Ryan F.
Yelp
Had a late lunch at Taylor Gourmet while waiting for my plane at Reagan National Airport. I just ordered the Federal Sandwich and a soda.
Quality
I did not have a lot of time before my flight, so I opted to visited Taylor Gourmet for a quick sandwich. I went with an Italian-style sandwich called Federal. With genoa salami, hot capicola, Italian cured ham, and pepperoni as the meats, fresh mozzarella as a cheese, and tomato, red onion, basil, olive oil, and zesty tomato vinaigrette to top it off, the inside of the sandwich was pretty decent. They give a few choices for bread and I went with the Italian white bread. The bread was without question the worst part of the sandwich. It was extremely stale. Even soaked in the tasty vinaigrette, the bread was extremely tough to eat. But in the end it is a stand in the airport so gourmet food should not be expected, even if it is in the name.
Quantity
The sandwich I ordered was a good size. While the ratio was definitely off, it came with decent amount of meat and cheese. In a pinch it could fill you up.
Value
I ended up paying around $11 for my sandwich and a soda. I was not overly impressed with my food, but for close to the same price as Subway, it is a better choice.
Ambiance
Taylor Gourmet is located in Terminal B/C of Reagan National Airport outside Washington D.C.. For an airport take-out setup, the shop looks very sleek. I was immediately drawn to it because of the modern and fresh appearance. After ordering at the register you walk down the line watching as your cold sandwich is constructed. They have a grill in the back if you order a hot sub. Even with just a few people the line gets congested and the exit point is not arranged great.
Crowd
There are a couple options in this area of the airport, but frankly I chose this spot because the line was the shortest. As an airport restaurant, there will always be a constant stream of travelers making there way past. And unlike some of the sit down restaurant neighbors, this place is set up for grab and go. Yet offering little more than what could be grabbed at the news stand fridges, this place does not seem to have garnered much of a following.
Service
After ordering at the register, I watched as a women went down the line putting together my sandwich. As she was doing so I asked if she could add a little more of the zesty tomato vinaigrette, which earned me a dirty look. I understand that the shop is not set up to be a pick as you go location, but I felt my request was simple enough to accommodate. She begrudgingly squirted on a little more, but it was very clear that customer relations was not of much concern.
Parking
This location of Taylor Gourmet is located within the airport past security. So you will need a plane ticket to visit, and if you have that hopefully you also figured out your car situation.
Extra
Taylor Gourmet may work if you have limited time before your flight, but I would suggest checking out other nearby options if you have more time. The bread just ruined the otherwise decent sandwich for me. While better than fast food, it isn't by much.