You can go on a culinary journey right in here in Manchester… Manchester Airport that is. A recent study has investigated which airport is best to grab a bite to eat so you don’t have to, and low and behold Manchester Airport came out on top as the best airport for food in the UK.
According to data carried out by luggage storage brand Radical Storage, the North West’s aviation hub is the place to go when it comes to getting fed. Manchester Airport beat off competition from the likes of London Stansted, London Luton, Heathrow and Edinburgh to be crowned the best airport for food in the UK.
With 30 eateries to choose from and also having the UK’s widest variety for vegans and vegetarians (26 options), this contributed to Manchester Airport gaining the top spot. Manchester Airport was also ranked in third place globally of the airports analysed for their vegan options available.
Other factors taken into consideration in the study were average review scores, gluten-free options and average food prices. Manchester Airport’s eateries rated an average of 3.3 out of 5 stars and an average main meal or food item was found to cost £9.15, with nine gluten-free options available at present.
However, the average meal at London Stansted costs travellers £6.70 but on the higher scale it was Edinburgh Airport where travellers were paying the most for their food with an average meal costing £14.10. As for the average star rating for airport eateries it was London City Airport who came out on top with a rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, despite only having five eateries in total.
The win for Manchester Airport could mainly be due to the recent expansion of Manchester’s Terminal 2, which re-opened in 2021 with a range of new facilities, including many new places to eat. It now includes eateries such as Wagamama, Archie’s, Barburitto, Barton Arcade’s popular brunch spot Pot Kettle Black and San Carlo, to name a few.
According to the data, the world’s best airport for food is Incheon International Airport in Seoul, South Korea, with a whopping 270 places to eat, and an average cost of $8.18 per meal, despite no gluten-free options and only three vegan or vegetarian options available.