United Airways is closing its secret restaurant at Newark Airport (EWR), and it’s most likely excellent news for premium clients, as flagged by Sean Cudahy.
The fundamentals of Categorized Restaurant Newark Airport
For some background, in 2017, United Airways opened Categorized Restaurant at Newark Airport. The idea of an airline working any invitation-only restaurant would possibly sound a bit unusual, and to be trustworthy, it type of is. Right here’s how United described the restaurant when it opened:
We’re happy to welcome you to dine at CLASSIFIED, an invitation-only, up to date restaurant at Newark Airport.
The creators of CLASSIFIED have created a vivid and ethereal eating house that’s hidden away for these fortunate sufficient to get an invite. On the chopping fringe of airport eating, CLASSIFIED presents a menu that’s impressed by upscale American delicacies with seasonal elements and tableside service. We’re providing reservations to pick out United clients solely, and we need to ensure you’re on the prime of the record. Reserve a desk at present to expertise this distinctive, new restaurant that’s the primary of its sort.
The restaurant is positioned airside, and it’s hidden behind one other restaurant. The one technique to dine right here is in case you obtain an invite, and invites are issued by United (typically to excessive worth clients, whether or not based mostly on elite standing or the category of service you’re flying).
To be clear, this isn’t some reward from United, the place you obtain all of the meals and drinks free of charge. Fairly on the contrary, eating right here comes with a hefty price ticket.
It certain is a novel idea, given that almost all excessive worth clients most likely don’t spend that rather more time on the airport than they must, to not point out that they most likely have lounge entry. Anyway, the restaurant is about to close its doorways, so let’s get to the replace…
Categorized Restaurant closing for Polaris Lounge growth
As of Wednesday, October 30, 2024, Categorized Restaurant might be closing. The restaurant is adjoining to the United Polaris Lounge Newark, so the house of the restaurant will as an alternative be used to increase United’s most premium lounge on the airport.
As a United spokesperson explains, “United is increasing its Newark Polaris Lounge into the Categorized house, including a big eating space and making different enhancements to the shopper expertise.” Extra particulars are anticipated to be shared nearer to the opening date, round early 2025.
The plan is for this house so as to add about 60 seats to the Polaris Lounge, bringing the entire capability to round 500 seats. What’s particularly superior is that this will proceed to function as a eating room, that means that maybe company will be capable to take pleasure in a la carte eating right here (besides at no further price, fairly than with a hefty price ticket).
Personally I’d think about this to be a constructive change, particularly given how crowded the Polaris Lounge can get throughout peak hours. This isn’t the one Polaris Lounge that United is increasing, because the Polaris Lounge Chicago can also be present process an growth, and can enhance in dimension by over 50%.
Backside line
United Airways’ Categorized Restaurant Newark Airport might be closing on Wednesday, October 30, 2024. Since that is adjoining to the Polaris Lounge, the house will as an alternative be used to create a further eating space within the lounge, with round 60 further seats.
I’d think about this to be an ideal growth, since an costly airport steakhouse will as an alternative flip right into a eating space that’s included with Polaris tickets.
What do you make of Categorized Newark closing, and the Polaris Lounge growth?
