Adam Wainwright was greeted at the St. Louis airport by a plate of ribs

Adam Wainwright was already having a pretty great day on Thursday by the time he arrived at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport to complete his 24-hour jaunt back to Missouri.

He had gotten a best-case-scenario diagnosis (abdominal strain) from an area specialist and garnered clearance to continue his throwing program. Wainwright, a self-proclaimed BBQ connoisseur, then topped it all off by enjoying two racks of ribs, specially served to him as he sat at the airport gate.

The surprise was planned by Mike Emerson, owner of Pappy's Smokehouse, Wainwright's preferred BBQ locale in St. Louis. Emerson, with assistance from his girlfriend, Melissa, who works at the airport, figured out which flight Wainwright would be on and then used Melissa's access to get the ribs through security.

"I felt special," Wainwright joked a day later, describing the ribs as the perfect "going-away gift."

Wainwright tweeted a picture of the grub for all to salivate over but did not save any leftovers to share with his rotation mate: 

Surprised at the airport with my favorite food by one of my favorite people and chefs! Thanks @Pigpicker #2racks!!! pic.twitter.com/YG0YPqQEyS

- Adam Wainwright (@UncleCharlie50) February 26, 2015

Thankfully, he enjoyed the food, because, as he told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2013, "bad barbeque makes me want to fight somebody."

Yes, Wainwright takes his meat very, very seriously: 

Satisfying Wainwright's BBQ cravings is good business for Emerson, who enjoys free publicity with the Pappy's Smokehouse hat that Wainwright dons during on-camera interviews after he starts.

Jenifer Langosch is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, By Gosh, It's Langosch, follow her on Twitter @LangoschMLB and like her Facebook page Jenifer Langosch for Cardinals.com.