We demand real food, AC!
Mar 29, 2017, 11:16 pm
#46
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: MEX
Programs: AC E75K
Posts: 4,171
Is AC still ahead of its US competitors when it comes to meals? 2 years ago I would have said yes overall. AA and DL seem to have some nice options, and even UA, which has been a laggard when it comes to meals, seems to be ahead of AC. UA's refreshed meals for their Polaris overseas service is a definite step above AC's overseas. Most of UA's domestic meals are even better IMO, and have a lot more variety with some more interesting dishes like lobster mac and cheese.
AC seems to be slightly more generous in offering meals on some short-haul flights (e.g. 500-700 mile flights where some US carriers don't offer a meal), but the other NA carriers seem to have upped their game while AC has been stable to declining in meal quality.
AC seems to be slightly more generous in offering meals on some short-haul flights (e.g. 500-700 mile flights where some US carriers don't offer a meal), but the other NA carriers seem to have upped their game while AC has been stable to declining in meal quality.
Yeah, just did AC7. Good flight, 2 excellent SDs and food that was not very good. Tried the beef stir fry for something different, terrible. Dried out pieces of camel dung with a few limp veggies and a dollop of rice. The ravioli light meal was so so. I guess the liquid flowing around the plate was olive oil, I hope.
Considering the enthusiastic service put forward by the onboard team, serving this quality of food must be disheartening.
Management should really take note.
Due to J pricing, I usually fly JAL or Eva to the far east but was using an IKK j redemption and to give credit IKK worked well, booking 1week out. Food may not be up to SQ standards but a least it is palatable.
Considering the enthusiastic service put forward by the onboard team, serving this quality of food must be disheartening.
Management should really take note.
Due to J pricing, I usually fly JAL or Eva to the far east but was using an IKK j redemption and to give credit IKK worked well, booking 1week out. Food may not be up to SQ standards but a least it is palatable.
TBH, I'm (pleasantly) surprised by the uniformity of response in this thread. I was absolutely expecting more AC defenders to come out of the woodwork. On recent YYZ-AMS and YYZ-MUC flights, I noticed that J was at most half occupied. Totally anecdotal of course, but perhaps there is hope yet that AC is approaching a breaking point in terms of its premium customers' tolerance for crap.
On the topic of online ordering meals in advance, I'm 100% with those who don't buy the technical / logistical challenges as valid excuses. In 2017, this is not rocket science. It's purely a matter of will to wow / delight / satisfy customers, which as we're establishing here, AC completely lacks.
Last edited by capedreamer; Mar 29, 2017 at 11:22 pm
Mar 30, 2017, 2:32 am
#47
Join Date: May 2012
Location: BKK/SIN/YYZ/YUL
Programs: DL, AC, Bonvoy, Accor, Hilton
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Apologies to 24L and other talented photographers. Sorry for size. Am on borrowed laptop, I have not mastered. In the interest of illustrating how pathetic the food has been, please see the evidence;
YYZ-ICN Main: I ordered the beef dish. I don't know if it was stewing beef that had not been properly tenderized or just a bad piece of meat but it was not acceptable. I gave up. Dessert was bland and the cheddar cheese was not properly stored as it had no taste. Perhaps someone must have scored a deal on the Kraft best by date inventory.
Cabin crew were not around mid-flight and I wasn't in the mood to chase them down and disrupt their beauty rest, so I didn't scrounge up a snack. The Asian airlines are proactive on this aspect and circulate, asking. They FAs did leave some sorry fruit out up front in the cabin. Didn't see any wine left out.
Brunch - Look at the menu and try and you can see the chicken dish surprise. Looks like congealed vomit and wilted overcooked vegetables. Buried under the oily salty sauce I scraped off was the sorriest piece of chicken.
Oh, how AC loves its mashed potatoes. Cheap and easy and filling. Also uninspiring and low end.
Lovely wasn't it? Worth a 20% premium over EVA, or KLM/AF? I don't think so.
YYZ-ICN Main: I ordered the beef dish. I don't know if it was stewing beef that had not been properly tenderized or just a bad piece of meat but it was not acceptable. I gave up. Dessert was bland and the cheddar cheese was not properly stored as it had no taste. Perhaps someone must have scored a deal on the Kraft best by date inventory.
Cabin crew were not around mid-flight and I wasn't in the mood to chase them down and disrupt their beauty rest, so I didn't scrounge up a snack. The Asian airlines are proactive on this aspect and circulate, asking. They FAs did leave some sorry fruit out up front in the cabin. Didn't see any wine left out.
Brunch - Look at the menu and try and you can see the chicken dish surprise. Looks like congealed vomit and wilted overcooked vegetables. Buried under the oily salty sauce I scraped off was the sorriest piece of chicken.
Oh, how AC loves its mashed potatoes. Cheap and easy and filling. Also uninspiring and low end.
Lovely wasn't it? Worth a 20% premium over EVA, or KLM/AF? I don't think so.
Mar 30, 2017, 4:56 am
#49
Join Date: May 2012
Location: BKK/SIN/YYZ/YUL
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I am not a fan of Ramsey the cook, but, he certainly knows AC 
In an interview with Refinery29, Gordon revealed his feelings about airplane food and why those feelings might be justified. "There's no f*cking way I eat on planes," he said. "I worked for airlines for 10 years, so I know where this food's been and where it goes, and how long it took before it got on board." His alternative recommendation is to stop at a nice Italian restaurant for a little meat and cheese. "A nice selection of Italian meats, a little glass of red wine, some sliced apples or pears with some parmesan cheese," Gordon says of his ideal airport snack.
In an interview with Refinery29, Gordon revealed his feelings about airplane food and why those feelings might be justified. "There's no f*cking way I eat on planes," he said. "I worked for airlines for 10 years, so I know where this food's been and where it goes, and how long it took before it got on board." His alternative recommendation is to stop at a nice Italian restaurant for a little meat and cheese. "A nice selection of Italian meats, a little glass of red wine, some sliced apples or pears with some parmesan cheese," Gordon says of his ideal airport snack.
Mar 30, 2017, 6:16 am
#50
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I am not a fan of Ramsey the cook, but, he certainly knows AC
In an interview with Refinery29, Gordon revealed his feelings about airplane food and why those feelings might be justified. "There's no f*cking way I eat on planes," he said. "I worked for airlines for 10 years, so I know where this food's been and where it goes, and how long it took before it got on board." His alternative recommendation is to stop at a nice Italian restaurant for a little meat and cheese. "A nice selection of Italian meats, a little glass of red wine, some sliced apples or pears with some parmesan cheese," Gordon says of his ideal airport snack.
In an interview with Refinery29, Gordon revealed his feelings about airplane food and why those feelings might be justified. "There's no f*cking way I eat on planes," he said. "I worked for airlines for 10 years, so I know where this food's been and where it goes, and how long it took before it got on board." His alternative recommendation is to stop at a nice Italian restaurant for a little meat and cheese. "A nice selection of Italian meats, a little glass of red wine, some sliced apples or pears with some parmesan cheese," Gordon says of his ideal airport snack.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ne...at-plane-food/
I do agree that AC food is pretty awful though.
Mar 30, 2017, 7:40 am
#51
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Mar 30, 2017, 9:00 am
#52
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Mid-flight snacks
So just to mix things up a bit, let's discuss mid-flight snacks.
Everyone here familiar with the AC snack basket...you know Miss Vickies, granola bar, Biscoffs, Lindt dark, Kit Kat, and nuts (whichever single packets are cheapest)...
EXAMPLE # 4
Here we have the mid-flight mid-galley snack and food selection on American Airlines LAX-LHR-LAX. Not included in the photos are really nice little sandwiches and wraps, a cheese board and crackers, and off to the side of the galley, the self-serve drinks.
Yes, of course AC got rid of the mid-galleys when they did the refurbs so they could add more seats. A few more bucks from butts. I get it.
Perhaps AA and others see a little value in offering better quality since they are charging a lot of money for their tickets anyway. Keep the customers happy and coming back.
(these lemon tarts were fantastic, as were those single serve gourmet snacks on the return flight)
.
Everyone here familiar with the AC snack basket...you know Miss Vickies, granola bar, Biscoffs, Lindt dark, Kit Kat, and nuts (whichever single packets are cheapest)...
EXAMPLE # 4
Here we have the mid-flight mid-galley snack and food selection on American Airlines LAX-LHR-LAX. Not included in the photos are really nice little sandwiches and wraps, a cheese board and crackers, and off to the side of the galley, the self-serve drinks.
Yes, of course AC got rid of the mid-galleys when they did the refurbs so they could add more seats. A few more bucks from butts. I get it.
Perhaps AA and others see a little value in offering better quality since they are charging a lot of money for their tickets anyway. Keep the customers happy and coming back.
(these lemon tarts were fantastic, as were those single serve gourmet snacks on the return flight)
.
Mar 30, 2017, 9:05 am
#53
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: YVR TLS
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exactly my sentiments, and if you think the so called International Business beef is better than domestic business beef? answer: wrong
..and even if it was slightly over cooked you could at least chew it, is it too hard to buy tender cuts of tenderloin verses shoe leather?
Be that as it may I've have had some excellent beef dishes but you really throw the dice, maybe a 1 in 10 is really tender and not over cooked. Now when I order the beef I kinda joke with the FA..."if it's shoe leather is there a back-up meal..."
..and even if it was slightly over cooked you could at least chew it, is it too hard to buy tender cuts of tenderloin verses shoe leather?
Be that as it may I've have had some excellent beef dishes but you really throw the dice, maybe a 1 in 10 is really tender and not over cooked. Now when I order the beef I kinda joke with the FA..."if it's shoe leather is there a back-up meal..."
Mar 30, 2017, 9:08 am
#54
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Vancouver
Programs: down to Zone 5
Posts: 181
The original sablefish dish that I posted above was the first time I had it, on AC 3 (a B788) and it was excellent.
A month later I ordered it on AC 15 (B777-200) and it was undercooked and had a smell. I wasn't the only one who sent it back to the kitchen.
They may look similar in the photos but were nothing alike in real life.
.
A month later I ordered it on AC 15 (B777-200) and it was undercooked and had a smell. I wasn't the only one who sent it back to the kitchen.
They may look similar in the photos but were nothing alike in real life.
.
Mar 30, 2017, 9:12 am
#55
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Continuing the theme of mid-flight snacks....
...and yes, I am aware on TPACs for e.g., AC has noodles, some sort of sandwich, the mini-bocconcini and tomato item, some type of chicken etc
EXAMPLE # 5
Here we have burgers. The first photo is a burger on Cathay Pacific YYZ-HKG. The second photo was on EVA Air TPE-YYZ.
This was just before they added fries to the meal (presumably since BR has been doing it for a while). CX's burger was a bit more gourmet than BR's but BR's crispy potato wedges were outstanding.
Now CX and BR also have less counter space than AA on the same 77 aircraft, but all of them have 2 counters to work with mid-galley.
I'd also like to say that CX and BR both serve Haagen Dazs and CX whereas when AC has ice cream on TPAC, it's vanilla. Maybe AC can spread their wings a little here.
These 2 flavours were fantastic.
.
...and yes, I am aware on TPACs for e.g., AC has noodles, some sort of sandwich, the mini-bocconcini and tomato item, some type of chicken etc
EXAMPLE # 5
Here we have burgers. The first photo is a burger on Cathay Pacific YYZ-HKG. The second photo was on EVA Air TPE-YYZ.
This was just before they added fries to the meal (presumably since BR has been doing it for a while). CX's burger was a bit more gourmet than BR's but BR's crispy potato wedges were outstanding.
Now CX and BR also have less counter space than AA on the same 77 aircraft, but all of them have 2 counters to work with mid-galley.
I'd also like to say that CX and BR both serve Haagen Dazs and CX whereas when AC has ice cream on TPAC, it's vanilla. Maybe AC can spread their wings a little here.
These 2 flavours were fantastic.
.
Mar 30, 2017, 9:45 am
#56
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Body in Downtown YYZ, heart and mind elsewhere
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Hopefully AC will get a few good ideas from this thread. But in the end, the best way to "demand" change from AC is to fly someone else.
For better food offerings, this thread clearly demonstrates that flying the competition will get you what you want.
For better food offerings, this thread clearly demonstrates that flying the competition will get you what you want.
Mar 30, 2017, 11:08 am
#57
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I have to confess however that the AVML meal has been awful on my last few AC long hauls.
Mar 30, 2017, 11:23 am
#60
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Maybe someday flightless antarctic birds will fly...
It will be the same day AC improves food on board