Why Pappasitos, Pappas Bar-BQ and Pappadaux may soon leave Hobby Airport

The battle over which company wins the lucrative food delivery contract at Hobby Airport flared up on Thursday, and it’s getting dirty!

HOUSTON – If you’ve been to Houston Hobby Airport, you’ve probably eaten at one of the restaurants owned by the Pappas family. Pappasito’s, Pappadeaux, Pappas Bar-BQ and Pappas Burgers are always packed with travelers filling up on fuel before they catch their flight.

“And those who drive by are kind of getting a taste of what Texas is like,” one passenger told us Thursday.

“When people come in and see Pappas, they know they’re in Houston, and people see Pappasito, they know they’re in Houston,” said Robert Riedl, head of food and beverage at the airport.

But those delicious margaritas, Cajun seafood, and barbecues may soon be gone because the city of Houston is considering contracting another company to supply food at Hobby Airport.

The battle for a lucrative contract has turned into an all-out food battle in H-Town.

Pappas restaurants launched the #SaveOurPappas campaign, which includes a petition that had 11,000 signatures by Thursday afternoon.

The Houston-based company said it has created more than 400 jobs in Hobby and thousands more in restaurants across the city.

“As Houston natives with a passion for varied and delicious food, we are committed to continuing to serve travelers at Hobby,” the petition reads. “But the city wants to replace the local restaurants you know and love with a company that has no ties to our city and no success in the community.”

Pappas Restaurants CEO Chris Pappas spoke to the Houston City Council on Tuesday ahead of next week’s vote on the airport contract.

He said they spent more than three years working with the city of Houston on the proposal process and were often faced with last-minute cancellations, sudden changes in requirements and lack of communication.

Pappas also noted that their restaurants played a key role in making Hobby the first 5-star airport in North America in 2022, according to international rating agency Skytrax.

He said that when Skytrax visited Hobby, they ate at Pappas family restaurants.

Mayor Sylvester Turner defended the process.

“It’s a competitive buying process and we have a responsibility to follow the competitive buying process no matter what – and you know I love Pappadeaux,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

City Hall later issued a lengthy statement.

“We are concerned about flagrant misrepresentation by Pappas Restaurants, which suggests that if the city council approves the contract that received the highest score in the procurement process, there will be no local restaurants at Hobby Airport,” the statement said. “The contract being considered by City Council includes iconic local concepts and supports small businesses that have strong ties to Houston. Killen’s Barbeque, The Spot, SpindleTap Brewery, Throughgood Coffee, and Clutch City Coffee are among the offerings for various and interesting local culinary options. it will also celebrate Houston’s mouth-watering and signature flavors.”

(Scroll down to read the full statement.)

A separate 10-year deal signed in January with Houston-based LaTrelle’s Galley will bring Common Bond Bistro and Bakery, Velvet Taco, Pinks Pizza and Dish Society to Hobby.

City Hall’s full statement

“We are disappointed to learn of the inaccuracies and misinformation being spread by the restaurant group Pappas.

The City of Houston does not evict any concessionaire from the William P. Hobby Airport. A competitive contract with the Four Families in 2002 is expiring, so the Houston City Council is currently considering a potential 10-year food and beverage concession contract at Hobby Airport. Four Families is a joint venture between Pappas Restaurants, LaTrelle’s Management, Grover Jackson/GP Capital America LLC.

Four Families have operated at Hobby Airport for the past two decades as a result of contracting through the same rigorous and meticulous competitive procurement process. Earlier this week, Mayor Turner echoed City Council members’ view that Four Families and Pappas Restaurants were an excellent concession partner and member of the community. The competitive purchasing process does not measure the quality of an individual, but rather the rate of return earned by the City of Houston and the quality of service provided to passengers. The rate of return does not match the projected sales volume. The proposed winner offered a significantly higher rate of return and implemented the local concepts demanded by Houston airports through this procurement process. The City of Houston is required by law to make a decision based on the results of a procurement process, not a popularity contest. The process was followed and the purchase introduced a major competitor to the city council. We sincerely object to Pappas questioning the integrity of the same procurement process that has brought them great success at our airport over the past two decades.

The integrity of the procurement process allows the city council to make decisions based on established standards rather than public opinion.

While we cannot speak to the specifics of the procurement process until the City Council votes, we can confirm that the procurement process was competitive. We understand why Hobby Airport is the first and only 5-star airport in North America. As an innovator in the aviation industry, Hobby Airport is committed to reimagining and enhancing the airport experience for all guests.

We are concerned about a flagrant misrepresentation by Pappas Restaurants which suggests that if the city council approves the contract that received the highest score in the procurement process, there will be no local restaurants at Hobby Airport.

The contract being considered by the city council includes iconic local concepts and supports small businesses with strong ties to Houston. Killen’s Barbeque, The Spot, SpindleTap Brewery, Throughgood Coffee, and Clutch City Coffee are among the diverse and fun local culinary offerings that also highlight Houston’s mouth-watering and signature flavors. An eclectic mix of award-winning and well-known local favorites and trusted national brands will reinforce the sense of place at the airport.

Simply put, Hobby Airport will remain local if the city council approves the contract ahead of them.

Earlier this year, the Houston City Council awarded a 10-year food and beverage contract to LaTrelle’s Management, which is currently working with Four Families to manage concessions at Hobby Airport. By November 2024, LaTrelle’s will deliver Common Bond Bakery, Velvet Taco, The Rustic, Dish Society, Pinks Pizza and Fat Cat Creamery to Hobby Airport.

Unfortunately, inaccuracies spread quickly because Four Families has hired a lobbyist to run a smear campaign that calls into question the integrity of the process. After 20 years of signing concession contracts by the City of Houston, we hoped the Four Families would respect the competitive procurement process.”

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