Food delivery apps are the perfect solution when you don’t feel like cooking or going out to eat. And soon, you’ll have a similar alternative to settling for airplane food. One major airline is rolling out a pilot program at one of America’s busiest airports, offering the chance to have food from airport concessions delivered right to your gate before a flight. Let’s look at how this service works and where you can try it.

United’s New Food Delivery Service

Flying United Airlines out of Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey soon? Be sure to download the airline’s official app and turn on notifications. In early September, United launched a new food delivery service through its app. During the testing phase, it’s available at nine gates (C125 through C138) in Terminal C on select domestic and international flights.

Passengers flying on eligible flights departing from those gates will receive a push notification (or email) before departure, directing them to the food and drink options available for gate delivery. Keep in mind that not all flights are eligible yet, so if you don’t receive a notification, you’re out of luck.

For now, the service features three participating restaurants in EWR’s Terminal C: Nonna’s Kitchen & Bar (hearty Italian fare), Victory Grille (American pub-style food), and Cibo Express Gourmet Market (lighter fare and snacks). The app also allows you to order in-flight essentials, such as phone chargers, over-the-counter medicine, or neck pillows, if you need one of those items last-minute.

According to a United representative interviewed by Afar, all orders are subject to a “small service fee,” which hasn’t been publicly announced, though the airline is currently offering a 20% discount during this early pilot period. After you place an order in the app, the food will be delivered directly to the gate, where you can pick it up from a dedicated shelf. 

If the program proves successful with passengers, it may signal an end to the days of scouring the terminal for food to buy at the last minute — instead, you can simply order ahead at your convenience.

The Future of Airport Food Delivery

While this delivery service has been available for only a few weeks, United plans to roll it out at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, later this year. A continued rollout will depend on the success of these two early pilot programs.

In addition, United plans to expand the service beyond its mobile app by making it possible for travelers to order food delivery using their in-flight entertainment screens. The idea is that you can put in a food order before your flight arrives so a fresh meal is waiting for you right at the gate when you disembark.

Prefer to peruse the onboard menu instead? You may be surprised at the options lately. United now allows passengers traveling in economy class to preorder buy-on-board items such as pork mojo burritos, Chicago patty melts, hot honey chicken and waffle sandwiches, and a cinnamon apple waffle for breakfast. In October, the airline expanded its preorder program to flights over 900 miles across North America and the Caribbean, opening up this option to an additional 65,000 customers per day, according to United.

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