Shake Shack and Dunkin' open in JFK Terminal 5 as JetBlue's $100 million refresh rolls on

Shake Shack has opened in JetBlue's home terminal at New York JFK. The burger chain sits in the Center Node of Terminal 5, and a new Dunkin' has opened there too. SSP America runs both. It announced the openings in late September but did not give exact opening days.

The two are the latest pieces of what the partners call the T5 Refresh. It is a $100 million project from JetBlue, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Fraport USA, which manages shops and restaurants in the terminal. When it is done, it will add more than 40 new concessions and "customer experiences," SSP America said in its release. Those include shops, restaurants, shared spaces and art inspired by New York City and its boroughs.

What's open now

Shake Shack serves its usual menu: Angus beef burgers made to order, crispy chicken, crinkle-cut fries, hand-spun shakes and house-made lemonade. SSP America runs it under a license from Shake Shack. The chain began as a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park and now has more than 705 locations.

JetBlue says travelers have been asking for it. "Shake Shack has been one of the most requested concessions for Terminal 5," said Stephanie Evans Greene, JetBlue's senior vice president of marketing and brand. George Mboya, chief executive of SSP America, said Shake Shack "is New York to its core."

Dunkin' is in the same part of the terminal. It sells hot and iced coffee, espresso drinks, tea, frozen drinks, sandwiches, donuts and baked goods. Jose Cuevas, a vice president at Fraport New York, said it "builds on a brand our customers already know and love."

Neither release gives opening hours for the two spots.

What the T5 Refresh still has to deliver

The partners first laid out the plan in a March 2025 announcement. That release named more than 18 local food and drink brands. Among them were Eataly, The Halal Guys, Jacob's Pickles, Nom Wah, Devoción, Birch Coffee, Leon's Bagels and DiFara Pizza. Shake Shack was on that list too, so its arrival is a promise kept.

The 2025 plan also called for a center concourse themed on New York's parks. It would have greenery, park benches and concrete chess tables. A space for pop-ups and live shows was planned, along with more than 30 works by New York artists.

At the time, the partners said the work would finish by the end of 2026. This fall's releases do not repeat that date. They also do not say how many of the 40-plus openings are already done. We don't know which brand opens next.

The refresh has room to help. Lounge Frog users rate Terminal 5 just 2.7 out of 5 overall. Dining scores 3, while shopping and seating each score 2.

The lounge in Terminal 5

Terminal 5 has one lounge in our directory: JetBlue's own BlueHouse. It opened in December 2025 and sits airside across from Gate 526, over two floors. It is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Our users rate it 4.6 out of 5. It seats about 150, has two showers and a craft cocktail bar.

Who gets in has changed this year. Since Aug. 27, anyone departing on a Mint or Mint Flex fare gets in free, even on domestic routes. Mosaic 4 members and JetBlue Premier cardholders also get free entry. The new, cheaper Mint Base fare does not include it. We covered the change in our story on the BlueHouse in Boston.

Others can pay when there is space. Our listing shows day passes from $59 to $79 for Mosaic 1 to 3 members and JetBlue Plus and Business cardholders. Guests cost $39. You need a same-day JetBlue boarding pass, and Blue Basic fares are not eligible.

If you don't qualify, T5 has no Priority Pass or card lounge in our data. The new Shake Shack and Dunkin' are now among your better places to wait.

JetBlue's lounge map at JFK may grow. The airline is expected to move to the new Terminal 6, which will connect to Terminal 5. JetBlue has not said whether there will be a lounge there. Terminal 6 has also run later than first planned, as we noted in our story on JFK's New Terminal One.

What we don't know

The releases do not give opening hours, exact opening dates or prices. They do not say when the full refresh will be done, or whether the end-of-2026 goal still stands. They do not mention any new seating or lounge space as part of the $100 million. See every lounge we track on our JFK airport page.