I think the "MRTC" experience showed AA generally people will NOT pay for more anything, though they may talk a good game.

But there is considerably more room up front on domestic flights than, say, European airlines that sell "Business Class" with a moving curtain and food that isn't much better than AA food.

And this evening, the mid-con food was a passable salmon - better than fast food, and I didn't try the cheese enchilada offering. It was served with Sysco-quality green beans, a pancake-like affair of noodles (let the noodles be left behind!) a salad (green leaf lettuce, radish pieces and red Bell pepper slices, a balsamic dressing,) and a fairly fresh chocolate chip cookie, passable "vino da tavola" grade wines. I hardly missed the olive at all!

And I was much more comfortable for ~3:30 on a Mad Dog than I would have been on a BA 737, shuffled to the starboard side after they again "lost" my confirmed port seat. The music was fine, supplied by Chez iPod with some quieting by my earbuds, and I got some of my reading done. You won't see me joining a revolt any time soon.

Lest anyone forget (and I was there,) in the regulated days you paid relativelhy much more for a lengthy, droning trip on a DC-whatever, that would have not been able to climb above today's weather, with tiny open shelves capable of handling a hat, less comfortable seats, really smelly balky lavs, etc. The food was more varied, but guess what - it was still reheated airline food, dressed up as it was. (I still reminisce about DC-3s, 6s and 7s, Constellations and the like - but I also remember their deficits, and that they were pretty expensive, ergo fewer people flying.)