Prices here sit around CHF 18–25 for mains at Restaurant Cockpit in T1, and that tells you the vibe: classic small-airport restaurant, not a quick snack bar. It sits landside near check‑in for St. Gallen–Altenrhein’s T1, so you can eat here even if you’re picking someone up or flying out later in the day.
Opening hours track the flight schedule, roughly 07:00 until early evening on busy days, so don’t count on a late‑night meal after the last People’s Airline departure. The menu leans Swiss and central European: schnitzel, daily pasta, simple salads, and usually a soup of the day around CHF 8–10. Portions run generous by airport standards, so one main can easily carry you through a Zurich or Vienna hop.
Drinks skew standard: draft beer, a couple of local Swiss wines by the glass, and espresso drinks from the bar. Expect to pay around CHF 5 for a coffee and CHF 6–8 for beer. There’s usually at least one non‑alcoholic option beyond soda, like Rivella or fruit juice, which is useful if you’re traveling with kids or driving away from ACH after meeting a flight.
Service pace matches the small terminal’s traffic: on days with only one or two flights, a sit‑down meal can take 45–60 minutes from order to bill, especially for cooked dishes like schnitzel or pasta. If your ACH–Vienna or ACH–Zurich flight boards from gate nuomate in T1, keep an eye on the departures board; there’s no long walk, but boarding often starts 25–30 minutes before departure.
Tip: if you’re tight on time and still want something here, ask at the bar for a coffee and a pastry or small snack to go; it’s usually faster than ordering from the full Restaurant Cockpit menu and still keeps you close to check‑in in T1.