Eating at the Airport

Generally speaking, I would counsel avoiding it at all costs.  Squashed on a small, hard seat, hemmed in by your bags and the people on one side (Richie on the other, elbows a flyin' even if the rest of him is not) trying to juggle a book and a Mickey D or a fat slice of less than lovely pizza or gnawing on a gigantic pretzel -undesirable.   Taking hot food (aromatic) on board will earn you icy spears of glances that are genuinely hate-filled.

Plan ahead.  If your flight is booked around the usual time for a meal, go to the airport early enough to eat in one of the  restaurants there.  Yes restaurant food is more expensive than fast, but this is your nerves you're dealing with here.  A once-in-awhile splash out is not going to break the bank.  And if it soothes pre-flight nerves, then write it off to mental health and order a flute of champagne.

A research firm rewardexpert.com has taken it upon itself to rank the various American airport restaurants and then tell us all about it.  With no further ado ...

#1 - Denver
Root Down with breakfast, lunch and dinner gluten free, vegetarian service.

#2 - Phoenix
Chelsea Kitchen, the fourth least expensive overall serving American and Mexican

#3 - Atlanta
One Flew South, a 4 1/2 star recipient said to be not only the best resto at Hartford, but all over Atlanta!

#4 - Philadelphia
The least expensive with 80 different food stops including Geno's Steaks and Chickie's and Pete's which serves a special secret seasoning Crab Fries with a white creamy cheese dipping sauce.  Mussels appear and a Blonde Lobster Pie which appeared to be a white pizza with "baby lobster" as a topping.

#5 - Houston Int'l
Le Grand Comptoir (The Big Agency)
It amazes me to think that there is a French restaurant in a Texas aiport (or anywhere else in Texas for that matter.)

Further Rankings:
Cheapest - Philadelphia

Local restaurant branches at the airport - San Francisco with Napa Farms, Mission Bar and Grill

Gluten-Free - Ft. Worth!  Reason.  There is nothing but bbq to eat at the airport.

Vegetarian - we aren't out of Texas yet - Houston Int'l with a choice of some 90 restaurants

Most Expensive - let's hear it for LAX!  Slapfish Seafood serves lobster as a matter of course (ha ha) as well as caviar, priced from $60 to $394 per ounce.  Why, yes - there IS a champagne bar!  How on earth did you guess?