Airport dining can feel like a gamble. While some airport restaurants serve great drinks and snacks (like the mouth-watering wine lounge Vino Volo that was named the best airport restaurant of 2025), others simply aren’t up to par, serving undercooked or overcooked food that’s overpriced and almost inedible. A 2025 report from tour operator Altezza Travel ranked the worst American airports for getting food. The worst one? Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey.
Looking at the 20 busiest airports in the United States (via the FAA), Altezza Travel scored each spot based on price, Google ratings, foot traffic, and percentage of restaurants with fewer than three stars. Each category was given a score from 1 to 5. Based on the scoring system, Newark Liberty International Airport received a total score of 8 out of 20.
According to the study, Newark’s airport restaurants have a combined average rating of 2.6 out of 5 stars. The airport also has some of the highest prices in the country, with an average meal cost of $23.10. Plus, you might have to wait a long time for your food because Newark is one of America’s busiest airports.
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What are reviewers saying about Newark’s airport food?
People wait in line at a Nathan’s Hot Dogs in Newark International Airport – Lya_cattel/Getty Images
A quick look at review sites like Yelp, Google, and Tripadvisor confirms the bad reviews for restaurants throughout the New Jersey travel hub. On Yelp, Newark’s Abruzzo Italian Steakhouse has a 2.1 rating and 193 one-star reviews. One reviewer writes, “Quite possibly the worst meal I’ve had in an airport. They make you order using app, pay, and tip before you get service. It was $28!”
Another Newark restaurant, Belgian Beer Cafe, has a 1.4 average on Google. “Absolutely atrocious that this is the only restaurant in this area of the B terminal. Horrific service — not the poor waitresses’ fault, it was only one person serving 20 tables,” writes one reviewer, adding that she was served the “saddest salad I’ve ever eaten.” Even beloved chains that are well-reviewed in other locations, like Nathan’s Hot Dogs, have poor reviews for their Newark locations. A Yelp reviewer states, “The bun was super-thin and cheap, and the dog itself was greasy and chewy.”
That said, food aside, Newark Liberty International Airport does have some redeeming qualities. For example, in 2024, Skytrax awarded Terminal A at Newark the “highest global” 5-star rating due to its “facilities, operations, and provision of customer service.” So while the food isn’t highly reviewed by travelers, the airport itself is making strides in other key areas.
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Read the original article on Islands.