Oct 14, 2015, 3:37 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
UA Press Release dated October 14 2015.
Oct 25: PS menus get upgraded and look delicious
Nov 1: Domestic first flights between 1:30 and 3:59pm that are more than 3 hours get lunch
Nov 1: Hawaii and transcon redeyes get dinner service
Beginning Nov. 1, the airline will refresh lunch and dinner choices for United First and United Business customers on flights throughout the U.S. and Canada, and to Mexico, Caribbean and Latin America leisure markets.
United-operated flights that currently offer meal service will addnew dishes, like Spanish paella, mushroom risotto and seafood cioppino on shorter dinner flights.
Meal window expansion
The carrier will also expand meals to:
Lunch flights longer than three hours, departing between 1:30 and 3:59 p.m., which will offer options that include seasonal entree salads like a Napa salad with grilled salmon, goat cheese and fig and an arugula salad with Milanese-style chicken; and
Late-night flights between Hawaii and Houston, Chicago, New York/Newark and Washington, which will offer full dinner service with new entrees, such as hoisin short ribs with wasabi grits and stir-fried vegetables.
Late-night non-p.s. transcontinental flights and service between Hawaii and Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver, as well as other late-departing flights of at least five hours and 20 minutes, will offer hearty sandwiches after takeoff, such as a pretzel burger with bleu cheese dressing, arugula and pickled onions, followed by warmed pastries before arrival.
United will continue to offer its p.s. made-to-order sundaes for dessert, followed by bake-on-board cookies prior to arrival.
Oct 25: PS menus get upgraded and look delicious
Nov 1: Domestic first flights between 1:30 and 3:59pm that are more than 3 hours get lunch
Nov 1: Hawaii and transcon redeyes get dinner service
Beginning Nov. 1, the airline will refresh lunch and dinner choices for United First and United Business customers on flights throughout the U.S. and Canada, and to Mexico, Caribbean and Latin America leisure markets.
United-operated flights that currently offer meal service will addnew dishes, like Spanish paella, mushroom risotto and seafood cioppino on shorter dinner flights.
Meal window expansion
The carrier will also expand meals to:
Lunch flights longer than three hours, departing between 1:30 and 3:59 p.m., which will offer options that include seasonal entree salads like a Napa salad with grilled salmon, goat cheese and fig and an arugula salad with Milanese-style chicken; and
Late-night flights between Hawaii and Houston, Chicago, New York/Newark and Washington, which will offer full dinner service with new entrees, such as hoisin short ribs with wasabi grits and stir-fried vegetables.
Late-night non-p.s. transcontinental flights and service between Hawaii and Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver, as well as other late-departing flights of at least five hours and 20 minutes, will offer hearty sandwiches after takeoff, such as a pretzel burger with bleu cheese dressing, arugula and pickled onions, followed by warmed pastries before arrival.
United will continue to offer its p.s. made-to-order sundaes for dessert, followed by bake-on-board cookies prior to arrival.
Hi everyone,
As a follow-up to our recent news release about investments were making in dining onboard and in our United Clubs, we have a number of details to share about changes coming this weekend to every cabin on many of our North and Latin America flights, to offer you restaurant-quality meals. These latest upgrades come in addition to those we made October 25 to premium-cabin dining on our p.s. Premium Service.
For a more in-depth look at the investment were making in our food, UnitedAirtime.com now includes insightful foodie stories and a new video about why we want the food we serve to be exciting and interesting something were working on in partnership with The Trotter Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring new generations of culinary minds.
Here are some highlights of menu changes on flights within the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and leisure markets in Mexico; which will be reflected beginning November 2 on our united.com North America premium-cabin dining page and Choice Menu page:
p.s. Premium Service enhancements beginning October 25:
Premium-cabin dining changes beginning November 1:
We hope many of you have the opportunity to experience these new dining options and we look forward to hearing from you.
-UA Insider
As a follow-up to our recent news release about investments were making in dining onboard and in our United Clubs, we have a number of details to share about changes coming this weekend to every cabin on many of our North and Latin America flights, to offer you restaurant-quality meals. These latest upgrades come in addition to those we made October 25 to premium-cabin dining on our p.s. Premium Service.
For a more in-depth look at the investment were making in our food, UnitedAirtime.com now includes insightful foodie stories and a new video about why we want the food we serve to be exciting and interesting something were working on in partnership with The Trotter Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring new generations of culinary minds.
Here are some highlights of menu changes on flights within the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, and leisure markets in Mexico; which will be reflected beginning November 2 on our united.com North America premium-cabin dining page and Choice Menu page:
p.s. Premium Service enhancements beginning October 25:
Premium-cabin dining changes beginning November 1:
-New seasonal entrée salads with refreshed protein component served on the side
-New side salads and transcon/Hawaii starter salads
-The United Business cabin on three-cabin aircraft will offer all entrée choices served in the United First cabin
-United Express two-cabin regional jet service will also offer new premium-cabin lunch, dinner and snacks, and expanded lunch meal service to flights longer than three hours
Choice Menu Bistro on Board changes beginning November 1 We hope many of you have the opportunity to experience these new dining options and we look forward to hearing from you.
-UA Insider
Starting Oct 25 '15 UA PS/HNL long-haul redeyes/mid-cons will feature BETTER options!
Jan 21, 2015, 9:45 am
#16
Join Date: May 2006
Location: STL
Programs: UA Platinum, AA Platinum Pro, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,429
All in all a welcome change that I'm sure everyone is looking forward to. Hoping this returns dining standards to levels before the merger.
The only loss that seems to come out of this is 8:01PM and later/redeye flights that lose the cold snack plate and instead get a snack basket only. This is in line with DL; for the redeyes I'm for the most part ok, however there are a lot of 8-9PM flights from IAH/ORD/DEN-West Coast that will definitely be losing meals. If you're connecting through any of these hubs from 50 seat markets/non-F cabin RJS (say STLIAH to IAHLAX), it is definitely a loss.
They should really ensure that FA's are informed about these changes to avoid confusion as well as be ready to deal with people complaining about the loss of food on late evening flights; how many flights lately I've asked for prosecco and the FA's didn't know it was offered, had to reference Hemispheres.
The only loss that seems to come out of this is 8:01PM and later/redeye flights that lose the cold snack plate and instead get a snack basket only. This is in line with DL; for the redeyes I'm for the most part ok, however there are a lot of 8-9PM flights from IAH/ORD/DEN-West Coast that will definitely be losing meals. If you're connecting through any of these hubs from 50 seat markets/non-F cabin RJS (say STLIAH to IAHLAX), it is definitely a loss.
They should really ensure that FA's are informed about these changes to avoid confusion as well as be ready to deal with people complaining about the loss of food on late evening flights; how many flights lately I've asked for prosecco and the FA's didn't know it was offered, had to reference Hemispheres.
Jan 21, 2015, 9:48 am
#17
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MRY - CNX - TXL
Programs: UA 1K / *G / Marriott PE / Expedia Gold+ / Hertz PC
Posts: 7,058
Early Feb I have LGA-IAH-SJD-EWR in F so I am excited to see how this pans out.
Jan 21, 2015, 9:51 am
#18
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Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068
800 to 1,499 miles: Full meal service including 2 entrée choices on most flights departing between 5:00am and 8:00pm. Lunch service will consist of a choice of a protein salad served with soup or premium sandwich paired with a side salad, and dinner service will consist of 2 hot entrée choices served with a side salad. On flights departing between 1:30pm and 3:59pm, and all flights departing after 8:01pm, a selection of premium snacks and fresh fruit will be offered.
My read of it is that a 2:00 PM IAD-DEN will no longer get a meal, but get a snack basket instead. Is that correct?
Jan 21, 2015, 9:54 am
#19
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MCO, DCA, IAD
Programs: UA GS 1MM, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,134
Great changes
I wish they would extend the 8:01PM meal cut-off time to at least 9PM like the transcon flights.
I wish they would extend the 8:01PM meal cut-off time to at least 9PM like the transcon flights.
Jan 21, 2015, 9:54 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,452
Aside from a few outliers, I think this exceeds the pre-merger dining standards in many ways. Quality, of course, is TBD, but there are some service elements here that we haven't seen at CO or UA in a long time.
Jan 21, 2015, 9:54 am
#21
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Join Date: May 2000
Location: TPA for now. Hopefully LIS for retirement
Posts: 13,704
The cookies have always (well at least for the last couple of decades) been "rewarmed," as is everything else in a (U.S. airline) galley. Things are actually "cooked" on the ground.
As to cookies specifically, they come already in the shape you see them when served. They are in tins that way and just reheated in the galley before serving. They are not actually "baked" from raw dough balls on board, if that is what people think. I think I have seen some airlines (maybe UA) saying they are "baked on board" which always makes me chuckle.
As to cookies specifically, they come already in the shape you see them when served. They are in tins that way and just reheated in the galley before serving. They are not actually "baked" from raw dough balls on board, if that is what people think. I think I have seen some airlines (maybe UA) saying they are "baked on board" which always makes me chuckle.
Jan 21, 2015, 9:55 am
#22
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
There's a photo here
http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayi...lass/22104629/
Looks like the usual presentation, but the new food choices.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayi...lass/22104629/
Looks like the usual presentation, but the new food choices.
Jan 21, 2015, 9:55 am
#23
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Radisson Premium
Posts: 6,638
The other loss I see is afternoon flights in this scenario:
800 to 1,499 miles: Full meal service including 2 entrée choices on most flights departing between 5:00am and 8:00pm. Lunch service will consist of a choice of a protein salad served with soup or premium sandwich paired with a side salad, and dinner service will consist of 2 hot entrée choices served with a side salad. On flights departing between 1:30pm and 3:59pm, and all flights departing after 8:01pm, a selection of premium snacks and fresh fruit will be offered.
My read of it is that a 2:00 PM IAD-DEN will no longer get a meal, but get a snack basket instead. Is that correct?
800 to 1,499 miles: Full meal service including 2 entrée choices on most flights departing between 5:00am and 8:00pm. Lunch service will consist of a choice of a protein salad served with soup or premium sandwich paired with a side salad, and dinner service will consist of 2 hot entrée choices served with a side salad. On flights departing between 1:30pm and 3:59pm, and all flights departing after 8:01pm, a selection of premium snacks and fresh fruit will be offered.
My read of it is that a 2:00 PM IAD-DEN will no longer get a meal, but get a snack basket instead. Is that correct?
Jan 21, 2015, 9:55 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
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well, i really hope this isn't another case of "over promise and under deliver". i guess time will tell. press releases of this nature are generally more optimistic than the product actually delivered at the end of the line really justifies.
Jan 21, 2015, 9:59 am
#25
Suspended
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I just hope UA doesn't do what AA did and go with low quality meals. I've never been a UA flyer but this makes a change look very interesting.
Jan 21, 2015, 10:02 am
#26
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Programs: AA EXP(4mm), DL Gold, UA Gold (1mm), HH Diamond, Bonvoy Amb(l/t Titanium). Former EA/PA elite
Posts: 994
I had stopped eating on UA domestic flights last year (with the only exception being breakfast which was still decent) due to the awful food.
The dishes described in the announcement sound quite good.....but I agree with the above quote that they need to make sure they improve the general quality of the ingredients.
Jan 21, 2015, 10:07 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: AS, UA, WN, IHG Diamond Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, CET 7*
Posts: 3,300
There's a photo here
http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayi...lass/22104629/
Looks like the usual presentation, but the new food choices.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayi...lass/22104629/
Looks like the usual presentation, but the new food choices.
...might this mean the actual demise of the Jeff McMuffin?!
Jan 21, 2015, 10:18 am
#28
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Radisson Premium
Posts: 6,638
Also good that "dinner" will mean "dinner" again on flights like DEN-SFO. Huge thumbs up
Jan 21, 2015, 10:44 am
#29
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,595
There are more details in the full press release:
- Now a choice of cookie flavors like triple chocolate chunk
- French toast souffle, steel cut oatmeal, both with fruit and yogurt among the short haul breakfasts
- No more sandwiches at dinner. That was a stopgap. Tandoori chicken with basmati rice and paneer is a main course replacement example.
- Long mid-cons (4 hours to 5 hrs 19 minutes) - creole shrimp with Carolina grits is an example (sounds yummy)
- Hawaii / non PS transcons - tamale stuffed chicken is an example main course (sounds like the one they serve on PS / international)
- Now a choice of cookie flavors like triple chocolate chunk
- French toast souffle, steel cut oatmeal, both with fruit and yogurt among the short haul breakfasts
- No more sandwiches at dinner. That was a stopgap. Tandoori chicken with basmati rice and paneer is a main course replacement example.
- Long mid-cons (4 hours to 5 hrs 19 minutes) - creole shrimp with Carolina grits is an example (sounds yummy)
- Hawaii / non PS transcons - tamale stuffed chicken is an example main course (sounds like the one they serve on PS / international)
There's a photo here
http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayi...lass/22104629/
Looks like the usual presentation, but the new food choices.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/todayi...lass/22104629/
Looks like the usual presentation, but the new food choices.
Jan 21, 2015, 10:53 am
#30
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271