Oklahoma City Starts Wiley Post Airport Restaurant Design
The Oklahoma City Airport Trust is planning to renovate the closed restaurant space at the local reliever airport.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Dining Out
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The Oklahoma City Airport Trust has initiated design work for the renovation of the dining area and kitchen at Wiley Post Airport. The project aims to address ongoing interest from local residents and airport users following the closure of the previous restaurant.
Why it matters
The restaurant space, previously known as Annie Okie's Runway Cafe, has remained vacant since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trust officials are moving forward with design plans to eventually reopen the dining facility for the airport community.
The airport facility originally opened in 1959 as part of a new terminal construction. The location has remained shuttered since its closure during the 2020 pandemic.
The players
Oklahoma City Airport Trust
This entity is responsible for the management and oversight of aviation facilities located in the city.
Wiley Post Airport
This airport serves as a reliever facility for the primary commercial air travel hub in the region.
The details
The renovation project encompasses the kitchen and dining area of the former Annie Okie's Runway Cafe. The Oklahoma City Airport Trust is currently evaluating the site's potential to restore food services at this critical reliever airport for OKC Will Rogers International Airport.
Timeline
The original airport was built in the late 1920s.
Wiley Post and Will Rogers passed away in a 1935 plane crash.
The restaurant opened within the new terminal in 1959.
The facility was officially renamed Wiley Post Airport in 1961.
The previous restaurant ceased operations in 2020 at the start of the pandemic.
Culture Shift
This move mirrors the broader post-pandemic trend of re-evaluating and restoring public amenities that were sidelined during the height of health restrictions. The effort reflects a push to normalize airport operations by replacing services lost during the 2020 pandemic.
Residents and pilots using the reliever airport may soon see a return of on-site dining options, providing a convenient amenity that has been unavailable for years. The design work is the first step toward reclaiming this space for the public and airport patrons.
The takeaway
Restoring airport dining spaces helps support the daily logistical needs of local pilots and aviation personnel. This project signals that long-term infrastructure improvements are continuing to address community needs after pandemic-era closures.
Further reading
For more news on the local culinary landscape, visit the Oklahoma City Dining Out section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Oklahoman.
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