The true way to make passengers loyal is to provide a decent service and product. Was just on a Y flight from SYD, and the flight attendants charged their trolleys down the aisles like bulls, smashing into the seats at least three times. The food was abominable and there really wasn't anything special about the flight that set CX apart from QF or BA.
Things have really disintegrated at CX.
I knew passengers are in trouble when Asian airlines realized, 10 years ago, that they don't have to offer the absolute best service to compete, but they just have to be relatively better than their competitor to win. That's when you start seeing CX, EVA, SQ, JPL, ANA, etc. reducing services, but we just took it because, well, it still beats other trash airlines.
However, I think they have done it to the point that they are not much head and shoulders better than western airlines, and to western airline's credit they are catching up in other areas (like AA's ridiculous FFP.)
I agree about the food on CX. 10 years ago I used to go hungry on purpose just to eat more on CX (and they usually give me seconds when I ask), but now I make sure I'm full from the lounge food because CX food (in Y) are generally not up to par.