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Hungry at the airport? That'll be $20 for a burger, please. If you want to make it a meal, the price will only get steeper, and you'll often end up paying double what the same fast-food combo would've cost you outside. But how is that possible—and why is airport food so expensive? Well, there's an easy answer to that question. For one, they've got a captive audience: Us.

But modern airports have changed dramatically from what they were like decades ago. As reported by Business Insider, airports have gradually built themselves up, from being dingy and tram-station-like to becoming luxurious, full-blown malls. The reason for shifting to this business concept? Again, easy: airports want to make more money, and a constant traffic of hungry, bored, and tired passengers means they'll get exactly what they want.

High Rent Prices

The high costs that businesses inside airports throw at you aren't just arbitrary. To even reserve a booth at the airport, the rent will come with a hefty price tag. The more popular and busier an airport is, the more expensive it'll be to get a coveted spot. This rate also rises steadily every year, and over time, the numbers start to add up.

It isn't just the cost of getting the space to operate, though. Businesses also need to cover higher delivery fees, steeper wholesale prices, and special staffing costs, including parking, security badges, and training. Plus, because airports can control the number of vendors, they can ensure that there's less competition. And because of the lack of competitors, there's a lower chance you'll see fluctuating prices—especially those that fall on the cheaper end.

Captive Audience

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When you have a couple of hours to kill before flying out, what do you do? When you have a three-hour layover in an unknown city, how do you pass the time? Because passengers are, to put it bluntly, trapped in the same space before their flight, airports know that you have no other choice but to choose from the options you have on hand. Which means vendors can charge a burger for $20 or a beer for $30, and you'll still choke up the money for it.

Airports Need to Make Money

At the end of the day, airports are businesses, and they want to make money. And while you might think they generate enough profit from flight tickets and transportation costs, they also heavily (and evidently) rely on food, beverage, and retail sales to foot security, staffing, and maintenance bills. That comes at an inconvenience to you, but alas, passengers have no other choice but to take what they're offered.

Of course, it's not all doom and gloom. You don't have to pay these premium, exorbitant prices if you don't want to. Simply bring your own food and entertainment. You can't get a bottle of water (or any form of liquid surpassing 100ml) past security, obviously, but you can take a refillable flask with you to fill up at a foundation afterward. As long as you plan ahead and prepare properly, you don't have to fall victim to airport price gouging.