> in many cases there are many restaurants/stores in an airport
If you lift the peel off, many times they're still operated by the one contractor that has a contract for the whole airport. Even restaurants that typically don't franchise will still run operations under a franchise arrangement in airports. E.g. The Starbucks employees at an airport will be employed by HMS Host (a common airport food concession contractor).
Another captive element is alcohol. Many places only allow licensed establishments to sell it (ie: bars/restaurants), so no competition from the convenience store type concessions. And may be forbidden to consume alcohol outside licensed establishments so can't just buy a beer if convenience stores were legally allowed to sell it so they don't.
(Can recall good times at Amsterdam Schiphol where you could buy a beer for a not-too-insane markup from the convenience store and consume wherever, while in Philadelphia, you were paying like $10+ for one to consume wherever, ugh).
If you lift the peel off, many times they're still operated by the one contractor that has a contract for the whole airport. Even restaurants that typically don't franchise will still run operations under a franchise arrangement in airports. E.g. The Starbucks employees at an airport will be employed by HMS Host (a common airport food concession contractor).
Another captive element is alcohol. Many places only allow licensed establishments to sell it (ie: bars/restaurants), so no competition from the convenience store type concessions. And may be forbidden to consume alcohol outside licensed establishments so can't just buy a beer if convenience stores were legally allowed to sell it so they don't.
(Can recall good times at Amsterdam Schiphol where you could buy a beer for a not-too-insane markup from the convenience store and consume wherever, while in Philadelphia, you were paying like $10+ for one to consume wherever, ugh).