{"id":12566,"date":"2026-07-23T10:40:31","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T15:40:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/?p=12566"},"modified":"2026-07-23T12:21:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T17:21:34","slug":"faster-and-fresher-army-air-force-exchange-service-grows-express-restaurants-for-military-communities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2026\/07\/23\/faster-and-fresher-army-air-force-exchange-service-grows-express-restaurants-for-military-communities\/","title":{"rendered":"Faster and Fresher: Army & Air Force Exchange Service Grows Express Restaurants for Military Communities \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

DALLAS \u2013 <\/strong>The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is growing its Express restaurant portfolio, with more than 250 locations serving military communities worldwide.<\/p>\n

After opening nearly 25 Express restaurants in 2025 and more than 25 so far in 2026, the Exchange is planning about 40 additional openings this year. The Exchange\u2019s Express restaurants includes Chopz, Eddie Peppers, Hot Stuff Kitchen, Hunt Brothers Pizza, Paavos and Express Kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing Express restaurants is about making everyday life a little easier for service members and their families,\u201d said Chief Master Sgt. Rich Martinez, the Exchange\u2019s senior enlisted advisor. \u201cWhen a hot, high-quality meal or fresh grab-and-go option is just a short walk or drive from where military shoppers live and work, they have more time to rest, recharge and stay ready for whatever the mission requires next while maintaining nutritional readiness.\u201d<\/p>\n

The restaurant lineup emphasizes fresh, ready-to-eat and grab-and-go meals, making the Express a dependable stop for quick, quality meals on the installation.<\/p>\n

Express restaurants, like all Exchange restaurants, offer better-for-you options, alongside comforting favorites, giving military diners more ways to grab a meal that fits their needs. For even more convenience, all Chopz locations feature a dedicated cooler with additional grab-and-go options, such as sandwiches and salads.<\/p>\n

With more than 500 Express locations worldwide, the continued growth of Express restaurants reflects the organization\u2019s commitment to supporting the well-being and Quality of Life of service members and their families.<\/p>\n

To learn more about how the Exchange supports nutritional readiness, visit https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/Community\/exchange-restaurants<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Facebook-friendly version: <\/strong>@ShopMyExchange\u2019s Express restaurants are stepping up to serve those who serve. With more than 250 Express restaurants and counting, the Exchange brings quality grab-and-go meals even closer to where service members live, train and work. Read more: https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Q7PG-3gG<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service has gone where Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians and their families go to improve the quality of their lives by providing valued goods and services at exclusive military pricing. The Exchange is the 60th-largest retailer in the United States. 100% of Exchange earnings support military communities. In 2025, the Exchange generated $307 million for military Quality-of-Life programs. In the last 10 years, the Exchange has returned $2.4 billion to military communities. The Exchange is a nonappropriated fund entity of the Department of War and is directed by a Board of Directors. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our website at\u00a0http:\/\/www.shopmyexchange.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0follow us on X at\u00a0https:\/\/x.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a>.<\/u><\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

Media Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Zach Wright, 214-312-6300 or WrightZ@aafes.com.<\/p>\n

Follow the Exchange:<\/p>\n

Facebook:\u00a0 www.facebook.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n

Twitter:\u00a0 https:\/\/twitter.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n

Instagram: @shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DALLAS \u2013 The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is growing its Express restaurant portfolio, with more than 250 locations serving military communities worldwide. After opening nearly 25 Express restaurants in 2025 and more than 25 so far in 2026, the Exchange is planning about 40 additional openings this year. The Exchange\u2019s Express restaurants includes […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":12567,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[316,332],"tags":[160,174,61,585,107,381,580,767,745,766,387,76],"class_list":["post-12566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-be-fit","category-md","tag-aafes","tag-army-air-force-exchange-service","tag-be-fit","tag-be-fit-360","tag-exchange","tag-express","tag-food","tag-military-health","tag-military-readiness","tag-nutritional-readiness","tag-restaurants","tag-wellness"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2026\/07\/23\/faster-and-fresher-army-air-force-exchange-service-grows-express-restaurants-for-military-communities\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Faster and Fresher: Army & Air Force Exchange Service Grows Express Restaurants for Military Communities \u00a0","url":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2026\/07\/23\/faster-and-fresher-army-air-force-exchange-service-grows-express-restaurants-for-military-communities\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2026\/07\/23\/faster-and-fresher-army-air-force-exchange-service-grows-express-restaurants-for-military-communities\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/Express-Restaurants-Press-Release-Preview-Image.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/Express-Restaurants-Press-Release-Preview-Image.jpg"},"articleSection":"BE FIT","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Zach Wright"}],"creator":["Zach Wright"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Exchange Newsroom","logo":""},"keywords":["aafes","army & air force exchange service","be fit","be fit 360","exchange","express","food","military health","military readiness","nutritional readiness","restaurants","wellness"],"dateCreated":"2026-07-23T15:40:31Z","datePublished":"2026-07-23T15:40:31Z","dateModified":"2026-07-23T17:21:34Z"},"rendered":"