PHX Perspective

A Tasty and Convenient Alternative at the Rental Car Center

Have you ever arrived at an airport, picked up your rental car and then headed toward your destination only to have to stop to get snacks, drinks or other items? Well, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport offers a valuable service at its Rental Car Center, a Fresh Gourmet to Go store. There, people can purchase a variety of sandwiches, salads and entrees as well as drinks, ice cream and some sundry items before heading out to their destination.

“Having food available is a very good thing,” said Sky Harbor Business Development Manager Paula Kucharz. “People want to get items before heading out. Fresh items are also available that people can take with them to warm up in their rooms which provide a tastier dinner or lunch than fast food. Fresh meals to go are especially handy for people who are working and don’t want to go out.”

Food items include freshly prepared gourmet sandwiches such as roast beef with sharp cheddar, lettuce and horseradish on 9 grain bread or a mozzarella fresca sandwich with mozzarella, roma tomato, lettuce, basil pesto on foccacia bread. For those individuals who prefer salads, there is a shaved chicken Caesar salad, an Asian salad and colorful fruit salads as well as pasta salads. There are also several gourmet wraps available such as the chicken blue cheese wrap with field greens, tomatoes, walnuts, cranberries and blue cheese dressing, and a chicken Caesar wrap with romaine, fresh parmesan chunks, Caesar dressing and croutons. Yes, the croutons are actually in the wrap! Additionally, there are a variety of juices, sodas, chips and baked goods available for purchase. Want something refreshing and fruity? Why not try a strawberry mango smoothie? Feeling the urge for chocolate? The chocolate chip brownies are big enough to share.

And, if you want to purchase items to take back to your hotel room to heat up, there are several entrees available as well as canned soups, individual servings of cereal, milk and candy bars. Concerned about keeping the fresh items cool until you get to your destination? Don’t be. Fresh Gourmet to Go sells coolers with ice for $6.

Items change often based on demand and are prepared at the Fresh Gourmet in nearby central Phoenix and brought to the Rental Car Center several times a day. Prices are on par with other Airport eateries. So next time you are picking up or returning your rental car at Sky Harbor, why not try out Fresh Gourmet to Go? All food items are packaged so that you can take them on the plane or to your destination.