Mar 13, 2015

HMSHost Recognized as Best Overall Food & Beverage Operator for Eighth Consecutive Year, As Well As Best In Customer Service

by Airport Revenue News Best Food & beverage Brand Operator and best Airport Charitable Impact awards also received

BETHESDA, MD — At the awards gala during the 2015 Airport Revenue News (ARN) Conference& Exhibition in San Diego, global restaurateur HMSHost was awarded for the eighth consecutive year the Best Overall Food & Beverage Operator and Food Operator With The Highest Regard For Customer Service. In addition, HMSHost was also recognized as the Best Food & Beverage Brand Operator and for Airport Charitable Impact for the HMSHost food donation program.

“Upon acceptance of these awards, HMSHost President and CEO Steve Johnson said “with these great acknowledgments for HMSHost, it is important that I also recognize all of our dedicated associates, airport partners, and brand partners who remain absolutely integral to these significant achievements. It is the cumulative effort and contributions of these groups that have made receiving these prestigious awards possible.” Johnson continued “we are delighted to be recognized by the airport industry for being a premier restaurant provider for travelers, and it is with much gratitude to ARN and the industry as a whole that we accept these awards.”

These awards for HMSHost are a direct reflection of efforts the company has been making over the years to be at the forefront of the transformation of airport dining. Winning an industry award such as Best Food & Beverage Brand Operator demonstrates the effectiveness of the company’s continued strategy of building lasting relationships with leading national, regional, and local brands.

Johnson reflected on the year since the last ARN Conference saying, “it is clear that the industry continues to steadily improve in overall quality and service. With each passing year, the competitive landscape, along with HMSHost’s passion for improving airport dining by offering excellent restaurant concepts with great food and customer service has created dining experiences for travelers that are historically incomparable. We enjoy winning but remain focused on continuing to surpass the desires of our customers and working to stay a step ahead of the competition.”

The customer service award for HMSHost comes on the heels of the company’s Total Customer Care guest experience program. With a focus on elevating customer service, this internal program’s aim is to use an advanced training structure to elevate the knowledge of customer-facing associates on topics such as menus, the culinary influence behind each dish, beer & wine knowledge, a highly structured sequence of service and how high-performance service is achieved. By giving associates these tools, the standard of guest experience at HMSHost restaurants has been elevated.

Regarding the Airport Charitable Impact award, HMSHost has been donating food to local food banks since 1992, and in 2014 more than 1.8 million food items were donated from 63 airport operations across the country. The food donation program supports the three pillars of the HMSHost’s startsomewhere® sustainability initiative, which are the environment, nutrition and wellness, and community partnerships.

HMSHost’s partners were also recognized for their contributions to airport concessions, including Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport, CMS Hospitality, Indianapolis International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, San Diego International Airport, and San Francisco International airport. In addition, HMSHost’s longtime partner Starbucks was recognized as Best Franchisor.

The ARN Conference & Exhibition is a forum for the leaders of the airport and concessionaire industries to learn about and discuss the latest trends and strategies in the industry. This is the 11th year for the Conference and in addition to the awards gala, the ARN Conference & Exhibition features various exhibits, speeches, and opportunities for the largest gathering of airport decision makers and concession executives to interact.