Detroit Metro Earns Top Honors for Healthy Concessions

Airport food used to be simple: Hot dogs spun endlessly on heated rollers, and almost everything else was deep-fried and served in a cardboard boat. Prepackaged, processed fare was easy for concessionaires, but hard on travelers' arteries and waistlines.

These days, healthier options such as veggie stir fry, grilled fish and fresh salad are growing faster than organic strawberries in July. According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), 79% of restaurants at the 14 largest U.S. airports currently offer at least one healthy option.

"Greasy airport food is often as big a pain for travelers as long lines or baggage fees," says Dr. Susan Levin, director of nutrition education for PCRM. "Low-fat, high-fiber vegetarian meals can help prevent many common health problems, and healthy eating can even make passengers feel less frazzled."

Much to the delight of health-conscious travelers everywhere, airports are sprinkling such options throughout their food courts and terminals.

Docs Like Detroit

Last year, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County became the first airport to earn a perfect score in PCRM's annual survey. Nutritionists found at least one low-fat, cholesterol-free vegetarian entrée at every restaurant in the airport.

Particular standouts include Sora Japanese Cuisine & Sushi Bar, Mediterranean Grill and Ruby Tuesday's full salad bar.

Adding still more healthy food options, however, is not the battle cry of the Wayne County Airport Authority.

"Our focus is on variety," explains public affairs manager Scott Wintner. "Healthy is just one of the culinary interests we try to satisfy, along with vegan, kosher, international and many others."

Heart Smart & Business Smart

In May, Detroit Metro renewed its commitment to healthy food and beverage options by continuing its 2004 partnership with the Heart and Vascular Institute of the Henry Ford Hospital. Dieticians from Henry Ford will again evaluate concessionaires' menus and award the hospital's HeartSmart® designation to items that qualify on multiple nutritional fronts - total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium content.

Last time, nearly 50 side dishes and main entrées qualified on all fronts, and an additional 25 met fat and cholesterol guidelines but exceeded recommended sodium levels.

"Lots of airport restaurants now offer soups, salads, fruit cups and low-fat yogurt parfaits," reports Darlene Zimmerman, a registered dietician at Henry Ford. "Even places you might not expect to have healthy items, like Taco Bell and Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen, had a few options qualify."

As in 2004, the airport is picking up the tab for the service. This year, it's expected to cost about $350 for each concessionaire that chooses to participate. According to Zimmerman, roughly 40 restaurants are undergoing reviews this year vs. about 15 in 2004.

Sushi was a particularly healthful addition to Detroit Metro's concessions mix.

"It's a popular program with individual concessionaires," explains Wintner. "Many consider it another way to respond to customers' interest in healthier menu items. They see the market value of it."

With ample HeartSmart® emblems appearing on its menu after the initial review, Mediterranean Grill quickly made a name for itself with health-conscious travelers and airport employees alike. Midfield Concession Enterprises, new to the airport at the time, brought the Middle Eastern concept to the airport's table for the debut of the McNamara Terminal in 2002.

"The impetus to create a healthier eating environment came from the airport authority," recalls Midfield's general manager, Ric Frievalt. "Mediterranean Grill was perfect with its emphasis on fresh style cooking and an absence of fat and preservatives. People were beginning to ask for food made to order, not processed or frozen for who knows how long."

According to Wintner, the more diverse mix of concessions assembled for McNamara Terminal not only influenced what appeared on visitors' plates, but also how much it cost and the customer service that accompanied it. Increased competition from independent companies and vendors from Delaware North, Concessions International, Midfield Concession and HMSHost created an entirely new dynamic, he explains.

With nine food and beverage outlets in McNamara Terminal and nine in North Terminal, Midfield's stable includes health-oriented restaurants like Mediterranean Grill as well as brands such as Mrs. Fields Cookies and Cheeburger, Cheeburger.

"People are making the choice to order healthier items," reports Frievalt. "We haven't had to remove any of our HeartSmart® selections due to lack of sales or customer interest. They're performing well.

"We see a good mix in sales between healthy and other menu items," he continues. "The key is that more healthy options are now available if passengers want them."

At the Counter

Midfield provides specific training about serving health-conscious customers to its concessionaires' employees.

"We encourage staff to use the HeartSmart® system and to let customers know that we can modify other items for them," notes Frievalt.

The value of having healthy items on the menu, he relates, is not a tough sell. "Companies are adapting to what customers want," he explains. "Even franchised restaurants are interested in developing recipes that are healthier or modifying existing items to meet physicians' guidelines for healthy eating."

On an airport-wide basis, Detroit Metro's interest in offering healthy concessions hasn't turned french fries into contraband. A sandwich shop, for instance, recently replaced a TCBY yogurt stand.

"We're not looking to become a health food joint," explains Wintner. "Sometimes, even the healthiest travelers just want a Big Mac, and we make sure they can get it. We're not cramming healthy food down anyone's throat; we're evolving with the market. Customers want healthy options, so that's what we offer."