Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) has opened a high-tech virtual food hall – known as a ‘ghost kitchen’ – in Terminal 2, facilitating contactless ordering of food and beverages. The getREEF Virtual Food Hall features nine brands, including Krispy Rice, 800 Degrees Pizza, Pei Wei, Xochimex Cantina Grill, Zinburger, and Rebel Wings, as well as local concepts Beyú Caffé, Hubb Kitchen, and American Meltdown.
“RDU’s ghost kitchen may finally end the dilemma of every family member wanting to eat somewhere different by letting them mix and match orders in one easy, contactless transaction,” says Michael Landguth, President and CEO, Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. “The kitchen meets two of RDU’s top goals by giving guests a wide range of dining options and leveraging cutting-edge technology to improve their experience at the airport.”
Customers can place and pay for their orders on their mobile devices or directly at kiosks located in Terminal 2 near Gate C9. They then receive real-time text updates on the status of their orders, which are collected in specially-marked lockers near the kiosks, using unique codes sent directly to their mobile device.
Travellers can mix and match food from any of the restaurants in the same transaction. Meanwhile, a delivery service will begin later this summer to passengers on the Terminal 2 concourse.
“REEF’s first-ever virtual food hall brings dramatic innovation to the future of airport dining by giving travellers unprecedented variety and convenience,” says Valentina Ellison, Senior Vice President, REEF Kitchens. “We look forward to continuing to work with RDU as we serve delicious meals to travellers and continue to pioneer the future of the ghost kitchen industry.”
The getREEF Virtual Food Hall is operated by REEF and its Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise partner, HUBB Kitchens.
