Philly airport strives to add more local brands, like Federal Donuts and Oyster House, ahead of busy 2026

Philadelphia International Airport is making moves to boost its local flair — adding more restaurants and businesses from the area to its terminals ahead of an influx of travelers that are expected for the city's jam-packed 2026, which includes America's 250th birthday festivities and World Cup games.

Federal Donuts & Chicken and Oyster House are slated to arrive at the airport in the spring as part of the "Founded in Philly" project by MarketPlace PHL — which manages the airport's more than 170 shops, restaurants and services.

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"Philadelphia is a very loud and proud city, and we absolutely believe there's a lot of reason for it to be," said Ashley Vesay, MarketPlace PHL's leasing manager. "(We're) really honing in on that sense of place for travelers, whether they are coming to Philadelphia regularly and they live here ... or whether it's their first introduction to Philadelphia — the airport's that first and the last impression that they get."

When it comes to bringing new businesses to the airport, Vesay said the MarketPlace PHL team places an emphasis on adding local brands and takes a look at which eateries and shops are driving the Philly market. Each business that wants to come to the airport must go through a leasing process that includes "open outreach" —  which provides a platform for any interested companies to propose a business to bring to a space in the airport, which is what operator Jackmont Hospitality did to bring in Federal Donuts and Oyster House.

The upcoming airport location will be Federal Donuts' 12th store and first to be in an airport. The Philly-based company was founded by James Beard Award-winning restaurateurs Chef Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook in 2011. For Oyster House, a Center City restaurant that's been serving seafood for more than 40 years, this will be its first satellite location.

The two restaurants will join a variety of other local businesses at the airport, including recent additions like brunch spot Sabrina's Cafe and Elixr Coffee Roasters. And there are apparently more Philly brands on the way.

"Definitely stay tuned early next year for a lot of really exciting announcements," said Dana Krawchuk, marketing and guest experience manager for MarketPlace PHL. "We're going to continue to push that emphasis on 'Founded in Philly' in the food, beverage and retail space."

'2026 is absolutely the priority'

With major sports events and celebrations on the schedule, 2026 will be one of the busiest years for Philly in recent memory. In March 2026, the Wells Fargo Center will host the first and second rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Then in May, the PGA Championship will be held at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square. That summer, there will be six World Cup matches, the MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, and America will mark its 250th birthday, the semiquincentennial. And in December, "Rocky" will turn 50. 

With these events, many people from around the world are expected in and out of Philadelphia throughout the year. With the airport as their gateway, officials are working to ensure it highlights what the city has to offer.

"We want to celebrate what makes the Philadelphia region unique as we are proudly connecting Philadelphia with the world," said Heather Redfern, public affairs manager for the Philly airport. "Our local merchants have been extremely popular concessions, so we are definitely looking to expand their presence as we prepare for 2026."

And the local offerings are not limited to food, drink and retail options. 

"When we're looking at these spaces, it's working with these tenants to also bring local art or local flavors in any component within their space as well, so beyond just food and beverage," Vesay said. "So we're thinking through every possible place that a local element can be implemented."

The Philly airport already showcases more than 20 galleries of local artwork, and there is more planned ahead of 2026. Redfern said some of the new exhibitions will include a permanent wall/ceiling mural in the Terminal A arrivals corridor featuring Philly landmarks; student work from Discovery Charter School based on the Declaration of Independence in Baggage Claim A; 250 photographs of Philly displayed in Terminal F, taken by past and present students of Fleisher Art Memorial; and cases between Terminals C and D documenting the history of Philadelphia Union coinciding with the World Cup matches.

Other ways the airport is preparing for 2026 include new parking offerings, including online economy lot booking and valet parking. The airport is also launching a new customer service program, which Redfern said will "engage all employees at PHL to provide exceptional guest experiences." Plus, the airport is looking to recruit more people for its existing volunteer program, which consists of local residents who welcome passengers from around the world and provide travelers with assistance throughout the terminals.

While the airport team is working to augment the Philly aura in time for the many high-profile events, they hope to continue to bring in the city's brands long after 2026. 

"I would say 2026 is absolutely the priority — top of mind. We want all eyes on Philadelphia in a good way," Vesay said. "But it's a long-term strategy that's been in the works for quite some time and will be in the works through 2026 and then beyond. ... It's something that we want to make sure is a long, ongoing marketing and merchandising strategy with PHL."