Passengers at Newark Liberty International Airport can now place orders for food, drinks, and travel essentials in advance using the United app, with their items ready at the gate on certain flights departing from or connecting through any of the nine designated gates in Terminal C.
On 2 September 2026, United began the test service.
Customers receive a pre-departure push notification through the United app or by email, allowing them to choose from a range of options such as sandwiches, salads, drinks, kids’ meals, chips and candy, as well as travel essentials like selected over-the-counter medicine, travel pillows, and charging cords.
Orders are placed on a specific pickup shelf at the gate so they can be eaten there or taken on board.
The pilot covers gates C125 to C138 in Terminal C, providing service for both domestic and international flights on both narrowbody and widebody aircraft, and United is collaborating with OTG to prepare and deliver the meals, which are obtained from the participating airport restaurants Nonna’s Kitchen and Victory Grill.
“We focus on where the travel experience can be simpler for customers and innovating to remove friction along the way. The time right before boarding is one of those moments when customers want quick, easy access to food without added complexity,” said David Kinzelman, United’s Chief Customer Officer. “Newark is a high-volume connecting hub where customers often have limited time between arriving at the gate and boarding, making it an ideal place to pilot this type of service.”
In 2026, United will extend the trial to Houston by including national restaurant chains and will allow customers to choose to have food delivered directly to the gate. During the trial, the airline will collect customer feedback to assess interest and inform any future expansion to other airports.
If the service expands further, United plans to integrate ordering into its seatback inflight entertainment screens.
Photos: United
Nik founded Inflight Feed in 2012, blending his passion for inflight dining with over a decade of experience in the airline industry. For the past 13 years, he has travelled the world, exploring and reviewing airline meals across countless carriers.
CNN Travel, The New York Times, and BBC World News have featured Nik’s expertise. When he’s not on the ground, you’ll find him at 35,000 feet, camera in hand, capturing the unique flavours of air travel. Follow his inflight meal adventures on Instagram: @InflightFeed.