The official policy now is to take orders front to back, along with "secondary" choices for lower/non-status members, and then sort the requests in the galley, matching them by UA status (UGS first, then Million Milers, 1Ks, 1Ps, 2Ps) and then non-status. I do not know where Star Alliance Gold and Silvers fit in, if at all. The stated reason for this is to ensure that lower/non-status passengers are not made to feel less welcome/important.

Since for so long UA used to do it by "bouncing around the cabin", there are no doubt FAs and crews that continue to do it this way out of force of habit. When UA first implemented this change in policy, it was about 50-50, but over the months almost all of my crews now do it per the new policy. As a 1P, I have only been asked my secondary choice once, and have always received my first choice.

And as ozstamps noted, the manifest does not list current or historical BIS miles (other then those who have achieved Million Mile status). I've peeked at them from time to time when chatting with the FAs in the First galley, and it just notes your UA or Star status and I think if on a paid fare or an upgrade.

So some FAs might be putting the paid fares at the top of the heap, both within status (a full fare 1K gets their choice first) and without (a full-fare 1P or non-status gets their choice before an upgraded 1K), but the latter is definitely not per UA policy (as for the former, seems only fare to me).

UA International First and Business receive the same basic three entrees. First also receives an additional entree. Per posts in this foum by UA FAs working international flights, UA FA meals come out of the extra First and Business entrees. Some crews will move their extra First meals into the Business class "quota" to try and meet all requests, but they are not required to, as the extras are designated for their consumption. In Business Class, the FAs get what entrees are left after all the passenger choices have been accomodated to the best of their ability (which means the FAs usually end up with the least desired choice).