Explain to me like I’m five: why do airports have restaurants outside of the security checkpoint? I.e., a Burger King right when you enter the airport but before you go through security. I would be too stressed about facing a long security line post-meal!
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I just wanted to supplement the other answers with some history that most airports were built before the TSA and crazy security theater existed. Airports were designed to be like shopping malls, and to take advantage of their captive audience and duty free status. Restaurants played a large part of that, and spaces with kitchens and utility hookups were designed in.
To your point about being stressed about getting through security, they didn’t tend to have crazy long lines (and shouldn’t, otherwise they make an even more vulnerable target than an airplane, outside the security cordon to boot). During peak travel times there were lines and slowdowns, but not quite as bad as these days.
Another consequence of the security cordon is that all personnel, food and equipment have to be screened, so managing a restaurant inside security is quite a bit harder. You may have noticed that frequently there are reduced menus from what you’d expect, and very, very few non-microwaved food options.
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