abefroman329

Gracias!

TropicalTripper

I'm flying this route in March. Is the FC catering same as domestic? FC booked pretty light, but I have RUCs I'd be willing to cash in.

baccarat_king

I agree, surprising for Delta.

But, why NOT just use your call button? Nothing wrong with "requesting" service if they are not walking the cabin, IMHO.

BostonPlanesAndTrains

Hi! I am flying DL 40 (LAX-JFK) the 8:40am departure. I was wondering if it will be a brunch service or a plain breakfast. Thanks!

abefroman329

So am I!

I would think so, being short-haul international.

sky303

No, it's sort of D1-lite and the menu is Michelle Bernstien-curated. This month's ATL-MDE menu is:

App: Smoked Salmon Rolls with creme fraiche, dill, and micro greens.

Salad: Roasted root vegetables (sort of in a slaw) with manchego cheese and sunflower seed vinaigrette.

Entrees: Grilled Bone-In Pork Loin with sauteed apples, honey mustard brown butter, apple celery puree, and roasted brussel sprouts.

Chicken Pot Pie with candied pearl onions and root vegetables with red wine reduction topped with a puff pastry.

Pumpkin and Butternut Squash Lasagne with swiss chard and creamy fontina cheese sauce.

Dessert: High Road Vanilla Ice Cream Sundae or Cheese Plate with Blackberry Farm Singing Brook, Sonoma Dry Monterey Jack, and Daisy Cheddar.

I also have the MDE-ATL menu if you want it, but you aren't going till March, I imagine it will be a new rotation by then. Food was really good FWIW, but I consider myself lucky my pork wasn't dried out to oblivion.

cmd320

DL2054
MCO-MSP
737-900ER
Lunch

FEBO followed (at least theoretically) and choices were a cold salmon salad or a hot chicken ramen bowl. I went with the latter:



The chicken itself was good, well flavored, and decently moist. The side of soup was also decent enough. The actual ramen seemed to have absorbed all of their broth as none was present in the dish. They were also pretty bland. Some soy and maybe Sriracha would have been very welcome additions to the dish. Pretty filling though.

DL999
MSP-PHX
A320 (refurb)
Dinner

FEBO followed and orders started from the back. Unfortunately as I had booked only the day before this flight, I was in seat 1B, however luck would have it that by the time the FA came to my row last, there was still a choice, either a chicken cold plate or beef. Against my better judgement, I went with the beef and it was actually very decent.





I apologize for the sub-optimal lighting. This was definitely a good option on a standard domestic flight. The beef was actually cooked almost exactly how I would like it, medium and maybe slightly medium rare. There were gorgonzola chunks on top as well as a side of potatoes and spinach. The beef had what I would describe as almost a kind of marsala sauce or something similar on it. The side was a corn chowder which was also good. Overall pleased with that meal for sure.

Two things I'm not a huge fan of, where occurred with both services.
1) The desserts really are inadequate. I know a lot of people here like the packaged brownies, but they just don't excite me at all. A nice slice of cake or maybe an ice cream with some toppings would be a welcome change, especially for a dinner service.
2) I like to have a drink and maybe a snack or something like that before diving right into a meal, and unfortunately neither are generally offered. A drink and some nuts or chips offered just before the actual meal would be a nice way to pace the meal.

The crew on 2054 were decent but unmemorable. The crew on 999 were excellent, especially one who had recently transferred over to domestic flying from international.

AANYC1981

I never use the call light.....happy to stretch my legs and visit the galley on the way to the bathroom etc.

AANYC1981

Acutally the one thing I noticed on both my recent meal flights is that FA's are now doing a pre-meal beverage service with a bag of pretzels. It's not as nice as AA's mixed nuts in a ramekin, but I appreciate a pre-meal drink with something light/small and both flights now featured this. For a while, DL FA's would just plop your first in-flight drink on your meal tray with the meal delivery which I can't stand.

mother-

Same options FLL-MSP, I made the mistake of picking the "Asian Chicken". I have to say you got a much more generous and gourmet version fo the dish though!

The portion I received:
- ~1.5oz of chicken breast, though in my case not a few slices from a larger breast, but the skinny end bits from two breasts, so it was rather well done
- No seasoning at all on the chunks from the core of a cabbage / carrot shreds / ramen
- Ramen was dried out on the edges and mush in the interior
- My mushroom was button and not shitake
- Overall was barely 50% the portion you recieved

I gave up after my second cut into the chicken, as it was approaching cardboard in consistency, and ate the scraps of mushroom. The rest went back with the tray. Even if it had a sauce to make it edible it would have been a really sad snack and not a lunch sized portion.

When I first got it I asked the FA if there was a sauce or something that was supposed to go with it- the dish makes absolutely no sense as is!

LAABoston

Greetings all -

For a whole host of reasons, after 12 years and 3 million miles on AA, I am going to give Delta a try. I've booked a number of FC flights in the next 90 days, mostly domestic from Boston, and I am trying to get a sense of the best meal flights to book.

I'm big on airline food and, prior to the infamous 9/1/14 conversion of AA --> US catering (even with subsequent "improvements"), I thought AA was extremely good. Comparing the two now, Delta wins hands down just on the look and variety of the food and I'm excited to get a taste. Plus, Woodford Reserve? Amazing considering AA doesn't even carry bourbon anymore.

Just had a few basic questions based on what I've seen:

1) On AA, dinner has always been the best meal followed by lunch then breakfast based on portion and quality. Any truth to this on DL?

2) Any rhyme or reason to the dessert variety I've seen? The fruit/cheese/cake plates and small cakes look great, while the Dancing Deer stuff (though made in MA) looks blah.

2) Is soup the only appetizer accompaniment now? It looks like side salads and fruit used to be regularly offered.

3) I'm amazed that Delta still offers special meals. If I order low salt or gluten free, am I risking getting boring salads at the expense of the hot meals on offer?

4) What are the best hubs/routes to book? I've got a couple DeltaOne flights through JFK to SFO and LAX and I am very excited. I also have a few flights through ATL/MSP to the west coast. Anything to look out for on these flights?

5) Taking a JFK - MEX trip in March on a lie-flat 757. Is this considered an enhanced or international meal service?

Thanks for any insight. I am not trying to duplicate information, but didn't see any of this in the wiki and I know things have been changing late-2015, so thought I would ask my specific questions.

I heavily document food and drink experiences with photos, so I'll contribute regularly to this thread. I will also compare to recent AA experiences for context (in a constructive way).

sky303

Fixed the numbering.

1. IMO same on DL.

2. Longer flights typically get the plated dessert options. Someone else can chime in with specifics on this and how it related to meal windows as well I'm sure (plated vs ice cream, mileage, etc.).

3. For me this question is a little too vague. Domestic or Int'l? Fruit typically accompanies breakfast at least, and some shorter haul lunches IIRC domestically. Soup, frankly I can't figure out how that works domestically, seems to be sporadic IME.

4. No experience with SPMLs, but there are folks who order regularly/on occasion on the board so hopefully they can clarify.

5. Avoid SLC for food. Otherwise, I haven't had any regularly sub-par meals based on location.

6. Enhanced, it's a separate Michelle Bernstein-curated menu. Sort of D1-lite, like the ATL-MDE menu posted above, but IIRC it's a slightly more abbreviated service.

FlightNurse

your steak looks perfectly cooked, was it hot in the center?

regarding #1 budget dictates what gets served and it looks like both UA and DL has invested more into catering, but corners need to be cut and on UA and DL the dessert looks to be where they cut, however, if you are going to serve steak and cook it right, and if you plan on serving brownie's don't serve the prepackage type, this just cheapen the service.

Regarding #2 I know the lenght of flight will determine how a meal service is done, but, I wish the FA's would stop serving everything at once, no reason to do it. Not too sure why DL does not service warm nuts, AA and UA does this, now if DL doesn't do this, then serve the appitizer seprate, as the first course, make FC, a true FC experince. I really think the airlines need to listen to the passenagers more then they do when it comes to service.

CHOPCHOP767

So I'm not the only one who has shifted away from AA in BOS... From my limited experience this year, six flights, I've been very happy with Delta's catering. Not a bourbon guy, but the wines are definitely a step up from AA's swill. ^

baccarat_king

I fly 85% international long haul. I find it hard to balance a sparkling water, glass of wine/champagne and perhaps a snack. And, I don't really see the need to. Do I use the call-button often? No. But, it doesn't necessarily make me "lazy," to request service in a premium cabin. I also feel that most flight attendants are more than happy to provide service "on demand," and would prefer that to people just waiting to "catch someone" walking by. Not to mention, on some planes the active galley is nowhere near the bathroom. For example, I most often fly on Delta A330s, usually preferring row 2 (2J). The bathrooms are forward, with no active galley. The active galley (food&beverage) is behind the Delta One cabin (or between the main Delta One Cabin and mini-cabin on the -200).