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ARCHIVE: 2018 AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

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Old Jan 1, 2018, 1:30 pm
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AA/US Domestic Dining (including Canada, Mexico, & the Caribbean)


See here for the 2019 domestic meal thread.


Note: this thread is about meals served on domestic AA flights.

Link to Combined 2018 AA International Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.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 2018 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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ARCHIVE: 2018 AA Domestic Meal / Meals - menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

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Old Dec 1, 2018, 4:33 pm
  #1021  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
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I actually burned miles to fly F Phx->OMA in late December because I must have been drunk or something and thanks to a certain bank I have miles to spare... either way it'll be my first time preordering domestic meal service (typically i just use them to connect to a foreign carrier and save my calories for that).

Choices were:
  • Beef Short Rib Beef Short Rib
    with bordelaise sauce, Hatch chili mac and cheese and haricot vert
  • Vegetarian Falafel Plate Vegetarian Falafel Plate
    with roasted eggplant dip, toasted orzo and quinoa
  • AVAILABLE BY PRE-ORDER ONLY - Fruit and Cheese Plate AVAILABLE BY PRE-ORDER ONLY - Fruit and Cheese Plate
    fresh grapes and berries with assorted cheeses

Selected the DBML based on reviews here and while the short rib has been described as edible I'm leery of cheese based anything on domestic aircraft... i assume the omelet and mac and cheese dish will look eerily similar (plus I don't like cheese that much)., I am intrigued by Kar Don's spicy asian vege curry monstrosity and may roll the dice and see what I end up with.

I really shouldn't be as interested in this as I am.
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Old Dec 1, 2018, 5:20 pm
  #1022  
 
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Chili with Polenta cake DCA - DFW this past Thursday evening, it was quite tasty! The other option was the chicken with mushroom sauce and the twice baked potato. Good service, PDBs, called by name and pre landing mints. Regular refills throughout the flight.
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Old Dec 1, 2018, 7:40 pm
  #1023  
 
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Originally Posted by TheSkyGuy


Chili with Polenta cake DCA - DFW this past Thursday evening, it was quite tasty! The other option was the chicken with mushroom sauce and the twice baked potato. Good service, PDBs, called by name and pre landing mints. Regular refills throughout the flight.
I'm not sure about that bread choice :P
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Old Dec 2, 2018, 8:53 am
  #1024  
 
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Any idea what the best option for catering out for lunch on ORD-DFW abroad the 788 is? Seems like the DBML is not good.
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Old Dec 2, 2018, 9:00 am
  #1025  
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Originally Posted by T1cktac
Any idea what the best option for catering out for lunch on ORD-DFW abroad the 788 is? Seems like the DBML is not good.
Rick Bayless' Tortas Frontera.
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Old Dec 2, 2018, 9:29 am
  #1026  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 33
I had the diabetic choice on AA 2574 (STL - PHX) on 11/19/18. The entree was dry oatmeal with skim milk, plus three berries in individual (small) containers. The same plate of fruits (as the other meals) accompanied it. Not a satisfying meal at all.
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Old Dec 2, 2018, 10:48 am
  #1027  
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PHL-TPA
LUS A321
Lunch (DBML)

Amazing service from this LUS FA (still wearing her LUS uniform lol)

PDB of choice

This lunch was delicious and the beef was cooked perfectly. The chicken was chilled and had great flavor. My seatmate was jealous (she had the burger)!

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Old Dec 2, 2018, 11:13 am
  #1028  
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Originally Posted by AANYC1981
PHL-TPA
LUS A321
Lunch (DBML)

Amazing service from this LUS FA (still wearing her LUS uniform lol)

PDB of choice

This lunch was delicious and the beef was cooked perfectly. The chicken was chilled and had great flavor. My seatmate was jealous (she had the burger)!

I agree that looks really good. I'm truly amazed they give you a side chicken breast? That's a good amount of food they give you.

Oh and the....oh forget it.
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Old Dec 2, 2018, 11:21 am
  #1029  
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Originally Posted by enviroian
I agree that looks really good. I'm truly amazed they give you a side chicken breast? That's a good amount of food they give you.

Oh and the....oh forget it.
I just switched my LGA-ORD lunch flight to DBML too (from the cheese enchiladas). The above meal was one of the best domestic meals I’ve had overall in a long time.
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Old Dec 2, 2018, 12:09 pm
  #1030  
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Originally Posted by Segments
Not sure breakfast is a strong point for DBML.
Have an ORD-LAX breakfast flight in a couple of weeks. Has anyone had the Hindu, Kosher or Muslim breakfast?
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Old Dec 2, 2018, 7:50 pm
  #1031  
 
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Originally Posted by SFO777
Have an ORD-LAX breakfast flight in a couple of weeks. Has anyone had the Hindu, Kosher or Muslim breakfast?
Can't speak to Kosher, but as for Hindu/Muslim (as with diabetic), breakfast seems to be the variable weak link... could be delicious Indian food, could be standard oatmeal but with a small side of coconut and perhaps a different brand of butter (Hindu/Muslim... guess the coconut is the "Indian" component?) or the berries (diabetic) reported above.

I have breakfast flights tomorrow (DCA-DFW) and Thursday (DFW-BWI) and am going with the standard omelet and biscuit gravy choices, because they are at least predictably average for airplane food. I don't care to eat oatmeal.
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Old Dec 2, 2018, 10:03 pm
  #1032  
 
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Originally Posted by PJRTUG
CUN - PHL July 12, 2018

I chose Seared Whitefish over Mexican Lasagna, and the fish was horrible, nearly in-edible. First, parts were visibly dark like cat food tuna. Second, when I picked through it enough, I did find some lighter - think "light" canned tuna - parts. The small amount of it that I actually ate were strongly fishy tasting, dry, and tough-chewy. It was beyond horrible; ghastly! Veggies were ok.

The green salad was nice, crispy mixed greens, and a good vinaigrette, not too vinegary as some are.

There was a salmon mousse cake - I don't like salmon, but I tried a bit of the top layer salmon mousse - ick. I thought the bottom white layer might be better - tasted like cold mashed potatoes.

Rolls were soggy, and the fake butter they use was weird tasting, as I've found most Mexican butter/margarine to be. Do they feed their cows differently, or what?

Dessert was a nice flan.

Service was good, warm nuts nice, drinks good.
I had a flight out of CUN last year and had the whitefish/lasagne choice. I went with whitefish and managed all of one bite before deciding that discretion was the better part of valour. I had the exact same menu when flying back from CUN on November 24th this year. I went for the lasagne and I think I managed 3 bites before my stomach lurched. They even managed to screw up the bread on this flight as it was so stale and brick like.

I have have another CUN departure next July, so I think I’m going to try my luck with a *VML meal next go round.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 10:44 am
  #1033  
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Originally Posted by SFO777
Have an ORD-LAX breakfast flight in a couple of weeks. Has anyone had the Hindu, Kosher or Muslim breakfast?
I had the Hindu meal PHX-ORD which was posted and it was much better then the fake eggs and process cheese omelette. I had a Kosher lunch and it wasn't very good, main (Braised beef) was good but everything else was just plain horrible.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 10:45 am
  #1034  
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Originally Posted by SFO777
Rick Bayless' Tortas Frontera.
Just get there early enough as there is always a long wait.
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Old Dec 3, 2018, 11:20 am
  #1035  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
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Originally Posted by Reetmafreen


I had a flight out of CUN last year and had the whitefish/lasagne choice. I went with whitefish and managed all of one bite before deciding that discretion was the better part of valour. I had the exact same menu when flying back from CUN on November 24th this year. I went for the lasagne and I think I managed 3 bites before my stomach lurched. They even managed to screw up the bread on this flight as it was so stale and brick like.

I have have another CUN departure next July, so I think I’m going to try my luck with a *VML meal next go round.
Yep same, it was disgusting in 2017 for us as well...
airb330 is offline  


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