United Airlines is breathing new life for its seven-year-old Arctic cocktail party (EWR) at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and has opened a dedicated restaurant.
The Chicago-based airline took off the packaging in a 1,500-square-foot space Wednesday and officially opened to the public on Friday, June 20, perfectly scheduled at the start of a summer travel rave.
The entrance to the dining room is located around the corner near the lounge bar, while the granite-lined entrance should be easily found when walking in the lounge.
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Zach Griff/The Points Guy
There is a master stand outside the dining room, where you will be going if you want to sit and eat.
With 60 seats, hopefully most of the day shouldn’t wait too much unless it’s possible before the bank departs in the afternoon and evening.
The good news is that United will provide existing dining space for travelers looking to bite from the buffet, which should hopefully help relieve some of the crowding during the busiest times.
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Zach Griff/The Points Guy
The restaurant has many different seating options.
Lined on the windows, you’ll find a bunch of solo tables for individual travelers, complete with C2 and C3 Piers C2 and stunning aerial views of Skyline, NYC.
You will find the rest of the seats around the rest of the lounge. Interestingly, all the rest of the tables are in two top configurations, but can be moved together to accommodate a family or a large group to travel together.
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I love the design of the restaurant – it feels more modern than other lounges, although it still blends seamlessly into the space.
The use of matte mirrors helps promote a spacious feel, while the golden wall lamps and fixtures add some warmth to the dining room.
One thing that the restaurant is missing is the cutlery and dinner service from Crate & Barrel. This is Manchester United’s debut in a part of Chicago’s refurbished Polaris Lounge, and while the airline is still considering expanding its partner beyond Chicago, Newark Restaurants (and all other Polaris Lounge restaurants) offer non-branded service parts.
Another amenities in the restaurant are power outlets and USB charging ports. Manchester United explained that this is partly due to the design, because it does not want the restaurant to become a workstation. There are a handful of power outlets throughout the space that can charge your phone or laptop, but don’t expect to find one in each seat.
The restaurant took over the former Pennsylvania space that was only invited by the restaurant, which now holds in Manchester United’s hands, rather than the now-baked operator OTG, which could be even more.
All foods you consume in the restaurant can be served by waiters. There is a breakfast and all-day dining menu, and the transition between the two will take place at 11 a.m.
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Zach Griff/The Points Guy
The airline has a slightly refreshed menu as part of the opening ceremony, which includes a vegan signature burger with impossible pies and chunks of crab cakes.
While sitting in the restaurant, you can also order drinks from cocktails, beer and wine lists.
You won’t give you a check at the end of the meal, and although you certainly won’t give a prompt, it’s worth noting that if you feel like you like the service, the waiter will be allowed to accept the prompt. (Technically, the prompt is called a “gift” to the waiter because there is no check provided, nor is there a prompt.)
Once the restaurant opens, the Newark Polaris Lounge will span 30,000 square feet, making it the second only class in the United Network after commercial (after San Francisco).
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Zach Griff/The Points Guy
In addition to the dining area, Manchester United has refreshed furniture and added more electrical outlets and seats in the Newark space.
It will certainly be appreciated when United keeps increasing long-haul flights in Newark, making Terminal C one of the busiest international portals in the New York City area. In total, the airline offers a business-grade experience at Polaris, which can be used on flights at 40 destinations in Newark, including the recently launched service to Palermo, Italy; Bilbao, Spain; Faro, Portugal and more.
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Zach Griff/The Points Guy
“Newark offers plenty of travel opportunities for business class travelers and we are excited to provide them with space to eat before or after a long flight. We have been investing in our club and lounge portfolio in Newark for years, the first hub of our new design and amenities.”
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