4 Rivers and the New Starbucks at MCO Gates 1-29: What Travelers Should Know

Two of the most noticeable changes at MCO's Gates 1-29 are now open: a new 4 Rivers Southern Smokehouse and a significantly larger Starbucks.

The 4 Rivers location is more than a counter

The airport version includes an express market, hot-food ordering area, grab-and-go items, televisions, bar seating and a full-looking beverage setup. Visually, it feels much closer to a real restaurant than a basic airport kiosk.

That matters because 4 Rivers is a Central Florida brand. MCO's official concession plan specifically calls out local restaurants as part of its attempt to make the airport feel more representative of Orlando rather than generic.

The new Starbucks is a real size upgrade

The new Starbucks has a broad counter and noticeably more space around the ordering area. For a busy airport concourse, that is the kind of upgrade that may matter more day-to-day than a flashy new concept.

The old Starbucks was still open across the way when we visited, which makes the current setup a little confusing—but also gives travelers extra coffee capacity while construction continues.

So is Gates 1-29 finished? No.

On the Border and Hudson were still there, and construction was still active near Hudson News. This is best viewed as a live transition rather than a completed renovation.

THE VERDICT

The new 4 Rivers makes the concourse more interesting; the larger Starbucks makes it more functional. Together they are a meaningful improvement, but the bigger story is still unfolding. MCO's official plan says concession openings will continue in phases through late 2028, so this area should keep evolving.

We will update this post when more of the Gates 1-29 construction opens—and once we actually eat at the airport 4 Rivers, we will give it a proper Worth It food review instead of pretending a walk-through tells us how the food tastes.