My recent LHR-HKG RTN's a tale of two sides..
Outbound, I had amazing service in Y as a MPC Gold just as the OP described, first for meals and nothing was to much trouble. Pressing the call bell for a coffee (which with some airline brings a ''what do you want'') and the staff always delivered a smiling service.
The only exception of not being allowed to disembark with the J class, but I can live with that. Within hours of arriving at my hotel, I filed a compliments message to say thank you..
Inbound, not even a hello Mr Engineering Travel, and as above more like why are you pressing the call bell...No Xmas cards from me then..
Slightly OT, but I suspect Outbound was a HK crew and Inbound was a London crew, the accent's gave it away..
All in, that first customer experience promotes loyalty, the second type of service, does not.