sactoflyer

I know that I shouldn't complain about sitting up front, but I view that as a personal choice. My concern comes from all the neg posts as of late regarding Delta's FC product.

I gave UA the kiss off a couple of years ago as they made the grand slide to the bottom and have stuck with CO and NW. However, an upcoming trip from SMF to JAX via ATL will be on DL in the front cabin. Has it really gotten so bad that I should consider having my local deli pack food for the two of us? All I see are stories of gloom and 5 hours with peanuts and water. If it is really that bad I want to be prepared. And at least on the way home I can have the Ritz Carlton pack me a picnic supper.

Flying_Duck

Well, hopefully you are not in front of the early morning shuttle flight (1656) - but even then, there will be food for sale!.

The two other flights with a FC have either lunch or snack, if judging from what is written in these threads (and based on my own experience) it is really a hit-and-miss as to the quality of the food. Sometimes I run into a really good and tasty hot salmon sandwich - or a traditional sandwich, or even a hot steak sandwhich for lunch or snack. Other times it is the the Ris(k)otto or pasta-chicken wallup, each of which, if you are hungry, for sure is filling (!) and usually hot enough to kill most of what lived in them helping them to become mush, but IMHO necessitating a lot of white-wine in order to get rid of the last surviving critters and to break up the glob!!

So it comes down to whether you feel lucky that day - as if so, you are fine, if not, you better bring some food with you as backup.

FlyingDoc

Delta's first class food has gotten really terrible. There will be only one choice, take it or leave it. I have on a couple of occasions bought some food from coach which I found better than the awful food served in first class. On other occasions, I just take food on myself because its better than what DL first class will serve.

NYBanker

Certainly compared to the F service levels (particularly related to food), there has been not insignificant deterioration since 1999/2000. (There used to be 4 course meals in F on a LAX-CVG flight back in those days.)

Of the 6 or so DL flights I've been on over the past two months (all in front, domestic or international), I'd say I was let down by the food service 3 or 4 times, and moderately satisfied the other 2 or 3 times.

I wouldn't sweat that there's only one choice - that one choice usually involves chicken and/or pasta (unless, you don't like chicken or pasta!). you can always request a special meal in advance - they're typically better.

Breakfast in F on the short flights is now generally limited to the cereal/yogurt/fruit breakfast - which is fine (at least to me), relatively healthy and filling. On JFK-SEA in F (A fares!!) earlier this week, they had the old 3-way choice for breakfast - cereal, eggs or pancakes. Several years back, this would be your choice on LGA-CVG - but not any longer.

Having the RC make some picnic lunches is a fine idea for your return. Assuming your not overwhelmed with carry-ons, the $50 you'll pay the RC for two boxes is money well spent.

One time, flying JFK to somewhere in Europe in J, I brought a meatball parm hero on board and ate it during boarding (didn't want to wait 45 mins for the quick-service meal). It was great, and smelled up the cabin nicely (to the dismay of my fellow pax)! The RC lunches typically won't be as aromatic!

sactoflyer

Flying_Duck:

I am confused. Why do you refer to 1656 as a "shuttle" flight? A 757 non-stop to ATL beats changing in SLC IMHO. Please explain.

obscure2k

You will have lovely attentive service, nice cocktails and a comfortable seat. You are wise to consider bringing on your own meal. Your fellow passengers will be envious. Bon Apettite!!

ThisDJ

The food for sale in coach tastes much better than any food they will serve in FC. The $3 bag of mixed nuts is Gigantic and a good snack value.

Flying_Duck

At least as of today, DL 1656 is the 7:00 am flight leaving SMF to arrive in ATL 2:17 PM on a 737-800 with an all coach cabin = shuttle flight in my book!

sactoflyer

Sorry...I check some more. It switches to a 757 in August.

El Perro

That would beat ANY airline meal.

As far as Delta goes, take the comments from the drama queens on this board with a very large dose of salt.

Delta's first class is not significantly worse or better than any other US airline's domestic first class product.

Saying otherwise proves you have an axe to grind.

Pointfreak!

Hey! Yo tengo un nuevo AMIGO!! "Drama Queens"...I LIKE IT!

sactoflyer: I predict you will have a wonderful flight up front. If you want to pack a lunch, by all means do so. But if you dont, I think you will find the meals just fine. You will not have to live on peanuts & water for five hours.

Flying_Duck

Now see, this is the kind of sarcasm that I think is just over the line and could make people mad around here!!

RunawayNFly

If you decide to "chance it" and not have the Ritz Carlton pack you something, you always have the option of performing self-hypnosis if it is something that you don't like.

........Let your eyes roll up, eyelids flutter down and close, deep at the count of three, one......two......three.....deep at four, deeper further and more, deeper further and more.

Picture yourself sitting in the Ritz Carlton dining room with a glass of Dom Perignon, shrimp cocktail, chateau briand.........

Now.... enjoy Delta's meal!

Kahuna

sactoflyer: I predict you will have a wonderful flight up front. If you want to pack a lunch, by all means do so. But if you dont, I think you will find the meals just fine. You will not have to live on peanuts & water for five hours.[/QUOTE]

Delta have very defined meal periods - just like elementary school. I have taken 5 hour flights from ATL-LAX and CVG-SLC after 7.30pm that offer no meal service in first. This is a real inconvenience if these flights follow a connection that started before meal times. It makes for a long, hungry day. Even Southwest offer better food service (meal boxes) on 3 hour plus flights than Delta do on some first class flights!

atl runner

I've never thought much of "airplane food" so I always bring my own stuff. That way I have what I want and when I want. Aside from the issue of food, I'm usually pretty comfortable in FC, even on the much dreaded 764, and, IMO, the service is almost always fine.