PHOTO VIA ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
One of Orlando International Airport’s most recognizable dining fixtures is shutting down at the end of the year. Chili’s Grill & Bar, the longtime location in the airport’s main atrium that sits at the top of the escalator affectionately nicknamed the “stairway to heaven,” will permanently close on December 31, 2025, according to a statement shared by Orlando International Airport on social media.
The closure has drawn a wave of online reaction, largely because the restaurant became an unlikely travel tradition for frequent flyers and a running internet reference point. Because, escalator.
Airport officials have linked the closure to broader changes coming to the concessions program at MCO. Reporting cited by multiple outlets indicates the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority is in the middle of a larger concessions overhaul that will bring dozens of new retail and dining options to the airport, with construction expected to begin in 2026.
The airport has not yet announced what will replace Chili’s in that specific space. But we’re betting they paid top dollar for the honor (here’s hoping it’s not a Chick-fil-A, even though that’d be funny).
Check out our friend Chirag Kabrawala (Instagram) and his epic cheese pull on the infamous escalator below during his farewell visit this past Sunday.
