Much of this has to do with training and expectations setting. Back during US Airways bankruptcy #2 (or it might have been #1), the food in F was literally a free snack box. Not good at all. However, some flights attendants made the best of it and still made the experience as good as it could be. Others didn't. (I can honestly say I don't think I ever drank so much wine on flights as I did on the US transcons during this period. LOL) I see some parallels to what happens today. None of the food is like it was in the 90s and early 2000s -- that isn't coming back. However, some FAs do a great job making the experience a solid one -- PDFs, frequent refills, always offering water, clearing trays quickly, coming by an hour before landing to see if anything else is needed, addressing passengers by name, etc. Others drop the food and you barely see them again. It's wildly inconsistent.

Similarly, I've had great service from many PSA FAs. I can only guess their training department emphasizes certain service standards in First.

My biggest pet peeve -- with AA or quite frankly any service provider -- is inconsistency. It's not that hard -- or shouldn't be -- to set service standards and expect people to follow them.