One of the last airport Max & Erma’s sits landside at DAY
This Max & Erma’s sits before security in the Main Terminal, and regulars use it more as a meeting spot with family than a quick pre-boarding bite. It’s full-service, mid-priced ($$), and rated about a 4.0 overall, basically the same suburban chain you remember, just in a smaller footprint with fewer menu pages.
Being landside means you can eat here even if you’re driving someone to a flight, then head home without clearing TSA. Several locals mention planning a sit-down meal and a beer here, then walking to the airline check-in counters in under 5 minutes. If you’re actually flying, build in 45 minutes from sit-down to paid check before you think about the security line.
Menu highlights that still feel “classic” include the garbage burger and the tortilla soup, both called out by multiple reviewers as the safest orders on a trimmed-down airport menu. Prices land in “airport Chili’s” territory: burgers in the low-to-mid $ teens, draft beer a few bucks more than downtown Dayton. Portions run standard Max & Erma’s, not the shrunken bar-snack style you see in some terminals.
Watch out for slow service. Several reviews quote ticket times of around 25 minutes for a burger and fries, even when the dining room looks half empty. Staff often cover too many tables, and that’s where the “overcooked or lukewarm” burger complaints start. A few flyers also report the bar closing earlier than the posted evening hours if traffic dries up after the last bank of departures.
Regulars keep it simple: burgers and beer only, skip the more elaborate entrées, and don’t order if boarding starts inside 30 minutes. Practical move: check your gate and boarding time on your phone at the host stand, and if you’re under that 45‑minute buffer, slide to security and grab something quick past the checkpoint instead.