Pappas on fight to keep eateries at Hobby: 'It is not apples to apples … It's an apple and an orange'

The Houston City Council elected to revisit an item on Wednesday that could end a local popular restaurant group’s time at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) at a future meeting, per reports from Houston-based media outlets. 

Pappas Restaurants is nearing the conclusion of its lengthy agreement with city hall but faces the likelihood it may have to shutter its establishments at Houston’s smaller major airport.

Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported that Pappas wants to continue serving travelers at Hobby though the city has fielded bids from other eateries and has received a higher bid from Areas JV, which is based in Miami. 

According to Houston NBC affiliate KPRC, incumbent mayor pro-tem Dave Martin said that under the city’s current bid system, should the agreement be awarded to Pappas, the city’s enterprise fund would hemorrhage $25 million over a decade.

Christina Pappas argued during a public comment session on Tuesday that their contract and what’s up for vote “are not made the same way,” KTRK and KPRC reported. 

“It is not apples to apples … It's an apple and an orange," Pappas, whose LinkedIn profile says she’s the company’s marketing director, told Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. 

KPRC reported that Pappas requested the city to be more open about the bidding process.

Pappas currently operates four establishments at HOU, including Pappas Bar-B-Q in the pre-security area. 

Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported that the restaurant group launched a social media campaign called #SaveOurPappas and initiated a petition that has received over 40,000 signatures as of Tuesday. 

Per KHOU, a key assertion from Pappas as to why it should stay at Hobby is its role in helping the facility earn international rating agency Skytrax’s first five-star rating for a North American airport last year.