A passenger paid $19.64 for what was advertised as avocado toast at Chattanooga Airport. What arrived was one barely toasted slice of bread, a smear of green avocado spread, and a lonely strip of bacon. I am shocked by how nasty this looks…and of course the price.

$19.64 For This Sad Slice Of Airport Avocado Toast?

Airport food is expensive. We all know that.

But there is expensive, and then there is charging nearly $20 for something that looks like it was assembled by my six-year-old daughter…when she was two years old.

A traveler at Chattanooga Airport ordered what was described as toasted sprouted bread with avocado, extra virgin olive oil, bacon, and crushed red pepper.

Here is what she received:

I see one slice of bread that does not appear particularly toasted, a thin layer of green spread, and one strip of bacon. There is no visible crushed red pepper, no apparent olive oil, and certainly no presentation suggesting that anyone in the kitchen cared.

And apparently it didn’t taste any better than it looked.

How Did This Cost $19.64?

The current online menu for Tailwind at Chattanooga Airport reportedly lists one slice of avocado toast for $6.99 or two slices for $11.49, with bacon adding $2.

That still does not explain a total of $19.64…maybe coffee as well?

Maybe there were taxes, surcharges, a tip, or something else included. But even at the lower listed price, this is a pathetic product.

We know that airport food costs more. Airport restaurants face higher construction costs, expensive rent, restricted deliveries, limited storage, employee security requirements, and greater difficulty hiring workers who must park remotely and pass through airport screening just to begin a shift.

Those are legitimate costs. But they do not excuse serving garbage!

Captive Customers, Limited Accountability

Airport restaurants also operate in a peculiar environment. Customers are often rushed, hungry, and trapped beyond security. They cannot simply walk across the street to another restaurant.

Concession contracts may last for years, and the operator often faces less pressure than a neighborhood restaurant that must earn repeat business from local customers.

That is how we end up with food like this.

High prices may be unavoidable at airports, bu poor quality is not. A restaurant charging nearly $20 for avocado toast (or even half that) should at least toast the bread, use real avocado, include the advertised ingredients, and provide more than one sad strip of bacon. Here is how s how avocado toast should look:

CONCLUSION

I am generally willing to pay an airport premium for food when traveling because I know that rent, labor, logistics, and security all cost more inside a terminal.

But this is indefensible.

If I received this after paying $19.64, I would send it back and ask for a refund. Airport pricing may be inflated, but passengers should still expect something resembling the menu description.

This does not resemble avocado toast…

H/T: View From The Wing

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