EAT. fought off intense competition to win a bid for its ambitious new concept store following an average of 5 bids per outlet and over 300 bids in total.
The new 4,200 square foot store, being built with an investment of £1m, has been designed to put the loved and renowned EAT. menu centre-stage to an international audience. It will be a unique store in the EAT. estate, where the experience has been tailored to ensure that a diverse customer audience will meet with welcoming service, a relaxing environment and great food.
At the heart of the store design is the kitchen, where customers can see the hot food menu being prepared and served. The market place entrance also offers the broad selection of cold food, such as sandwiches and salads, in addition to the freshly baked patisserie and cookies that will be served straight from the kitchen oven.
The space has been zoned, to ensure areas for people with different needs, such as individual travellers, groups and families either in a hurry, or with time to sit down and relax. The latest digital technology has been used to enhance and support the food experience, through elements such as self-service tills, multilingual information points and digital menu boards that change according to the menu for the day, time of day or season. Wrap around screens have also been installed in some of the booths, to transport customers in those spaces to different places, seasons and events from the comfort of their seats whilst enjoying their food.
Adrian Johnson, EAT. Chief Executive, said:
‘We are very excited to bring to our Terminal 2 store a concept that we see being the vision for the future of good food-to-go. In developing new ideas, we worked closely with the team at Heathrow to ensure that our service and food offer would set a new standard, both within transit and the food market place. We are confident that first time visitors, repeat customers and Heathrow staff alike will find the same great EAT. menu they expect in a store that is exciting and different to anything they’ve seen before.’
Muriel Zingraff-Shariff, Heathrow’s retail director said:
‘EAT.’s popularity with passengers at Heathrow already shows that their menu resonates strongly with our international customers. Terminal 2 will be their largest outlet so far, offering freshly prepared meals together with digital touchpoints designed to help make the most of busy passenger's time.’
Notes to editors
EAT.
EAT. was launched from one shop in Villiers Street, London over 16 years ago. A passion for fresh, great quality food and innovative products has seen EAT. grow to over 100 stores around London and the UK’s biggest cities and airport terminals. EAT. already operate 2 successful stores in Heathrow Terminals 3 and 5.
EAT. employs over 1,600 people and recently won two major awards as Best Employer Brand (at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and The Grocer’s Advertising, Marketing and PR Awards). It was also named Best Coffee/Sandwich Shop in the 2012 Midas Awards and EAT.’s Cappuccino was named the best in the UK by the Good Housekeeping Institute in 2012.
Heathrow
In 2012, Heathrow challenged retailers to respond to six key directions including multi-channel experiences, customised services and an emphasis on mobile interaction on in order to win a contract at Terminal 2
Each unit at Terminal 2 received an average of five proposals, surpassing the tender process for Terminal 5
Terminal 2 will have 67 outlets in total including shops, bars and restaurants
Heathrow has been named ‘Best Airport for Shopping’ four times in a row at the Skytrax World Airport Awards, independently voted for by passengers (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013)
Terminal 2 : The Queen’s Terminal, phase 1 is a £2.5bn development:
The terminal will eventually serve 20 million passengers a year and be home to 23 Star Alliance airlines, as well as Aer Lingus, Virgin Atlantic Little Red and germanwings carriers.
An average of 55,000 passengers will arrive and depart from the Terminal daily once in full operation
Despite being built in the centre of the world’s busiest international airport, the construction project has not disrupted daily operations. The project is one of the largest privately funded construction projects in the UK and will have supported 35,000 jobs across the country by the time it opens.
The old Terminal 2 opened in 1955, shut after 54 years of service in 2009.
