At first glance, it seems simple: Win a restaurant location at the world's busiest airport, and you're set for life.

ajc.com

Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

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Credit: Kelly Yamanouchi

The reality isn't nearly as straightforward. From TSA knife restrictions to long hours covering the first flights before dawn until the last departures late in the evening, there are many rules of the road that restaurateurs don't encounter with street locations.

But for companies with the wherewithal and the experience, what makes it worth the effort is the opportunity for double the revenues of a comparable restaurant in the city.

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A line of passengers waits at the Frontier Airlines ticketing counter at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (Ben Hendren for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Hendren

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