News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday 17 May  2001

CONTACT: Simon Chaitowitz, Communications Director
tel: 202-686-2210, ext. 309; simonc@pcrm.org

Doctors Rate Airports on Healthy Food Choices
San Francisco Flies High with Top Ratings; Detroit Grounded by Greasy Burgers

Washington, D.C.— Just in time for the summer travel season, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) has rated the ten busiest airports on the availability of healthy food choices. San Francisco International Airport landed the highest marks with 96 percent of all its restaurants offering low-fat, high-fiber, cholesterol-free meals. Detroit's airport scored the lowest with only 33 percent of its restaurants serving nutritious fare.

"Plane changes and layovers can be frustrating enough without being limited to mystery-meat chili dogs and greasy hamburgers," says PCRM dietitian Brie Turner-McGrievy, M.S., R.D. "Unfortunately, less than 60 percent of the airport restaurants we surveyed offer healthy, vegetarian meals. LAX, for example, is home to no fewer than four McDonald's and four Burger Kings, and Las Vegas is overrun with barbecue joints and sausage stands."

"The good news is that healthy food is everywhere if you just know where to look," says Ms. McGrievy. "And some restaurants are getting creative with delicious-sounding choices like portabello mushroom sandwiches and linguine with garlic and vegetables. Even in the worst airports, you can usually find a bean burrito or veggie burger."

PCRM's Airport Food Ratings 2001: Availability of Healthy Food Choices
The Ten Busiest Airports in the Country, from Best to Worst

PCRM's Airport Rating Guide is available free by calling PCRM Customer Service at 202-686-2210, ext. 306, or e-mailing AirportFood@pcrm.org.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, especially good nutrition, and higher standards in research. PCRM is comprised of 5,000 physicians and more than 100,000 laypersons.

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Airport Food Ratings 2001

Is it possible to grab a wholesome meal on the run?

To find out, PCRM rated the ten busiest airports in the United States for the availability of low-fat, high-fiber, cholesterol-free entrées. Only restaurants that served breakfast, lunch, or dinner entrées were included, so eateries such as yogurt and coffee shops were not surveyed.

Dietitians either interviewed the manager of each restaurant about the availability of healthy food choices or evaluated the restaurant's menus. If a restaurant offered at least one healthy entrée, it received one point. The points were then divided by the total number of restaurants in the airport in order to determine a percentage score. Below is a list of the airports in order from best to worst.

1. San Francisco International Airport: If there is an airport in which you might actually be happy to be delayed, it's the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). And since San Francisco ranks number four in the United States for most delayed departing and arriving flights, grabbing a meal at SFO might be a necessity. Never fear, though. Healthy and delicious food choices are abundant. In fact, 96 percent of all restaurants at the San Francisco International Airport offer a healthy, high-fiber, cholesterol-free entrée. Raving Wraps, Il Fornaio, North Beach Trattoria, and Ebisu all have good choices. Even the restaurants that don't sound so healthy, like the Burger Joint, offer healthy veggie burgers. Lori's Diner offers steamed garden vegetables, lightly seasoned, and served over rice and Linguine All' Arrabbiata, a pasta dish with tomatoes, green onions, and garlic. If you have time, swing by the new international terminal, which has the most gourmet choices.

2. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport: Sixty-six percent of the restaurants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport offer a healthy, low-fat, cholesterol-free entrée, dropping them far below the number one spot, but still earning them second place. Like many airports, this one surrounds weary travelers with hot dog and hamburger stands. There are some shining stars in the group, however. Try the vegetable platter at the Lake Line Restaurant and Pub. If you're in too much of a hurry for a sit-down meal, stick to the vegetable sandwiches offered at a few of the delis in the airport.

3. Chicago-O'Hare International Airport: You won't find too many choices here if you want to have a healthy meal, but with a rating of 64 percent, Chicago's O'Hare leaves the healthy traveler with a few good choices such as salads and vegetable sandwiches. Again, a 64-percent rating indicates that only that percentage of restaurants offer even a single healthy item. Chicago's airport also offers a healthy, non-food advantage as well. This airport has a fitness center for exercise-deprived travelers.

4. Denver International Airport: The Mile-High City provides a short stack of healthy dining options. With a score of 61 percent, you may want to avoid layovers in this airport or "exercise" your shopping muscles instead. If you do find yourself hungry and needing a meal in the Denver airport, try the Portabello Mushroom Sandwich at Lefty's Colorado Trails Bar and Grill or the vegetable sandwich offered at the Colorado Sports Bar, Creative Croissant, or the Marketplace Bar and Deli.

5. Los Angeles International Airport: For all its celebrity and famous passengers, LAX received a score of only 60 percent. Here you can grab a veggie sandwich to go from Rhino Chasers or get a pasta salad with a side of seasoned asparagus from the Proud Bird Restaurant. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of other not-so-healthy choices surrounding you, including four Burger King fast-food joints and four McDonald's.

6. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: The chefs at Phoenix's bustling international airport have one troubling downfall—the habit of dousing otherwise healthy foods with fatty cheeses. With a low score of 58 percent, you can still find a few choices that won't tax your arteries or fuel your jetlag even further. Try the veggie burger at the Left Seat Restaurant or the veggie wraps and fruit salads found here and there.

7. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport: Deep in the heart of Texas, you won't find many entrées that are actually good for your heart. Only half of the restaurants surveyed in the nation's fourth busiest airport offered at least one healthy entrée. If you're lucky, you'll stumble across a salad or a veggie burger. Try any of the five Frullati Cafés for a veggie sandwich on whole wheat bread and a fruit smoothie. You can also find a vegetable sandwich at one of the five Au Bon Pain, just hold the cheese and mayonnaise. Other good choices include a bean burrito without cheese from Taco Bell, a veggie sub from Subway, or a veggie burger from TGIFriday's. Of course, you may also do better to "rustle up some healthy grub" on your own before you get to the airport.

8. Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport: With a score of only 45 percent, you may feel guilty about the way you eat in Sin City. Surrounded by Vienna sausage stands, Harlon's Bar-B-Que, Burger Kings, and Pizza Huts, it may seem like a real gamble to find a healthy choice, but there are a few sure bets. Order a veggie burger at Cheer's, a vegetable sandwich from Prickly Pear Bar and Grille, or a bean burrito from Don Alejandro's Texan Grill or Taco Bell Express. Take it with you on the plane and make your seatmates jealous when all they get are peanuts. Las Vegas has an added bonus, too, because it has a gym inside the airport where travelers can get the blood flowing before they head off to the slots.

9. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport: Even though it's ranked as the nation's busiest airport, Atlanta doesn't seem to want to keep its travelers on course to lasting good health. In fact, Atlanta came in second to last with only 40 percent of its restaurants offering even one healthy entrée. Those that did have healthy entrées mainly offered just one, and often nothing more exotic than a garden salad. However, there are a few easy-to-carry items you can take on the plane with you. Seek out Great Wraps for a Giant Black Bean Burrito, Veggie Philly, or Veggie Wrap. Grab a Georgia Peach smoothie, too, so you can get a couple of fruit servings in the air. You can also go to the Atlanta Bread Company or Wall Street Deli for a veggie sandwich on whole wheat bread or Manchu Wok for a vegetable stir-fry. Just avoid the Burger King, Hot Dog, and Chic-fil-A, if healthy eating is a priority.

10. Detroit Metro Airport: It's hard to make a good decision when your only choices are bars, hot dog stands, greasy grills, Cinnabons, and Jody Maroni's Sausage Kingdom, so it's no wonder that Detroit came in dead last with a score of 33 percent. Stick with salads if you can find them, and hold the fatty dressing and toppings. If you're very lucky, your gate might be near the East Street Bar and Grill, which at least has a veggie burger, or a Taco Bell, where you can order a bean burrito. Just make sure to hold the cheese and sour cream!

Airport Food Ratings

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