Death Of The Mall Food Court

Just remember, the cookie stand is not part of the food court. It's an autonomous unit for mid-mall snacking.

"Food Court" should be a show where restaurants get to confront their reviewers

The Mall Food Court, to me, used to be like finding an inn or a tavern in the middle of the night, during times when horse and buggies were still the fastest way to travel. It’s been raining all night, the coachman is soaked to the bone, the passengers are bored, all weary and tired. Much like how my family and I might feel after spending so much time walking around the mall, my parents feeling much like that coachman after dealing with my sister and I all day. But there! In the distance! What could it be?! Yes, it’s shelter! I mean, it’s the food court! That’ll pick our spirits back up! It shall revitalize us! Ohh, happy days are here!

I live in Tennessee, and the best teriyaki in town exists at a mall food court. They’ve been open since the early 2000’s and are basically always packed, and it’s been the same Japanese family the whole time. I’m fact, I’d almost be inclined to say that every other place that tries to open in the food court bombs terribly and goes out of business in a month, because every single person that goes through that damn food court gets teriyaki 😂

I worked in a mall food court for a few years. Great work experience for sure. This was back in the Nineties when the mall was still a hive of activity.

Malls and food courts are still a thing in many European countries because often malls are located in more central areas in the cities reachable also by public transport. So swarms of teenagers can enjoy some trash food without having to be chauffeured there

Most of the casinos here in Vegas are taking out their buffets and putting in food halls. Most of them have local establishments right next to the national chains.

back in the 80s, I used to go to the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, CA.. if the food court was a new Chinese Restaurant, called Panda Express. It was their first and only location. I always got Orange Chicken and Beef/Broccoli. It was my favorite lunch spot at the mall. Little did I know what they would turn into today....

You know what I miss about the mall? Getting the thing I wanted THAT DAY, in my hands, walking out the door with it. Instead of getting stolen off my porch.

I'm glad the mall near me is still quite busy pretty much all the time and I've never seen the food court not completely packed, even in the middle of the week. Also please credit Sal for the footage at 8:33.

in the late 80's I worked in a record store in a little, run-down mall (since torn down & replaced by a shopping strip). It wasn't big enough to have a food court, just four or five not very good food places scattered throughout it. But hearing the name Orange Julius always makes me think of it. Nobody who actually worked at that mall would eat at the OJ there because it was so filthy. There were even rumors that they re-used cups to save money. This one time the entire daytime staff was fired as a group because they had a big food-fight, driving the few customers they had out of the place. Finally the franchise dropped the location (or maybe they couldn't pay the fees, I don't know) and they struggled on for a few more months as "Orange Drinks and Burgers" using handwritten cardboard signs before going out of business.

watching this video is like watching a glimpse of a time long gone. I'm glad I grew up in the 90s and got experience this culture.

It really depends on the mall. I just got back from Tysons Corner and that food court is always jumping.

Please give Sal proper credit for his footage at 8:33. You seem to have incorrectly credited it to Business Insider. Also, unrelated, but you spelled "weird" wrong in the video tags.

Uhh, Quincy Market's "food hall" has been there for decades, literally. Been going to Boston on trips since 1998 and it was there. I lived in the area in 2013-2015 and it was there. Don't know where you got this thing about 2017.

quincy markets food hall in boston has been there since like the 90s. I live near boston and do remember going there for food then. It always had all the restaurants and what not. Well at least before 2017

Please credit @Sal for the footage at 8:33 You know its his you deleted his comments calling you out twice.

My local dying mall just put a bar in the middle of the food court that absolutely no one goes to. The only reason I go to the mall is for a particular shoe place and every time I walk through there I don’t see a single soul at the food court. Just elderly people walking around it in the winter to get their steps in.

At 8:35 that footage belongs to Sal, that’s his footage and he should be credited!

Would love to see you give some credit to @Sal for the footage shown at 8:34 he makes great content that should be recognized!