Temporary restaurants replace Pappas locations at Hobby Airport after food fight with city

Friday, May 12, 2023

Temporary restaurants replace Pappas locations at Hobby Airport

Workers wasted no time in replacing the signage for the now-empty locations. Hobby said Gastrohub is considered temporary until the new company installs its own restaurants.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Pappas Restaurants have officially been sent packing from Hobby Airport after a long food fight with the City of Houston.

New video from overnight shows workers already installing new signage for restaurants set to replace the Pappas locations.

PREVIOUS REPORT: Pappas must move out of Hobby Airport this week after 2nd request to postpone eviction denied

The legal team for Pappas amended their lawsuit against Houston and refiled it, claiming the city's procurement process was flawed, but a judge denied it for a second time.

The sign was already up for a restaurant called Gastrohub right outside security. However, Hobby said the location is considered temporary until a new company, Areas SAS, installs its own restaurants.

Pappas filed a lawsuit against the City of Houston after it lost its contract bid to Areas in early March, saying the bidding process wasn't fair. They hoped to postpone their eviction from the airport, but a judge denied the effort twice.

The City Council voted 11-6 in favor of awarding a 10-year airport concessions contract to the Miami-based company instead of Pappas.

This came after Areas offered a higher percentage of sales to the city at 22.2% compared to Pappas, which offered 15.2%.

"They need to start packing now." A judge denied the temporary restraining order the restaurant chain requested, so they have to be out of Hobby by May 11.

New restaurants coming to Hobby in place of the Pappas locations include Killen's barbecue, SpindleTap Brewery, Starbucks, and Yard House.

The new 10-year agreement is expected to generate up to $104 million in revenue for Houston Airports.

Areas said it plans to hire more than 200 people to staff 10 locations in the airport.

Will the popular Pappas restaurants stay, or will they get replaced by another group? Mayor Sylvester Turner and Christina Pappas went back and forth in a meeting.

Houston City Council votes against renewing Pappas restaurants' contract at Hobby Airport