While generally considered some of the best domestic airline lounges, Amex’s Centurion Lounges have been victims of their own success since the first location opened as Las Vegas’s McCarran (now Harry Reid) Airport in 2013. With Amex’s lax underwriting standards, it seems anyone and their dog can get approved for the bank’s Platinum Card, and their lounges in the US have suffered from overcrowding and long waits for entry in some cases. New restrictions on guest privileges added in 2023 didn’t really seem to help all that much. Meanwhile, with the rising food costs across America, Amex has diluted the quality of their food at US lounges, ranging from “mid” to totally inedible.
Well, it does seem Amex has made an improvement, and it’s one I’ve not seen in a lounge before. I decided to pay a visit to the Centurion Lounge at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), and the cheerful agent manning the desk let me know they’ve added an ice cream cart, serving fresh-churned ice cream in the lounge. Sure enough, just past the entrance was a cart decked out in Amex’s signature blue branding, equipped with some devices to churn ice cream fresh right before your eyes, as well as a range of toppings from chocolate chips to coconut (though you aren’t allowed to touch them yourself for health & safety reasons, you can ask for whatever you want and an attendant will add your toppings).
The cinnamon vanilla ice cream was extremely tasty, and its freshness was evident. The attendant let me know they’ve been doing this in the DFW lounge since earlier this month, but he wasn’t aware on if other locations were following suit or if this was unique to DFW (nor would I necessarily expect him to know, as he was likely a contractor from the likes of Sodexo or HMSHost). Of course, just like everything else inside the Centurion Lounge, there is no additional charge for the ice cream.
Fresh food made in front of you in-lounge isn’t a new concept, but this is the first time I’ve seen ice cream offered in this manner. In 2023, American Airlines added guacamole carts to select Admirals Club lounges, which have been a big hit with passengers. It’s perhaps no surprise another lounge network is trying to put their own unique spin on the idea.
