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ARCHIVE: Combined 2019 AA Domestic Meal, Meals, menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

Old Jan 2, 2019, 10:33 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
AA/US Domestic Dining (including Canada, Mexico, & the Caribbean)

Link to Combined 2019 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PLEASE: DO NOT POST OVERSIZED IMAGES; PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE AND REPEAT IMAGES IN YOUR QUOTED POST.

MrAndy1369 originated this thread. Other posts in this topic have been merged here, throwing his post to #4. For members easy reference, we have reproduced that guidepost in its entirety. /Moderators

Originally Posted by MrAndy1369
Introduction
Welcome to the 2019 version of the combined AA meals thread, focusing on domestic service. Please post your meal/service experiences, including menus, photos, reports, questions, and service anecdotes.

To help give us a clear picture of your experience, remember to include the route, time, and meal designation (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, refreshments, none). Photos are welcome and very helpful. Those are rudimentary guidelines, but of course, the format/style is up to you.

Format Sample
This is a format you can use when introducing your meal report. This is just a sample format; deviations are expected.

AA1: JFK-LAX: 3pm
Dinner
A321
First Class, 2A

(from here, share the menu and/or experiences and/or photos)

Historical Meal Reports
Throwback mode? Go crazy! For the 2019 International Meals thread, click here.

Enjoy!
[COLOR="Navy"]Welcome to the 2019 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!)
American Eagle flights do not offer pre-ordering of meals.

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.

  • At this time, pre-ordered meals are not available on American Eagle flights.

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.

Thanks to MrAndy1369 for starting the thread and for the guidelines.
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ARCHIVE: Combined 2019 AA Domestic Meal, Meals, menu / photos / etc. (master thread)

Old Jul 4, 2019, 7:55 am
  #571  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,985
Originally Posted by cmd320
Looks absolutely horrid. Is that mashed potatoes or yet another terrible industrial roll?
Looks to be both lol... delightful!
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Old Jul 6, 2019, 10:04 pm
  #572  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
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How do you know if flights in the 700-900 mile range receive the snack plate or just nuts/cookie? I'm on the afternoon GDL-DFW around 2pm and despite being around 900 miles, only shows beverages in business.
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Old Jul 7, 2019, 1:33 am
  #573  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Live: PWM/KBXM/BGR; Work: DCA/DFW/Everywhere; Play: LAS/MUC/MLE
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Posts: 6,630
Originally Posted by PDXPremier
How do you know if flights in the 700-900 mile range receive the snack plate or just nuts/cookie? I'm on the afternoon GDL-DFW around 2pm and despite being around 900 miles, only shows beverages in business.
See here: https://www.aa.com.br/i18n/travelInf...p?locale=en_JP


Flights 900-1298 miles (including yours, which is 936) get Lite Bites instead of a full meal on departures between 1:31 and 4 p.m.
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Old Jul 7, 2019, 5:26 am
  #574  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)
Posts: 2,372
Originally Posted by SunkissedMommy
Completely valid! That's why I responded with the reasons I did not like it (the ingredient & combination of such). For radishes, they didn't have much radish flavor to them, which contributed to the blandness. To each their own and I appreciate differences because if we're all the same the world would be boring.
Just had this salad. Believe the ingredient is jicama rather than radish (although I guess it could be daikon) Grapes are still odd for a green salad but in my opinion but they do match okay as jicama is sweeter than radish.
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Old Jul 8, 2019, 8:46 am
  #575  
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: PBI
Posts: 95
Originally Posted by Segments


Just had this salad. Believe the ingredient is jicama rather than radish (although I guess it could be daikon) Grapes are still odd for a green salad but in my opinion but they do match okay as jicama is sweeter than radish.
That would make a lot of sense. I haven't knowingly eaten jicama so I don't know what it tastes like. It may very well have been that!
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Old Jul 8, 2019, 9:32 am
  #576  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Nice quiet place in The Fla Keys
Programs: AA - My other choices are severely limited
Posts: 72
Just returned from LAS, on a 767 relic from 1993 no less, to MIA. Decided to explore the hamburger option.
Edible but not memorable. Obviously I survived the encounter. Would I order again? Only when desperation sets in.
BTW, the cabin crew was over the top this trip. I thought I entered the Twilight Zone.



Last edited by Nomorepretzels; Jul 8, 2019 at 9:48 am
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Old Jul 8, 2019, 9:51 am
  #577  
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 41
Does anyone have a link to nutrition facts on the first class domestic meals? Thanks in advance.
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Old Jul 8, 2019, 10:04 am
  #578  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 78
6/28 DCA-XNA (#3494 - Envoy) - apologies for no pics, I never think of that. By the time FA got to me only option was a smoked salmon salad, which didn't sound great. Perhaps I'm confused about what smoked salmon is - I was expecting the kind of character you might find hanging out with a bagel - but what I got was just regular old salmon served with a salad. Presentation-wise the salmon had a slight air of cat food about it, but it really wasn't bad at all as these things go.
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Old Jul 8, 2019, 10:48 am
  #579  
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
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Posts: 9,239
Originally Posted by Nomorepretzels
Just returned from LAS, on a 767 relic from 1993 no less, to MIA. Decided to explore the hamburger option.
Edible but not memorable. Obviously I survived the encounter. Would I order again? Only when desperation sets in.
BTW, the cabin crew was over the top this trip. I thought I entered the Twilight Zone.

that resembles something from a grade school cafeteria
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Old Jul 8, 2019, 1:57 pm
  #580  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
Programs: Independent
Posts: 4,828
Originally Posted by Davidjonesk
Has anyone had the Southwest Pasta with poblano corn puree and New Mexico red chilli sauce?

Would you choose it or the short rib with cauliflower mash?
JFK-MIA, and the following day MIA-JFK, the 777 flight. Both had the same meal options, I choose the Short Rib both times, though mine came with mac and cheese and tiny green beans. Both were actually not that bad, same crew so maybe a good cook?
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Old Jul 9, 2019, 11:00 am
  #581  
CLT
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
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Posts: 726
Originally Posted by BWISkyGuy
Thanks for the thoughtful response, and bland I can definitely see... But I would think it would be less bland, personally, than if it had tomato and cucumber, which is what's sometimes implied a salad should have around here since that's "more traditional." Both grapes and radishes (and jicama which I often see AA's caterers use) are flavors that I like, and have a more interesting flavor and texture to me than cucumbers and tomatoes -- especially in combination with bibb lettuce.

Each of us is entitled to our preferences so I'm not trying to say my opinion is of any special value, but I think grapes add a nice brightness and sweetness that counter a radish's bitterness and crunch. More than anything though, I appreciate the diverse toppings among the different side salads. I'd much rather get a salad or two in the rotation that I don't like as much as others than get a cucumber and tomato-on-romaine on every single flight. Just my $.02.
I don't have a problem with any of the ingredients, per say.

My problem is that AA is trying very hard to be "trendy" when it comes to their catering while sticking to a barebones catering budget. They could likely serve up simpler, more traditional dishes at a greater quality and quantity for the same price they are spending now. A simple fresh green salad with a lettuce mix, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber probably costs the same or less as the "trendy" salad with grapes, and could probably be delivered in a greater quantity at the same price.

I have a similar gripe with AA's international catering. The idea of eating bulgogi-style beef on a LHR-USA flight is bizarre to me. It reminds me of when my undergrad cafeteria used to try really hard to cook up trendy dishes that overall tasted and looked disgusting. Moral of the story is that AA should just stick to the basics. I had no problem with the cuisine of both L-US and L-AA. It was generally simple, traditional, familiar foods.
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Old Jul 9, 2019, 11:04 am
  #582  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: -1A or Cambridgeshire
Programs: BA Gold, VS, EK
Posts: 385
Anyone know what the Kosher lunchtime offering is out of DFW? Flying DFW-SMF.
Thanks
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Old Jul 10, 2019, 10:56 am
  #583  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: IAD/DCA/BWI
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Originally Posted by CLT
I don't have a problem with any of the ingredients, per say.

My problem is that AA is trying very hard to be "trendy" when it comes to their catering while sticking to a barebones catering budget. They could likely serve up simpler, more traditional dishes at a greater quality and quantity for the same price they are spending now. A simple fresh green salad with a lettuce mix, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber probably costs the same or less as the "trendy" salad with grapes, and could probably be delivered in a greater quantity at the same price.

I have a similar gripe with AA's international catering. The idea of eating bulgogi-style beef on a LHR-USA flight is bizarre to me. It reminds me of when my undergrad cafeteria used to try really hard to cook up trendy dishes that overall tasted and looked disgusting. Moral of the story is that AA should just stick to the basics. I had no problem with the cuisine of both L-US and L-AA. It was generally simple, traditional, familiar foods.
I have mixed feelings here. I'd get that if they were making crazy things, and granted I have some training in food and it's a passion of mine so I may be more exposed to it than others, but I don't find anything on the current AA menu rotation to be wildly trendy. I think the trend the past couple of years shows them picking entrees that are more familiar and accessible (the cheeseburger, seasoned chicken breasts, short rib, etc.), and based on some coverage of planned entre rotations this fall it looks like that trend will continue.

I disagree about the salads though... If I only had to eat the salad once a year, then the same lettuce with a mealy tomato and cucumber would be fine. But to have that on every flight, every meal, everywhere, every week like LAA (and for a while United) did is just exhausting. If it's really too much for someone to try something bold and crazy and eat something sweet or crunchy in their salad, they can pick it off, but the fact that AA offers a wide variety of salads with different ingredients is one of the things I LOVE about their catering program... And I take those few wins where I can get them lately, because there are plenty of things I don't love.
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Old Jul 12, 2019, 12:53 pm
  #584  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Francisco area
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott T
Posts: 455
DFW-SJC F Dinner

Looks like there are new entres?

I tried the falafel plate and it was surprisingly flavorful, fresh, overall good. Other option was beef short rib but with better sides than before, will try that next week.

BTW, on a related topic of first class monetization, the real driver seems to be I fares which get you F upgrade, they have been <$100 higher than lowest Y fare within couple of weeks of departure. I hardly see any day of departure UG on these flights now.

Last edited by bdhaliwa; Jul 12, 2019 at 9:01 pm Reason: typo.
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Old Jul 12, 2019, 6:11 pm
  #585  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: STL/ORD/MCI/SAN
Programs: AA CK MM, AC SE100K, UA 1K, DL Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,985
Originally Posted by bdhaliwa
BTW, on a related topic of first class monetization, the real driver seems to be I class fares which get you instant F upgrade, they have been <$100 higher than lowest Y fare within could of weeks of departure. I hardly see any UG on these flights now.
It kind of makes me cringe to call 'I' class an instant upgrade, but you're correct, of course, that most fares that book into 'I' are Y-ups. I agree that these are often well worth the extra premium (usually ~$200-400 on my routes, haven't seen too many $100 differences) on elite/business heavy routes and even some leisure routes with lots of paid J. Back on topic... paying up in advance also guarantees meal preorder selection.
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