Atlanta airport restaurant spots draw stiff competition

ajc.com

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

A restaurant space at the world's busiest airport remains a hot commodity.

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport plans to put new restaurants at its expanded food court on Concourse C and in a few spots on Concourses A and B.

More than 30 proposals from companies vying for the spots came rolling into Atlanta City Hall on Wednesday. It's the second round of proposals collected for the restaurant spots, after the contracting process was cancelled last year. And this time, even more companies are competing for the spots.

Among the companies seeking to get the spaces are the popular chain Shake Shack, which has a cult-like following, and Gloria Jean's Coffees.

ajc.com

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

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Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

Other companies already at Hartsfield-Jackson are also competing for the new spots, including McDonald's and Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

A total of 12 companies are competing for a burger spot on Concourse B, nine companies are competing for a burger spot on Concourse A and eight companies are competing for a coffee location on Concourse A.

Six concessions firms are competing for the Concourse C food court space.

The process to fill the spaces with new restaurateurs has been going on for more than a year. Last year, a contracting process was cancelled and restarted, with the city saying there were too many flawed proposals. Meanwhile, the delays have left the spaces at the airport empty.

ajc.com

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

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Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

The former Concourse B Checkers location, shuttered since the end of 2014, one of the spots to be contracted out for a new eatery.