As a frequent flyer, I’ve been pleasantly surprised lately by not just the improved quality of food sold at airports, but also by the retail design of the vendors selling it. Now that only ticketed passengers can get to the waiting areas, vendors there have captive audiences. It stands to reason that attractively designed eateries, convenience stores and gift shops are going to entice more travelers than their drab, cookie-cutter predecessors.

According to this article on Boston.com, going upscale in one terminal’s food court at Logan International Airport paid off handsomely for the Massachusetts Port Authority. It hired the retail design arm of retail shopping mall giant Westfield to handle the upgrade. Westfield got seven tenant restaurants “to splurge on expensive countertops and eye-catching architecture…to pique passengers’ curiosity so they’ll check out the concessions — and then stand in the checkout lines.”

The result? Even though passenger traffic is declining, concession sales are increasing at the terminal’s renovated food court. The warm, inviting colors and trendy design seem to help calm frenzied travelers. If they’re more relaxed, they’re more likely to spend money on food while killing time between flights.

The next time you’re in an airport waiting area, take a good look at the retail environment. Think about which storefronts and restaurants grab your attention. Then think about how you can apply their design principles to your own store. Interesting to think that waiting at the terminal gates can help your design imagination take flight.