Concessions International (CI), one of the leading concessionaires in the U.S., announced the opening of Taylor Gourmet Handcrafted Hoagies restaurant in Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport. The Philadelphia-style hoagie shop is located in Terminal B/C near gate 25. The airport sandwich shop is a joint venture between CI and MBC Concessions, an Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) partner. This will be CI and MBC’s sixth restaurant partnership.

Taylor Gourmet is owned by Philadelphia natives Casey Patten and David Mazza. The two friends, now living in Washington, D.C., craved the Philadelphia hoagies they grew up eating and wanted to bring the sandwiches to their adopted city. They opened their first Washington, D.C., area restaurant in 2008 and have since expanded to nine locations.

“A sandwich is one of the fastest and easiest items for busy travelers to eat while rushing through the airport, but finding a good one is not always so easy,” says Donata Russell Major, CI’s CEO. “Now Reagan Airport visitors can enjoy one of the best-tasting Philadelphia-style hoagies with fresh ingredients, in-house roasted meats and no preservatives.”

The Taylor Gourmet menu offers a range of Italian-cured deli meats; turkey, beef and pork roasted on-site daily; handmade meatballs; seasoned chicken cutlets; a selection of cheeses; white and wheat vegan hoagie rolls; gluten-free wraps; and fresh vegetables —all combined to create a gourmet sandwich. The restaurant also offers a selection of freshly prepared salads and famous sides, such as risotto balls, pasta and potato salad, and cole slaw.

“We have enjoyed growing the Taylor Gourmet brand throughout the D.C. area and are excited to introduce thousands of travelers to what a real Philly-style hoagie should taste like,” says Casey Patten, co-owner of Taylor’s Gourmet Handcrafted Hoagies. “We are confident that once the uninitiated taste our sandwiches, they will become fans and help spread the word that Taylor Gourmet is about great-tasting food using the freshest ingredients.”

The Reagan Taylor Gourmet is CI’s first 2015 opening and the fourth restaurant to open in a Washington, D.C., airport for the company. The concessionaire also plans to open a Chef Geoff’s location in Dulles International Airport this year.

Denise Lee Yohn: QSR's Marketing Guru, Fast Casual, Growth, News, Sandwiches, Taylor Gourmet