JAX Airport's New Concourse B Food Hall Is Hiring: Chick-fil-A and Panda Express Jobs Posted

JACKSONVILLE, FL — The new Concourse B at Jacksonville International Airport is still a few months from its first departure, but its food hall is already hiring. HMSHost, which already runs nearly a dozen restaurants at the airport, has Chick-fil-A and Panda Express jobs posted at JAX right now, from cooks to general managers, ahead of a concourse opening that airport officials are targeting for late January.

Six new gates, a new food hall, and a hiring head start for anyone on the Northside who wants a steady airport paycheck in 2027.

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Business	Oak & Ocean Food Hall and other Concourse B restaurants
Opening	Late January 2027 target; ribbon-cutting planned Jan. 27
Address	Jacksonville International Airport, 2400 Yankee Clipper Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32218
Size	Food hall of nearly 5,500 square feet
Concept	Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, V Pizza and Willie Jewell's Old School Bar-B-Q
Operator	HMSHost (Avolta), on a 15-year contract
Industry	Airport food and beverage
New jobs	Chick-fil-A and Panda Express postings live now; no total headcount announced

What's Opening in JAX Concourse B

Concourse B is the airport's third concourse: six gates on three levels, with American Airlines moving into most of them. The food hall, branded Oak & Ocean, mixes national names with First Coast favorites. According to HMSHost's announcement of the contract, it will hold the airport's first Chick-fil-A, plus V Pizza and Willie Jewell's Old School Bar-B-Q, with Panda Express opening a little later.

HMSHost also plans a Cantina Louie and a second Starbucks in the concourse. Separately, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority board approved two more restaurants in February, run by Paradies Lagardère: Salt & Tide, a full-service seafood spot, and a Pura Bean Coffee Co., the Jacksonville roaster founded in 1997.

The timing has moved. Early plans pointed to December 2026; in October, airport officials told Jacksonville Today they're aiming for late January, with a ribbon-cutting set for Jan. 27. No restaurant has published its own opening date.

💼 The Jobs Posted Right Now

On HMSHost's JAX careers page, the Chick-fil-A openings are leadership roles for now: a general manager, an assistant general manager, and a shift manager posted at $18.99 to $23.21 an hour. Panda Express has a general manager, a shift manager at $17.92 to $21.90 an hour, and a wok cook at $18.50 an hour.

Managers usually get hired first so they can build the crew under them, and front-line openings tend to follow closer to launch. If you want a cashier or crew spot, get your resume ready and check back often. Nobody has announced how many people the food hall will employ.

Salt & Tide, Pura Bean, Cantina Louie, V Pizza and Willie Jewell's had no Concourse B postings we could confirm. Watch for them.

⚠️ Read This Before You Apply: The Airport Badge

Every airport job comes with an extra step that a mall food court doesn't have. Under the Jacksonville Aviation Authority's badging rules, anyone working on airport property has to be screened first. That means a fingerprint-based FBI background check and a TSA threat assessment, plus about an hour of security training for anyone who will work in secure areas. Your employer sponsors the badge, and it has to be renewed every year.

The practical takeaway: start early. Badging adds days to the time between a job offer and your first shift, and that line gets long right before a new concourse opens. If something in your background might come up, ask the recruiter about it at the start of the process. And since JAX sits off I-95 on the Northside, it's an easy commute from Oceanway, Highlands and the River City Marketplace area, but shifts start early and run late, so ask about employee parking too.

🔎 Search Airport Food Service Jobs Now

Concourse B Jobs: FAQ

When does Concourse B open at Jacksonville International Airport?

Airport officials are targeting late January 2027, with a ribbon-cutting planned for Jan. 27. The date has already moved once, from December, so treat it as a target.

What do the airport restaurant jobs pay?

Posted ranges include $18.50 an hour for a Panda Express wok cook and $17.92 to $23.21 an hour for shift managers. Front-line pay hasn't been posted yet.

Do I need a background check to work at JAX?

Yes. Every airport worker is screened before starting, with a fingerprint-based FBI check and a TSA threat assessment. Your employer sponsors the badge.

Is there a hiring event for Concourse B?

Not yet. No job fair has been announced. Apply online through the employer's careers page, and we'll cover any hiring event if one is scheduled.

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