Dive Brief:
- Wahlburgers will debut in Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Aug. 4, according to a Monday press release.
- The casual dining burger chain will operate a counter-service concept within a food court in Terminal A. The restaurant will be operated by hospitality firm Delaware North.
- The opening marks another step for the chain’s emerging airport strategy. The company already has locations in Boston Logan International Airport and will open a restaurant at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport later this year. It also has several airport locations in the planning stages.
Dive Insight:
The airport openings come just months after grocer Hy-Vee ended its partnership with Wahlburgers, shuttering 79 locations across the country. Despite the loss of these grocery store locations, the chain continues to open other non-traditional locations including casinos, ballparks and racecourses.
Earlier this month, Wahlburgers opened a counter-service location inside the Pearl Harbor Naval Base, marking its return to Hawai'i, according to an emailed press release. Over the past few months, it opened a restaurant in Oklahoma's Comanche Cache Casino and partnered with Zouk Group Las Vegas on a site inside Ayu Dayclub, its first location at a dayclub.
Wahlburgers is also testing its first drive-thru in Australia and developing an “upscale dining experience,” per a separate press release about its Oklahoma location.
While airport units take some time to develop, they can be a lucrative channel for chains like Wahlburgers. Airports offer high-volume, high-sales environments with captive audiences. They can also help introduce the brand to travelers who may not be familiar with the concept.
Other brands including California Pizza Kitchen, Slim Chickens, Shake Shack and Donatos have also been ramping up their airport strategies.
