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2017 Combined AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

Old Dec 31, 2016, 10:45 pm
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Last edit by: JY1024
AA/US Domestic Dining (including Canada, Mexico, & the Caribbean)

Note: this thread is about meals served on AA-US. There is another thread for the contingent that wishes to debate and discuss linens as a primary subject, including related presentation issues: Linens / presentation debate for meal service on AA, US / both.

PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST. /Moderators


Welcome to the 2017 Domestic Dining thread and the resulting discussion/trip reports/photos/shared experiences. Here, in this wiki post, I'll strive to explain what you should expect on AA flights in First and Business, meals-wise. Keep in mind that there are many domestic flights, so there are quite a few parameters to keep track of.

Basically, in its best condensed form, you should expect to receive a meal between 4:59am - 8pm on flights longer than 900 miles, which equals about two hours in the air. From that point, there are exceptions, and specific timing parameters.

What to Expect - Mainline:
Keep in mind that this list is not entirely inclusive, and there may be certain exceptions and/or abnormalities.

  • Up to 699 miles: Light snacks such as a fig bar, cookies, and/or pretzels
  • 700-899 miles: Warmed nuts, a snack plate (fruit/cheese, pita/hummus, or spinach dip/pita), and a cookie
  • 900-1298 miles: A meal (fruit/breakfast entree; salad/entree) followed by a cookie; no meals between 1:30-4pm
  • 1298-2199 miles: A full meal including an appetizer, with cake for lunch desserts and premade ice-cream for dinner desserts
  • 2200 miles and above: Same as 1298-2199 miles, but consists of made-to-order sundaes or a cheese plate for both lunch and dinner desserts

What to Expect - Regional:
Keep in mind that this list is not entirely inclusive, and there may be certain exceptions and/or abnormalities.

  • Up to 175 miles: A light snack mix along with beverage service
  • 176-899 miles: Sweet and savory, organic/healthy snack choices (snack basket)
  • 900-2199 miles: Warm mixed nuts, two meal options, and dessert. (For flights over 2200 miles, you will receive the same selection of snacks from 176-899 miles as a pre-arrival snack. All regional meal flights leaving after 8:00pm will also receive sweet and savory snacks as the only option. Editor's note: A regional jet for 2000+ miles? Hope that never happens!)

All of the meal flights that fall under the above timing parameters will receive two choices; normally, one meat and one vegetarian.

Longer westbound flights leaving from the east coast (transcontinental; non-premium) are not officially exceptions, but some flights after 8pm receive a full dinner service (such as the 8:05pm MIA-SAN flight, or the 8:30pm PHL-LAS flight). Additionally, non-premium transcontinental red-eye flights will receive snack basket service upon departure, then a continental breakfast box prior to arrival.

Official Exceptions:
The following flights all fall under 900 miles, but will receive a full meal service, with the exception of flights leaving between 1:31-4pm. Despite some of the listed flights being over 900 miles, they are remaining listed here, based on the AA website for documentation purposes.

  • Chicago (ORD) - AUS/BDL/BOS/DCA/EWR/JFK/LGA/MSY/RDU
  • Dallas (DFW) - BJX/ORD/MEX/QRO/SLP
  • Fort Lauderdale (FLL) - PAP
  • Los Angeles (LAX) - DEN
  • Miami (MIA) - DCA/IAD/PAP
  • New York (LGA) - ATL
  • Phoenix (PHX) - MZT

Additional Information:
  • JFK-LAX/SFO; MIA-LAX are considered premium transcontinental flights, and as such, receives a more refined service with three meal choices, per-course service, printed menus, and tray/tablecloth linens in both F/J. Those flights now are the only domestic flights in the system to offer special meals as another option (which can be reserved by either preordering online, or calling). Red-eye flights will receive a full "supper/snack" meal service, which is basically a condensed dinner service.

  • Hawaiian meal service is very similar to what you'd expect on 2200+ mile flights, but there also will be Hawaiian rolls served, along with a pre-arrival continental breakfast/snack (dependent on the length of the route). Tropical warmed nuts are also currently served.

  • All flights over 700 miles, regardless of a meal being served or not, will receive warm mixed nuts and a cookie.

Disclaimer: The editor of this Wiki does not guarantee the information presented above will always be accurate or properly followed by AA, given catering mishaps, irregular operations, rogue crews, or mismanagement. For the best up-to-date information, it would be prudent to check AA's website constantly for any updates, or call AA. The editors of this Wiki will keep this Wiki updated as often as possible.
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2017 Combined AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

Old Oct 10, 2017, 6:18 pm
  #1036  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Originally Posted by Piedmont767
I'm not sure about domestic but international Y DL blows us out of the water. Had to fly CLT-ALT-LHR and I was really impressed by Delta's service. Sleep kits, hot 'towels', 3 menu options with better food; only thing I didn't like was that DL doesn't give the can.

A lot of us know that our "food" is not good. And like many FAs I know, I try to make up for it with good service. IMO LUS domestic food was better than what we serve now.
I haven't ever flown DL Int'l Y, but honestly I don't think AA's is that bad in terms of offerings. AA has always offered palatable Y food (I get the pasta option most often), IMHO. It's not avant-garde cuisine, but it's at least edible. Maybe it's gone down as of late.

AA offers hot towels, too. I had them last time I flew Y TPAC. Do they not offer them on TATL flights?
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Old Oct 10, 2017, 6:32 pm
  #1037  
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No hot towels in AA YC on JFK-LHR earlier this spring. Didn’t even have a pre-meal separate beverage service.
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Old Oct 10, 2017, 6:37 pm
  #1038  
 
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
No hot towels in AA YC on JFK-LHR earlier this spring. Didnt even have a pre-meal separate beverage service.
ThAAt's pAAthetic.

Honestly, at this point I still prefer BA for TATL Y flights. AA is passable, but BA at least offers an open bar. Of course, with the way BA has been going, who knows how long until it'll all be BoB...
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Old Oct 10, 2017, 9:32 pm
  #1039  
 
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Originally Posted by brewdog11
I haven't ever flown DL Int'l Y, but honestly I don't think AA's is that bad in terms of offerings. AA has always offered palatable Y food (I get the pasta option most often), IMHO. It's not avant-garde cuisine, but it's at least edible. Maybe it's gone down as of late.

AA offers hot towels, too. I had them last time I flew Y TPAC. Do they not offer them on TATL flights?
As an ex DL traveler for many years, I can concur their international Y service is head and shoulders above AA

Food is better, they offer you three meal choices with a printed menu, full bar service, mini amenity kits with eyeshades, PTVs on every single longhaul flight (AA flies 767s across the ocean with no built in IFE), and full bottles of water. That being said, AA Y service really isn't that bad - and if you're an EXP you get the free liquor anyways.

I've found the AA food to be fine, even if the second meal is a little worse usually than Delta. I've had good luck clearing SWUs when on AA and am often taking CX or JL in Y across the Pacific (where service can sometimes exceed AA J) so that's one area AA wins - it's TPAC partners are way better than either carrier or certainly DL's Chinese partners and I seem to do better on upgrades than my diamond friends over at DL have done
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Old Oct 10, 2017, 10:34 pm
  #1040  
 
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Originally Posted by metallo
STL-MIA "Lunch"


MIA-IAH "Dinner"
These don't seem like good meals to serve cold. The chicken at the top looks extraordinarily bland. Not even an attempt to make grill marks with a sharpie like you sometimes see. And cold zucchini makes no sense.

What appears to be cold rice in the bottom pic looks unpleasant. The chicken (if that's what it was) looks better than the lunch meal. What was the pink stuff in the bottom left of the main course?

Desserts look good.
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Old Oct 11, 2017, 1:48 am
  #1041  
 
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
No hot towels in AA YC on JFK-LHR earlier this spring. Didnt even have a pre-meal separate beverage service.
Hot towels in Y are for TPAC not TATL, it's a market based decision.

JFK - LHR flights should all be "one shot" service, therefore no pre-meal beverage service. The flying time is too short. So you got exactly what you were supposed to! ^
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Old Oct 11, 2017, 12:21 pm
  #1042  
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Originally Posted by MrAndy1369
Not necessarily. Here's why:

  • AA serves a nice snack on shorthauls - hummus dip/fruit and cheese
  • AA serves warm nuts on all routes
  • AA midcons get ice cream; all transcons get made to order sundaes
  • AA's the only one to offer preordering
  • AA offers true breakfasts

vs. UA/DL... UA does serve warm nuts on most routes, but cut back on ice cream for midcons and serves weird breakfasts (see an ORD-SAN post in the UA Let's Eat! thread), and the September cutbacks were especially obnoxious. As for DL... no ice cream on ALL flights except for premium transcons (and even then, not true sundaes but rather gelato or sorbets), no warm nuts, and small entries (see a few recent JFK-XXX reports on the DL thread).

Of course, everyone's standards and expectations are different, but that's how I quantify meal service on the three carriers, and based on this, AA is still the best. Ironic as they were the worst, literally, back in September 2014, but they've came a long way since then.
I don't disagree with your assessment, but for me when it comes to the quality and quantity of food served for main courses, I consistently am finding better luck with UA and then DL overall. Breakfast is a weird one but I still tend to find myself not liking what AA is serving. Really don't like omelettes on the ground, in the air they're even worse. I miss the breakfast skillets on AA. Those were actually pretty decent.
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Old Oct 11, 2017, 1:05 pm
  #1043  
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Originally Posted by metallo
Row 1 should actually be served last on that route, but you may benefit from an uninformed FA.
Well I switched my seat yesterday to 2F for today's flight hoping that whatever row the flight attendant starts in I'll be halfway either way. She started with 1A and showed two options for lunch. One was a salad with no meat/protein --just salad with some boiled eggs slices on top (gross!) and the other was some sort of oriental roast beef wrap (I noticed some sweet and sour sauce inside). I got the last one (only two were catered). The ramekin of nuts came 30 minutes after the meal (this happened the last time I took an express food flight so it obviously is that way it should be albeit it odd). There was no snack basket near the end of the flight.
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 3:05 am
  #1044  
 
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JFK-LAX
AA 185
Snack or Brunch

This was actually substantial, and pretty much a full meal.

Appetizer was prosciutto with parmesan or manchego (can't remember which), a fig tart, and arugula. Fig tart was meh, prosciutto and cheese were great, especially since I made a little mini sandwich with the hot bread.

For the main I had the Thai Beef Red Curry with Coconut Rice, which was honestly excellent. Beef was cooked medium, sauce was tasty, vegetables maintained some good consistency and crunch, and it was garnished well and didn't look pre-plated at all. One of the best meals I've had on AA.

Other options were Lobster Roll with chips or Gnocchi Pillows with a cream sauce and parmesan.

Dessert was Coconut Pineapple ice cream.

Crew were EXCELLENT. Aside from the, frankly and surprisingly, expertly executed oven re-heating by the galley FA, Michelle in the J cabin was friendly, proactive, always refilling water, and very attentive and focused.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 8:34 am
  #1045  
 
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Originally Posted by Stripe
These don't seem like good meals to serve cold. The chicken at the top looks extraordinarily bland. Not even an attempt to make grill marks with a sharpie like you sometimes see.
The chicken wasn't good.

Originally Posted by Stripe
What was the pink stuff in the bottom left of the main course?
Ginger.

Originally Posted by Stripe
Desserts look good.
Dessert was definitely the best part of these meals. The food was pretty gross, but I do believe this catering is better than what other domestic airlines would offer on similar regional flights.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 8:40 am
  #1046  
 
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Originally Posted by enviroian
Well I switched my seat yesterday to 2F for today's flight hoping that whatever row the flight attendant starts in I'll be halfway either way. She started with 1A and showed two options for lunch. One was a salad with no meat/protein --just salad with some boiled eggs slices on top (gross!) and the other was some sort of oriental roast beef wrap (I noticed some sweet and sour sauce inside). I got the last one (only two were catered). The ramekin of nuts came 30 minutes after the meal (this happened the last time I took an express food flight so it obviously is that way it should be albeit it odd). There was no snack basket near the end of the flight.
Thanks for reporting back.

I believe regional FAs are supposed to follow the regular mainline AA service standards (in terms of taking orders, meal presentation, etc.). I've also had the cold nuts served in a rush just before landing. I'm happy to be corrected if someone can confirm that there is a different service standard for these regional flights, but I think a lot of these FAs just don't know the policies.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 3:52 pm
  #1047  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
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WHy lunch for breakfast?

If this is mentioned somewhere else in these many comments, sorry....

I can never figure out why AA does not serve breakfast, instead of offering a lunch or dinner option, on their HNL to LAX early flight. Once again I am taking the 8am departure time from HNL and the food options are a cheese Cannelloni or a Monte Cristo sandwich. I don’t get it.

Last edited by home222; Oct 13, 2017 at 4:16 pm
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 4:33 pm
  #1048  
 
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Originally Posted by home222
If this is mentioned somewhere else in these many comments, sorry....

I can never figure out why AA does not serve breakfast, instead of offering a lunch or dinner option, on their HNL to LAX early flight. Once again I am taking the 8am departure time from HNL and the food options are a cheese Cannelloni or a Monte Cristo sandwich. I dont get it.
Because it is closer to lunchtime in LAX, perhaps?
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Old Oct 14, 2017, 6:14 am
  #1049  
 
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Originally Posted by metallo
Thanks for reporting back.

I believe regional FAs are supposed to follow the regular mainline AA service standards (in terms of taking orders, meal presentation, etc.). I've also had the cold nuts served in a rush just before landing. I'm happy to be corrected if someone can confirm that there is a different service standard for these regional flights, but I think a lot of these FAs just don't know the policies.
If I recall from this thread, for some reason the regional service flow is to give the nuts after the meal.
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Old Oct 14, 2017, 8:13 am
  #1050  
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Originally Posted by home222
If this is mentioned somewhere else in these many comments, sorry....

I can never figure out why AA does not serve breakfast, instead of offering a lunch or dinner option, on their HNL to LAX early flight. Once again I am taking the 8am departure time from HNL and the food options are a cheese Cannelloni or a Monte Cristo sandwich. I dont get it.
Originally Posted by apeortdz
Because it is closer to lunchtime in LAX, perhaps?
This is why I don't understand why airlines don't offer a Brunch service on certain flights, and this flight would be one of them. Brunch us to be offered in the past.
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