Food Delivery to the Gate? United Tests New Time-Saving Customer Benefit at Newark Liberty International Airport
United Airlines is piloting a new convenience feature at Newark Liberty International Airport: food and travel essentials delivered right to the gate.
What’s New
- Customers can pre-order food, drinks, and travel items through the United app.
- Orders are ready for pickup at designated shelves near the gate, making it easy to grab items before boarding.
- Available at nine gates in Terminal C (C125–C138), covering both domestic and international flights.
What You Can Order
- Sandwiches, salads, kids’ meals, chips, candy, and drinks.
- Travel essentials like over-the-counter medicine, pillows, and charging cords.
- Prepared in collaboration with OTG airport restaurants, including Nonna’s Kitchen and Victory Grill.
Why Newark?
David Kinzelman, United’s Chief Customer Officer, explained that Newark is a high-volume connecting hub where passengers often have limited time between flights, making it an ideal test location.
Expansion Plans
- The pilot will expand to Houston later this year, with more restaurant partners and options.
- United is considering integrating ordering into seatback entertainment screens for seamless access.
Bigger Picture
This initiative is part of United’s broader push to simplify travel:
- Rollout of Starlink Wi-Fi across its fleet.
- TSA wait-time tracker in the app.
- Enhanced inflight entertainment and digital tools.
In short, United is experimenting with ways to make those rushed minutes before boarding less stressful by letting passengers skip the food court dash and pick up their order right at the gate.
