Originally Posted by
ESpen36
While I do not want to make excuses, we do need to keep in mind that AA is a transportation company, not a catering company. Yes, AA has an internal department called Food and Beverage that develops the menus, but
LSG and
GG are the third-party contractors that actually source the products, prepare the items, cook the food, and deliver it to the aircraft around the world to be reheated and served. Since LSG and GG are in business to make money for themselves (not as a revenue stream for the airline),
I suspect they take the airline's money and then try to source as inexpensive raw materials as possible, in order to maximize their own profits. The exceptions would be those items that AA requires (and presumably pays) to be name-brand, such as ice cream on some routes (i.e. Ben & Jerry's, mentioned in printed menus).
The bolded part is completely wrong.
Clipper110A said it very well.
The crappy meals they've been serving since Sept 1 are completely within the control of management, including one Hector Adler. It's pretty clear that he's already risen above his level of incompetence. He must have some amazing dirt on Parker and Kirby.
Originally Posted by
ESpen36
Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that we spend a lot of time complaining about food service on AA, and frankly I think AA would be within its rights to say "well, we are not a restaurant or a food service company." If you want restaurant-quality meals, go to a restaurant. People need to be realistic about what to expect on domestic legacy carriers in this day and age, when those carriers are bleeding more and more routes and pax to B6/WN. CX/QF-quality food service is simply not going to happen any more on AA.
Be happy that you still have a meal in F on LGA-ORD.
Funny how Gate Gourmet and Sky Chefs cater the meals for EK, SQ, LH and other world-class airlines, yet somehow it's "impossible" to expect quality meals on AA or any other domestic legacy.
Originally Posted by
Clipper110A
LSG caters based on clear specifications provided by customers who contract them and what the customer is willing to pay for supplies. The customer does QA of LSG's performance. LSG delivers based on what airline is willing to pay. They cater for lots of airlines and they dont source inexpensive raw materials to maximize profit. The specifications from the airline regarding sourcing are far too rigid and specific and the airline QA would gig them if they did. They tell LSG exactly WHAT VENDOR to get the chicken they use, etc.....LSG must build its profit into that.
Exactly. Caterers prepare any food the customer is willing to buy.
A substantial portion of the cost of airline meals is the preparation, handling and delivery of the meals, not the raw food prices.