The American Airport Where Restaurants Aren't Allowed To Overcharge You

When it comes to selecting a restaurant, few environments are more daunting than an airport. It's crowded, options are limited, and there's always the underlying stress regarding timing. If there's a moment to consider the hack of ordering fast food in advance, this is it. Yet then strikes the final blow: The frequently inflated prices. Suddenly, your go-to chain order doesn't sound quite so comforting.

Although it's easy to feel down about the toll dining takes on your wallet before you take to the skies, not all airports are created equal. At Portland International Airport — abbreviated PDX — restaurants aren't allowed to overcharge you altogether. As part of a recent revamp, management guarantees that restaurant menu prices are the same as those at non-airport locations. To top it off, the airport's restaurant lineup also features predominantly Portland-owned and operated businesses.

This kind of airport oversight isn't rare, with several transit hubs regulating restaurant prices. However, many take the typical cost of a food or service in the area, and simply cap the markup. After all, airports do come with extra hindrances, such as compact operating areas, extra security, pricey real estate, and complicated food resupply, which warrant further costs. This makes PDX's restaurant market redesign an even more impressive feat, so we recommend making full use of it when flying through the City of Roses.

Even if you have only 24 hours to eat in Portland, Oregon, you'll quickly pick up on the city's independent and creative dining scene. The powers that be at PDX understand the unique charm of Portland's culinary landscape, hence the efforts to represent it within the airport itself. As a result, it should come as no surprise that PDX's incredible selection of local businesses has garnered numerous awards and extensive press coverage.

Both before and after security, you'll find an array of dazzling culinary experiences. You can grab a caffeine fix at the famed Stumptown Coffee Roasters, try one of the city's signature doughnuts, or dive into handmade pasta, fresh rice bowls, tasty sandwiches, authentic Vietnamese dishes, and more. There are also drinking options abound, from hip wine bars to fresh taps from the respected likes of Deschutes Brewery, and even a speakeasy.

With such a concentrated array of the city's best options, it's no surprise that a stop-off at the airport is often incorporated into local travel guides. And with the prices remaining more respectable than most airports, there's plenty of reason to enjoy a bite or a quick tipple before or after your flight. So, if you're ever debating bringing your own fast food through airport security, rest assured, it's unnecessary — you'll definitely find a tasty bite around PDX.