App That Lets You Order Airport Food Ahead is Latest Way to Make Airports Enjoyable

What you need to make your layover more enjoyable this summer.

ByABC News
July 10, 2015, 3:40 PM
A new app called AirGrub will help you find food and jump to the front of the line in certain airports.
A new app called AirGrub will help you find food and jump to the front of the line in certain airports.
Getty Images

— -- You take your seat on the plane, only to be faced with limited food choices for the duration of a six-hour flight.

Had you had a little more time, you could have waited on one of long food lines and carried on. Now there’s an app that lets you order your airport food ahead of time, then skip to the front of the line to pick it up.

AirGrub, which launched earlier this week, is the latest way technology is making the dreaded time at the airport more efficient and maybe even enjoyable. Enter your flight info to find out what meals are available in your terminal, place your order and pay through the app. It’s only in San Francisco right now, but coming to New York, Boston and other airports next.

While you wait, download GateGuru. The free app provides information and reviews about restaurants and other amenities in your terminal. Instead of wondering where the best place to eat is and rolling the dice, GateGuru lets you make an educated decision about where to spend your time and money.

It’s also worth knowing what’s going on at your departure or layover airport before you arrive. Yogis will appreciate the dedicated yoga rooms at Burlington, Vermont; Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare and San Francisco airports. Art enthusiasts like Philadelphia International Airport and Denver International Airport and San Francisco's SFO, which offer rotating art exhibits all year-round.

Relaxation seekers who’ve left their yoga mats at home can download LoungeBuddy, which enables non-frequent fliers to purchase day passes to nearby airline lounges and view prices and amenities.

For foodies looking for local eats beyond the gate, those with time to kill might want to check out the growing trend of airport food trucks. Tampa Bay International, San Francisco, Portland International and Austin-Bergstrom International all have food trucks, usually on a rotating schedule.