In my experience the food service within CE consists of the cabin crew proceeding through each cabin with a trolley, serving passengers in row order.

I was on a flight between ZUR and LGW last week in CE. Instead of using a trolley, the purser decided to serve each passenger individually, returning to the galley each time to obtain a tray and bringing it to the passenger’s seat.

This seemed to be done in order of status, or least it looked that way. A passenger in row 3 was served first, then my colleague in row 3 (who is AA Executive Platinum/oneworld Emerald), then the very well-to-do woman next to me in row 4 (BA Gold?), then someone else in row 3, then me (BA Silver), then the two people in row 1, one person in row 2, and final two passengers in row 4.

Has anyone ever seen this? I have seen it many times in CW, but never in CE. I can understand why it necessary when a particular meal choice could run out, but in CE everyone gets the same! (the same boring fish! )