USA. The Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference & Awards 2024 host Ontario International Airport (ONT) has celebrated the grand opening of Mi Casa Cantina in partnership with SSP America.
Located in Terminal 4, the restaurant serves authentic and innovative Mexican cuisine in a lively environment. The store offers breakfast, lunch and dinner menus featuring scratch-made salsas and salads, a variety of quesadillas, bowls, burritos and guacamole, and Mexican small-plate dishes.
The opening is part of a major F&B transformation programme by the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) after signing an agreement with SSP America early last year to manage the F&B concessions at the Southern California travel hub.
The contract is expected to bring in US$66 million in non-aeronautical revenue to the airport over the initial 20-year term. The earnings will support airport operations, help to reduce landing fees and other airline costs, and ultimately provide an enhanced experience for customers, the airport company noted.
Other recent openings include Einstein Bros. (T4) and Pizza Vino (Terminal 2), while renovations are underway at Urban Crave (T4) and Tap & Pour (T2).
OIAA Chief Revenue Management Officer Elisa Grey said: “We are proud to partner with SSP America in this critical part of the ONT travel experience. These enhanced concessions delight travellers with a variety of food & beverage options, providing jobs for local residents and generating millions of dollars a year in revenues to support ONT’s mission of connecting people and places.”
SSP America Regional Vice President Oscar Hernandez added: “ONT is one of the fastest-growing airports in the US, and the SSP America team led by our Director of Operations Tina Dungan is delighted to be part of the airport community. We fully support the airport’s efforts to elevate the culinary program with memorable experiences for travellers to enjoy before their departure.”
In addition, OIAA’s Revenue Management team has helped attract popular F&B brands such as Chick-fil-A, Dunkin’, Brewery X and the first-ever Topgolf Swing Suite to be located at an airport.
In March, a national study by Upgraded Points ranked Ontario Airport as the third best airport in the US for fast-food accessibility.
Notably, Ontario Airport has achieved 37 consecutive months of year-over-year passenger gains, one of the aviation industry’s great success stories, according to the airport company.
Passenger traffic at the airport through the first three months of the year grew by +10% year-on-year, putting it on pace to achieve its annual record of 7.2 million, set before the Great Recession in 2007. 
