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The TWA Hotel's Food Court Was Shut Down Over Health Violations

May 25, 2019
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2 min read
20190516_TWA Hotel Opening_BDorsey-19
The TWA Hotel's Food Court Was Shut Down Over Health Violations
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After a first few days marred by teething problems, the newly-opened TWA Hotel at New York's JFK airport has just encountered another issue. The hotel's food court, inspired by New York's street-food vendors, was recently ordered to shut down after the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene discovered numerous violations related to food prep and storage.

After a two-day closure, the food court reopened on Friday, the Queens Patch reported.

According to the Department, the food court racked up five violations including storing hot food at below 140 degrees, serving food from unknown or unapproved sources, a lack of facilities to wash or sanitize equipment and utensils, a lack of protection for food storage, and improperly constructed surfaces. That resulted in 73 violation points in a recent inspection, as the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene site showed on Saturday. (Lower scores are better; above 28 points, the department shutters an establishment.)

The food court is located in the Hughes Wing of the TWA Hotel, to the left in the image below, shot overlooking the entrance. Listed on the hotel's website as "Departures Hall Dining", the food court is located on the side of the historic terminal opposite of the front desk. It serves fare from local New York City restaurants and vendors.

Photo by Alberto Riva/The Points Guy

Notable tenants at the food court include The Halal Guys, Empanada Republic, Antico Noé, and Fresh & Co.

The TWA Hotel was one of the most anticipated new hotel openings of 2019. It officially opened on May 15th, and while the soft open clearly showed that several aspects of the hotel were not ready, the hotel currently holds a 4.3 out of 5 on Google Reviews and 3 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor -- indicating generally favorable reviews.

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For more on the TWA Hotel, read our account of the hotel's first night of operations and check out a video tour of the hotel, which promises to become a major attraction for aviation enthusiasts once its initial problems are fixed.

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at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.