United Tests Gate Food Ordering at Newark
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United Airlines is testing a new service at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) that allows passengers to order food, drinks and travel essentials through the United app and pick them up at their gate. The pilot program is available on select flights departing from or connecting through up to nine designated gates in Terminal C. United plans to expand the service to Houston (IAH) later this year and could bring it to more airports in the future.
United Brings Mobile Ordering to the Gate
The new service gives passengers another way to purchase food and other items before boarding without having to stop at an airport restaurant or store. Eligible passengers receive a push notification through the United app or an email before departure inviting them to place an order. Customers can choose from sandwiches, salads, drinks, kids meals, chips, candy and other food options.
Passengers can also order travel essentials, including select over-the-counter medicine, travel pillows and charging cords. Once an order is ready, passengers can pick it up from a designated shelf near their gate and either enjoy it before boarding or bring it onboard.
United is testing the service on select flights departing from or connecting through gates C125 through C138 in Terminal C. The gates serve both domestic and international flights on narrowbody and widebody aircraft. The airline is working with OTG to prepare and deliver orders from participating airport restaurants, including Nonna’s Kitchen and Victory Grill.
“We focus on where the travel experience can be simpler for customers and innovating to remove friction along the way. The time right before boarding is one of those moments when customers want quick, easy access to food without added complexity,” said United Airlines Chief Customer Officer David Kinzelman. “Newark is a high-volume connecting hub where customers often have limited time between arriving at the gate and boarding, making it an ideal place to pilot this type of service.”
By building the service into the United app, passengers can place an order before they reach the gate and pick it up once they arrive. That can save time, especially for connecting passengers who may not have enough time to stop at a restaurant or store before heading to their next flight. It gives passengers another option for bringing food onboard, especially if they want more choices than what is available during the flight.
Gate Ordering Expands With More Digital Features
United plans to expand the program to Houston later this year, with food from national restaurant brands and more ways for passengers to place and receive their orders. The Houston test will go beyond the pickup model currently available at Newark, including the option to have food delivered directly to the gate.
Throughout the program, United will collect passenger feedback to see how customers use the service and determine whether to expand it to other airports. The airline has not announced which airports could come next or when a broader rollout could happen.
If United expands the program, the airline also plans to integrate ordering into its seatback in-flight entertainment (IFE) screens. That could allow connecting passengers to place an order before landing and have it ready when they reach the terminal. The concept could further connect United’s inflight and airport digital experiences by allowing passengers to plan ahead during a connection before they even land.
The program builds on other digital tools United has introduced to make different parts of the travel experience easier. The airline continues rolling out Starlink Wi-Fi across its fleet while also investing in its seatback in-flight entertainment.
In April, United added new features to its app, including a TSA wait time tracker that helps passengers check security wait times before reaching the checkpoint. The gate ordering service takes a similar approach by using technology to help passengers save time during another part of their journey.