Having had a lot of experience with airline food over the years, and four days' experience with hospital food about two years ago, I'd pick airline food over hospital food any day.

Maybe people who are really sick can't tell the difference, but I was basically healthy. I had to be an in-patient for IV antibiotics to clear up an infection that wouldn't respond to oral ones, but my taste buds, alterness, and all the other things that affect ability to taste food were 100%. The hospital in question is rated above average in most important respects, but you'd have to try hard to find worst stuff intended for human consumption. I'd stack it up against Ms. Stewart's diet for the badness trophy any day.