Chili’s To Go completes IAH international terminal dining program

Aug 25, 2026

New pre-security concept restores hot food and bar service to Terminal E International Arrivals Hall for first time in more than a decade.

HOUSTON — Chili’s To Go opened Sunday, Aug. 23, in the Terminal E International Arrivals Hall at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), restoring hot meals and bar service to the pre-security space for the first time in more than a decade.

Operated by SSP America, the 924-square-foot concept includes an on-site kitchen and bar in a compact format designed for the pace of an airport arrivals hall. Its location near Starbucks beneath the Oculus makes it accessible to arriving passengers, airport employees and the families and friends waiting to welcome travelers home. Because it is pre-security, no boarding pass is required.

Chili’s To Go joins Starbucks, which opened in June, in restoring the food, coffee and convenience options expected in a world-class international gateway. Together, the concepts give passengers and visitors a place to pause, eat and reconnect before leaving the airport.

The opening completes a four-year food and beverage rollout tied to the $1.458 billion IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program. In 2022, Houston City Council approved a 10-year revenue agreement with SSP America to develop and operate 16 food and beverage locations across the Mickey Leland International Terminal and International Central Processor for Terminal E.

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The program was designed to expand variety for international travelers, create opportunities for local operators and combine Houston originals with trusted national brands.

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Across the expanded Terminal D and modernized Terminal E, the program introduced or reintroduced concepts including The Kitchen, The Annie Café & Bar, Urban Crave, Velvet Taco, Jamba Juice, Chick-fil-A, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Starbucks and a full-service Chili’s that opened beyond security this spring. Chili’s To Go is the 16th and final food and beverage location under the agreement.

The opening comes as IAH serves record international demand. The airport welcomed 12.4 million international passengers in 2025, and roughly 35,000 international travelers now move through Terminal E each day. In 2026, passengers ranked IAH among the world’s top 10 airports for dining in the Skytrax World Airport Awards.

Travelers and visitors can find Chili’s To Go on the arrivals level of Terminal E, pre-security, near Starbucks and beneath the Oculus.