In 2025, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) set new records for food and beverage sales, with over 1.7 million tacos sold throughout the year. This number surpassed expectations and highlighted the popularity of local cuisine among travelers.
Barbecue was also in high demand, as passengers consumed nearly 94,249 pounds of brisket during the year. According to a marketing representative at AUS, “that’s practically seven elephants’ worth of brisket if that helps you picture it.”
Local bars within the airport such as Hippies & Hops, The Saxon Pub, and The Salt Lick BBQ contributed to the sale of more than 469,956 beers and 91,320 glasses of wine. The Beerdrop alone served 26,585 beers and 9,111 glasses of wine.
Healthier options were also popular among travelers. JuiceLand prepared 216,903 smoothies and 10,641 juices while Jugo made another 52,162 smoothies and 20,500 juices. Berry Austin served up more than 32,000 acai bowls. In total, these businesses provided over 300,000 fresh drinks during the year.
At the same time, comfort food remained a staple for many visitors. At 24 Diner alone staff cracked more than 86,000 eggs and flipped over 26,000 burgers while serving almost 28,000 beers.
Souvenirs reflecting Austin’s unique culture were also in demand: “Travelers embraced Austin’s weirdness like sports fans rep their teams during playoffs—but in our case, the players are musicians.” Sales included over 17,400 units of Keep Austin Weird merchandise and thousands of Music Water bottles and guitar picks.
The airport credits its ongoing expansion program—Journey With AUS—with supporting both travelers’ needs and opportunities for small local businesses to reach a global audience. “Through our expansion and development program… we’re committed not only to giving travelers a true taste of the city we love but also to creating more opportunities for small local businesses to leave their mark on travelers from around the world.”
Austin’s municipal government oversees operations at AUS as part of its $5.9 billion budget (https://www.austintexas.gov/department/austin-city-managers-office) with support from more than 16,000 employees (https://www.austintexas.gov/department/austin-city-managers-office). City policies emphasize diversity and inclusion (https://www.austintexas.gov/department/vision-and-values), community pride (https://www.austintexas.gov/department/vision-and-values), sustainability (https://www.austintexas.gov/department/vision-and-values), preservation of historic sites such as Oakwood Cemetery and Zilker Botanical Garden (https://www.austintexas.gov/page/historic-austin-parks), and have earned high ratings compared to other large cities (https://www.austintexas.gov/department/vision-and-values).
Travelers interested in updates about concessions or business opportunities at AUS can subscribe to newsletters or join dedicated email lists through official channels.
