"The chef-slash-writer famously called Johnny Rockets "soul-destroying" and named American food at large as the "most outrageous" in the entire world. With respect to U.S. airport food, his tone was somewhat forgiving - but only when it came to one chain and one location in particular. "Shake Shack at Kennedy airport is the best," Bourdain shared in a 2013 interview with Esquire, "although airport food options in the States are usually really bad.""
"As of May 2025, JFK airport was home to three Shake Shack branches, located in Terminal 4 at gates B22 and B37, and in Terminal 8 near gate 10. In total, the airport is home to more than 80 food and beverage stands - quite necessary for feeding the just under 27 million travelers who flew in or out of JFK in 2022 alone."
Anthony Bourdain expressed strong opinions about food, praising some places while condemning others, calling Johnny Rockets "soul-destroying" and American food "most outrageous." He made an exception for airport offerings by naming the Shake Shack at JFK the best despite generally criticizing U.S. airport food. Shake Shack began as a Madison Square Park food cart and evolved into an NYC institution known for 100% Angus beef burgers and crinkle-cut fries. As of May 2025, JFK hosted three Shake Shack locations and over 80 food and beverage stands, serving nearly 27 million travelers in 2022.
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