HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The Grille at Runways, an airport-side restaurant located inside Rider Jet Center at Hagerstown Regional Airport, is reporting continued momentum after receiving several regional awards and expanding its lineup of community-focused dining events. The restaurant, which opened in 2014, recently earned recognition, including the Tri-State 2025 Community Choice Award for Best All-Around Restaurant in Washington County and the 2025 Hub City Hot List award for Best Place for a Romantic Meal, according to an announcement from Rider Jet Center.
The restaurant operates inside Rider Jet Center, a full-service fixed base operator (FBO) that serves civilian and military aviation clients at the airport.
Awards highlight restaurant’s growing local recognition
The Grille at Runways has collected multiple honors over the past year tied to customer experience and hospitality.
Among them, the Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce named Rider Jet Center the overall winner of the 2026 At Your Service Awards, citing customer service at the restaurant as a contributing factor.
Industry publications have also recognized the facility. Defense and Aerospace Review Magazine named Rider Jet Center Best in FBO Service in 2025, noting the restaurant as a notable attraction for pilots traveling through the region.
The concept was originally envisioned by Rider Jet Center founder David Rider, who wanted a runway-adjacent dining experience where pilots and aviation enthusiasts could gather for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant later became The Grille at Runways under the management of local restaurateur Dick Roulette.
Dining events and new menu experiences
The restaurant has expanded its event programming in recent months to attract both aviation visitors and residents.
Manager Heather Hiser said weekly and monthly themed dining events are helping build community engagement.
Among the most popular:
- “Girl Dinner” nights every Tuesday, featuring menu specials designed for group dining
- Monthly “Date Night” dinners, where couples receive appetizers, entrées, and desserts for $75 per couple
The first date night event, held on March 4, filled the dining room with guests, according to restaurant leadership.
The restaurant has also introduced new beverage offerings, including the Jonny Paul Lightning Cocktail, created with melon-flavored liquor and citrus notes. The drink was introduced to honor Jonny Barr and Paul Crampton for 15 years of supporting Hangarfest, an annual aviation event benefiting Breast Cancer Awareness, Inc.
Private label spirits add a unique offering
Unlike many airport restaurants, The Grille at Runways also produces its own private label spirits, including:
- Runways Rye
- Runways Gin
- Runways Vodka
- Runways Rum
Working with a local distillery, the restaurant developed the spirits and unveiled them during launch events held at the venue.
Because the restaurant holds a Tavern License, it can also sell bottled spirits directly to guests.
Additional events hosted at the restaurant have included the August 2025 unveiling of Smavy the Snallygaster, a mascot created by South Mountain Aviation. The event included specialty cocktails and branded merchandise for attendees.
Why it matters
Airport-based restaurants have increasingly become part of regional tourism and community engagement strategies, especially at smaller regional airports.
Rather than serving only travelers, venues like The Grille at Runways aim to attract local diners through themed events, distinctive experiences, and aviation-themed settings. Runway-view restaurants in particular can create destination-style dining that blends entertainment with hospitality.
For fixed base operators, adding a popular restaurant can also improve customer experience for pilots, aviation crews, and visiting passengers, helping transform airports into broader hospitality hubs rather than purely transportation infrastructure.
Editor’s note: Source86 perspective
For food operators and hospitality brands, the success of The Grille at Runways highlights a growing trend in the restaurant and CPG industries: experience-driven dining paired with unique product offerings, such as private-label spirits and signature cocktails.
Private label beverage programs, themed dining events, and localized storytelling are becoming important ways for restaurants to differentiate themselves in competitive markets.
At Source86, we support food and beverage brands with ingredient sourcing, private label development, co-manufacturing partnerships, and supply chain transparency. As more operators explore signature menu items and branded beverage programs, having reliable sourcing and R&D support becomes critical for scaling those concepts successfully. Let’s talk.
FAQs
The Grille at Runways is a runway-side restaurant located inside Rider Jet Center at Hagerstown Regional Airport in Maryland. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner while offering views of airport runway activity.
The restaurant recently won the 2025 Tri-State Community Choice Award for Best All-Around Restaurant and the 2025 Hub City Hot List award for Best Place for a Romantic Meal.
Yes. The restaurant offers private label spirits, including Runways Rye, Gin, Vodka, and Rum, produced in partnership with a local distillery.
External source: The Grille at Runways Celebrates Record Success and Recognition in Hagerstown
