuring a commercial mix that is in line with customer expectations. Fresh, natural, sustainable, energising, booster… the buzzwords around this growing segment are as varied as the ingredients involved.

If you think your juice or smoothie business is fruitful and fulfilling, and fuels customer happiness, then let us know the ingredients of your success and enter this award.

A vital element of many airports’ F&B offers, food to go concepts present an opportunity for innovation, experience and outstanding design – but with speed of service also essential.

This category focuses on businesses that provide innovative, high-quality, value for money ingredients and products. The food will include the obvious and ubiquitous as well as the niche and surprising; breakfast, lunch and dinner offers, picnic boxes, sandwiches, baguettes, wraps and other bread-based snacks; patisserie, cakes, muffins, waffles, sushi, sashimi, bento, seafood, satay, soups, salads, fresh fruit, samosas, spring rolls, regional specialties, sausages and frankfurters – any food that is sold as ‘food to go’ at an airport.

If you are producing innovative, delicious and memorable ‘food to go’ then this award is for you.

Important note: To qualify for this award, alcoholic beverages must account for more than 60% of sales. Please also note the introduction this year of a separate ‘Pub’ category

A memorable bar should have top-class atmosphere and hospitality, and of course, a superb array of beverages. As mentioned, this prestigious award is intended for bars whose prime business is to sell alcohol. The category should not be confused with casual dining restaurants whose prime business is to sell food but have a bar within the restaurant.

Many of us can no doubt recall with a smile a memorable bar discovered while on holiday, travelling for work while alone or with a colleague, or perhaps just out with friends or family. It’s that magical atmosphere in a bar when everything is just right: the people – both customers and staff, a chance to chat, the ‘craic’, the calm, the hospitality, the welcome, the choice and presentation of drinks, the design, the heritage, the comfort, the space, the authenticity, the noise of conversation, the lighting, the food, the entertainment, the refuge, the oasis – just the perfect place to relax and have fun or chill with people you are happy to be with!

FAB wants to identify and award the ‘Airport Bar of the Year’. We want you to tell us why you think you have the best airport bar in the world.

Important note: To qualify for this award, alcoholic beverages must account for more than 60% of sales. Please also note the introduction this year of a separate ‘Pub’ category

A memorable bar should have top-class atmosphere and hospitality, and of course, a superb array of beverages. This prestigious award is intended for bars whose prime business is to sell alcohol, from wines to spirits to memorable and where possible, original cocktails.

Many of us can recall with a smile a memorable bar discovered while on holiday, travelling for work while alone or with a colleague, or perhaps just out with friends or family. It’s that magical atmosphere when everything is just right: the people – the hospitality, the welcome, the choice and presentation of drinks, the design, the heritage, the comfort, the space, the authenticity, the noise of conversation, the lighting, the food, the entertainment, the refuge, the oasis – just the perfect place to relax and have fun or chill with people you are happy to be with!

The category should not be confused with casual dining restaurants whose prime business is to sell food but have a bar within the restaurant.

FAB wants to identify and award the ‘Airport Bar of the Year’. If you own and or operate a bar that stands apart from the crowd, then this award is for you. We want you to tell us why you think you have the best airport bar in the world.

Important note: To qualify for this award, beer must account for more than 50% of sales.

A new category for 2020, this award will honour the airport F&B industry’s best pub. The award has been created in acknowledgement of the difference in experience between a pub and an upscale bar – with each worthy of recognition.

The pub award will recognise a casual rather than formal location that exudes hospitality, features speedy, efficient service, carries a strong list of beers and other drinks, offers guests a chance to relax and chat in a welcoming atmosphere and has the unmistakeable stamp of the city or country.

Do you own or operate the Best Pub at an airport? If so, this is for you.

To qualify for this award, beer must account for more than 50% of sales.

A new category for 2020, this award will honour the airport F&B industry’s best pub. The award has been created in acknowledgement of the difference in experience between a pub and an upscale bar – with each worthy of recognition.

The pub award will recognise a casual rather than formal location that exudes hospitality, features speedy, efficient service, carries a strong list of beers and other drinks, offers guests a chance to relax and chat in a welcoming atmosphere and has the unmistakeable stamp of the city or country.

Do you own or operate the Best Pub at an airport? If so, this is for you.

To qualify for this award, food must account for more than 60% of sales. The award should not be confused with Airport Bar of the Year.

This has proven to be our most hotly contested category over the years and 2020 should be no different given the rapid growth of the sector in airports today.

We have therefore decided to make two awards for this category; one for restaurants in airports with less than 15 million passengers and one for restaurants in airports with more than 15 million passengers per annum.

Not all passengers are in a hurry. Some have simply arrived early; others are in transit with several hours between flights. Whatever their reason for having extended dwell time, they might want to enjoy the comfort, service and food quality and range offered by a full service casual dining restaurant.

Whatever the time of day, does your restaurant have the menu offer, environment and service to attract and delight passengers?

Your restaurant might be part of a regional, national or international branded chain or a local, independently owned restaurant. Whatever the ownership, it’s the quality of food, excellence in service and commercial success that matters.

FAB wants to identify, recognise and reward the operator and/or owner of ‘The Best Full Service Casual Dining Restaurant’ of the year in an airport.

To qualify for this award, food must account for more than 60% of sales. The award should not be confused with Airport Bar of the Year.

This has proven to be our most hotly contested category over the years and 2020 should be no different given the rapid growth of the sector in airports today.

We have therefore decided to make two awards for this category; one for restaurants in airports with less than 15 million passengers and one for restaurants in airports with more than 15 million passengers per annum.

Not all passengers are in a hurry. Some have simply arrived early; others are in transit with several hours between flights. Whatever their reason for having extended dwell time, they might want to enjoy the comfort, service and food quality and range offered by a full service casual dining restaurant.

Whatever the time of day, does your restaurant have the menu offer, environment and service to attract and delight passengers?

Your restaurant might be part of a regional, national or international branded chain or a local, independently owned restaurant. Whatever the ownership, it’s the quality of food, excellence in service and commercial success that matters.

FAB wants to identify, recognise and reward the operator and/or owner of ‘The Best Full Service Casual Dining Restaurant’ of the year in an airport.

Healthy eating and wellbeing are no longer just trends – they are mainstays of any good F&B offer and of vital importance to a growing number of travellers.

Making healthy food choices allows millions of customers to enjoy the airport dining experience, free from concern about the food preparation and in the knowledge that their diet is not affecting animal welfare.

Foodies on the move are voting with their wallets, as well as with their mind and spirit, when it comes to seeking a healthy alternative to fast or fried food, in the knowledge that eating what they perceive as the right food is not only good for their physical state but also their mental health.

Sustainability is a growing concern for consumers of all ages and nationalities and veganism and plant-based diets respond to their desire to protect the planet and the body. More and more airports are responding to this demand with healthy food concessions within the F&B mix.

FAB is keen to recognise those operators addressing this niche but important sector and reward the best airport health-centred or vegan offer of the year.

Food halls are very much the mainstay of many airports’ F&B passenger offers; when executed well, they are among the most vibrant centres of activity and dining excellence. Good food halls provide a wide variety of food for all ages, tastes and budgets, fast and with fair value. Key elements include provenance, freshness, diversity of offer through the day and evening, efficiency and adaptation to the travel environment and of course exceptional food and service.

Typically this configuration of outlet provides a range of F&B offers – sometimes branded, from fast-food and hand-held snacks to full meals and hot & cold beverages. In recent years, the trend has been towards a ‘Market style’ formula, comprising a variety of food choices, some cooked to order in front of the customer.

A major benefit of this type of F&B offer is that individuals, families and other large groups can all choose and enjoy the style of food they want to eat at the price they want to pay.

Moreover, the customer is fully in control of the time they spend eating and drinking, as service speed is normally fast and efficient.

FAB wants to identify and award the operator and/or owner of the Best Airport Food Hall of the Year. Please tell us why you think you are the best, and if we agree you will win the award.

Food halls are very much the mainstay of many airports’ F&B passenger offers; when executed well, they are among the most vibrant centres of activity and dining excellence. Good food halls provide a wide variety of food for all ages, tastes and budgets, fast and with fair value. Key elements include provenance, freshness, diversity of offer through the day and evening, efficiency and adaptation to the travel environment and of course exceptional food and service.

Typically this configuration of outlet provides a range of F&B offers – sometimes branded, from fast-food and hand-held snacks to full meals and hot & cold beverages. In recent years, the trend has been towards a ‘Market style’ formula, comprising a variety of food choices, some cooked to order in front of the customer.

A major benefit of this type of F&B offer is that individuals, families and other large groups can all choose and enjoy the style of food they want to eat at the price they want to pay.

Moreover, the customer is fully in control of the time they spend eating and drinking, as service speed is normally fast and efficient.

FAB wants to identify and award the operator and/or owner of the Best Airport Food Hall of the Year. Please tell us why you think you are the best, and if we agree you will win the award.

This award recognises the most exceptional new opening over the last year, one that delights customers while driving commercial success. It is intended to celebrate newness and fresh thinking – the lifeblood of any industry or business.

In our opinion, F&B is the most exciting and creative form of retailing in the world and the pace of new concept launches is relentless. Airports need to reflect and anticipate the pace of change occurring in local markets.

This award is designed to recognise a concept that truly strikes the judges as innovative, different and daring.

This award recognises the most exceptional new opening over the last year, one that delights customers while driving commercial success.

In our opinion, F&B is the most exciting and creative form of retailing in the world and the pace of new concept launches is relentless. Airports need to reflect and anticipate the pace of change occurring in local markets.

This award is designed to recognise a concept that truly strikes the judges as innovative, different and daring.

Generating increased footfall, increasing sales and profits, improving average transaction values, building customer loyalty and communicating the attributes and provenance of your products and services are just some of the aims of successful, imaginative and truly effective marketing and promotional campaigns.

Clear objectives with measurable targets and detailed evaluation are fundamental to determining the success. Your campaign might have been in operation at one airport for a short period or might be a long-term national or international campaign. It might have been a joint campaign between operator and airport or operator and supplier – or perhaps all three. We also note how traditional marketing is increasingly blended with social media to extend the reach of the best promotions.

Whatever your campaign, if you’re proud of it and it was measurably successful, we want to hear about it and recognise the best.

Generating increased footfall, increasing sales and profits, improving average transaction values, building customer loyalty and communicating the attributes and provenance of your products and services are just some of the aims of successful, imaginative and truly effective marketing and promotional campaigns.

Clear objectives with measurable targets and detailed evaluation are fundamental to determining the success. Your campaign might have been in operation at one airport for a short period or might be a long-term national or international campaign. It might have been a joint campaign between operator and airport or operator and supplier – or perhaps all three. We also note how traditional marketing is increasingly blended with social media to extend the reach of the best promotions.

Whatever your campaign, if you’re proud of it and it was measurably successful, we want to hear about it and recognise the best.

Today’s travellers, particularly millennials and Generation Z consumers, are increasingly socially and environmentally conscious in their consumer choices. We see eco-friendly, sustainable solutions across food & beverage outlets the world over, but while “reduce, recycle, reuse” has been a consistent mantra in recent years, zero, not reduced, plastic is the new norm.

The most progressive eco-friendly food outlets are adopting biodegradable and compostable packaging and straws. Plastic bags, if not already prohibited, are being replaced by more sustainable alternatives that do not contribute to polluting the oceans. Not only because the consumer demands it, but also because businesses are conscious that eco-friendly solutions are the right strategy for a sustainable future.

This award recognises the growing importance, indeed the requirement, for a commitment to sustainability and initiatives to tackle energy and food waste.
This award will reward the best initiative of the year that puts the planet before profit.

Airports are often rightly criticised by passengers for their sameness and blandness; homogenous glass and steel constructions with similar shops, F&B and services offering look-alike merchandise, menus and brands.

This perceived (and often real) lack of identity with the culture, cuisine and heritage of the country or local community needs to be addressed in order to provide a true ‘Sense of Place’ for any airport. What better way to address this than through the food & beverage offered to passengers – an offer and environment that reflects the tastes, traditions, history and culture of a city, region or country all provided with a unique style of service and welcoming hospitality.

If you own, operate or have an airport F&B offer which truly reflects local tastes, traditions, culture and community values, we want to hear about it. The judges are looking particularly for F&B offers that capture the soul and personality of a city, region or country. Simply transporting a renowned local eatery to the airport, or offering local food favourites won’t be enough. The winning outlet will cry out ‘Sense of Place’, and indeed ‘Taste of Place’, across its concept, design and offer, evoking the essence of the location to local and foreign travellers alike.

Airports are often rightly criticised by passengers for their sameness and blandness; homogenous glass and steel constructions with similar shops, F&B and services offering look-alike merchandise, menus and brands.

This perceived (and often real) lack of identity with the culture, cuisine and heritage of the country or local community needs to be addressed in order to provide a true ‘Sense of Place’ for any airport. What better way to address this than through the food & beverage offered to passengers – an offer and environment that reflects the tastes, traditions, history and culture of a city, region or country all provided with a unique style of service and welcoming hospitality.

If you own, operate or have an airport F&B offer which truly reflects local tastes, traditions, culture and community values, we want to hear about it. The judges are looking particularly for F&B offers that capture the soul and personality of a city, region or country.

Simply transporting a renowned local eatery to the airport, or offering local food favourites won’t be enough. The winning outlet will cry out ‘Sense of Place’, and indeed ‘Taste of Place’, across its concept, design and offer, evoking the essence of the location to local and foreign travellers alike.

This award celebrates the concept which has brought the most memorable and engaging innovation to the travel food & beverage industry.

We want to know which company has brought true innovation to the travel food & beverage industry in the past year and which concept has been a true game-changer?

We will judge this award based on the strength of vision behind the concept, the story it tells, how it is executed through the use of space and compelling design, consumer reaction – and of course the food & beverage offer itself.

This special award now recognises the age we live in. The spread of social media has changed the dining experience forever; on one hand there is now nowhere to hide from poor quality food or service. But platforms such as Instagram also showcase, and celebrate, the other side – brilliant food, looks, design features, or any other aspect of a restaurant. This award celebrates that positive impact.

Instagram helps to showcase a restaurant or bar’s brilliant food, looks or design features, and this award celebrates the concept that most makes travellers get out their phones and share a ‘wow’ moment.

Great people produce and deliver wonderful food, give brilliant service and generous hospitality. Staff can make a dining occasion – or ruin it. We’ve all had the pleasure of receiving exceptional service that has helped as much as the food or the restaurant ambience in creating long-lasting memories.

This does not happen by accident. Those businesses that truly commit to recruiting the best people and then training, developing, mentoring, rewarding, motivating and recognising them reap the benefits in strong sales and memorable customer experiences.

In every team, there are a few exceptionally gifted players who stand out for their skills and their passion. We want to hear about those people in your organisation.
Please tell us who they are and why you have nominated them. Why do they deserve to be recognised as the F&B Team Member of the Year?

The top 3 shortlisted will be invited* to the Gala dinner in Istanbul where the winner will be presented with the FAB Award for F&B Team Member of the Year.

* The invitation will include complimentary entry to the FAB conference, opening cocktail party and Gala Dinner. Travel and accommodation will be at the team member’s company expense.

Teamwork across both front and back of house helps set the very best F&B locations apart from their peers – and we expect this new category to be hotly contested in 2020.

As with the Team Member award, we recognise that great people produce and deliver wonderful food, give brilliant service and generous hospitality. Staff can make a dining occasion – or ruin it. We’ve all had the pleasure of receiving exceptional service that has helped as much as the food or the restaurant ambience in creating long-lasting memories.

This does not happen by accident. Those businesses that truly commit to recruiting the best people and nurturing teamwork reap the benefits through the success of their businesses and in great customer experiences.

Please tell us about your most outstanding team and why you have nominated them. Why does this team deserve to be recognised as the F&B Team of the Year?

The newly created FAB Hall of Fame will honour an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the industry over his or her career.

The individual will have played a major role not only in their company’s success on the travel dining stage but also have played a part in championing the whole sector’s qualitative rise.

In their own way, they will have helped to make the travel dining experience memorable, emotional and satisfying, and inspired others to excel with their passion and commitment to quality.

We want you and your company to nominate a key figure in the industry for their sustained commitment to innovation and excellence. We will then put nominations to the judges to decide who most deserves this special merit award.

This award, first introduced in 2018, recognises the critical role that design plays in creating ambience and customer experience. It has been split into two categories this year to recognise the most dazzling designs at both large and small airports.

Does your company have a new and exciting design concept that has wowed customers and that you want to shout about? Does it capture the allure of travel, pay homage to the magic of flight or neatly reflect the city or country at a particular airport through its design execution?

In short, does your concept tell a great story about the concept through design innovation? If so, this could be your year.

This award, first introduced in 2018, recognises the critical role that design plays in creating ambience and customer experience. It has been split into two categories this year to recognise the most dazzling designs at both large and small airports.

Does your company have a new and exciting design concept that has wowed customers and that you want to shout about? Does it capture the allure of travel, pay homage to the magic of flight or neatly reflect the city or country at a particular airport through its design execution?

In short, does your concept tell a great story about the concept through design innovation? If so, this could be your year.

This much-coveted award recognises the overall excellence of an airport’s consumer proposition. It will go to the airport that judges believe provided the standout F&B offer over the past year. The award recognises investment, ambition, quality, service, Sense of Place, transformation and performance.

As it reflects the breadth of our industry’s creativity and imagination, and is such a popular and competitive category, we have decided to make three awards in 2020; one for F&B outlets in airports with less than 5 million passengers per year, one for F&B outlets in airports with between 5-15 million passengers and one for F&B outlets in airports with over 15 million passengers.

It encompasses all the key areas of airport food & beverage. The winner should demonstrate what makes its offer stand out. Criteria are likely to include service standards, brand offer, consumer insights, technology, staff management, marketing and promotional activities, along with evidence of commercial success.

This much-coveted award recognises the overall excellence of an airport’s consumer proposition. It will go to the airport that judges believe provided the standout F&B offer over the past year. The award recognises investment, ambition, quality, service, Sense of Place, transformation and performance.

As it reflects the breadth of our industry’s creativity and imagination, and is such a popular and competitive category, we have decided to make three awards in 2020; one for F&B outlets in airports with less than 5 million passengers per year, one for F&B outlets in airports with between 5-15 million passengers and one for F&B outlets in airports with over 15 million passengers.

It encompasses all the key areas of airport food & beverage. The winner should demonstrate what makes its offer stand out. Criteria are likely to include service standards, brand offer, consumer insights, technology, staff management, marketing and promotional activities, along with evidence of commercial success.

This much-coveted award recognises the overall excellence of an airport’s consumer proposition. It will go to the airport that judges believe provided the standout F&B offer over the past year. The award recognises investment, ambition, quality, service, Sense of Place, transformation and performance.

As it reflects the breadth of our industry’s creativity and imagination, and is such a popular and competitive category, we have decided to make three awards in 2020; one for F&B outlets in airports with less than 5 million passengers per year, one for F&B outlets in airports with between 5-15 million passengers and one for F&B outlets in airports with over 15 million passengers.

It encompasses all the key areas of airport food & beverage. The winner should demonstrate what makes its offer stand out. Criteria are likely to include service standards, brand offer, consumer insights, technology, staff management, marketing and promotional activities, along with evidence of commercial success.