LHR/MEL/Europe FF

'ok' is hardly acceptable when comparing to 'restaurant quality'. The salad... half a dozen leaves arranged in a bowl is pretty standard fare for QF. I have no expectations with QF food, but they managed to disappoint on a MEL-HKG. The same dish exSYD was pretty good.

Platy

Yes, indeed, but, according to another recent thread the customer is supposed to divine "telepathically" (or by some other unworldly means) that they are supposed to confirm their children's meal order before the flight..bearing in mind that that first time OP on FT was ridiculed by FT regulars for not having the insight and intelligence to do such...

This an $8,000 fare, folk are entitled (by law) to expect service which its fit for purpose for the price paid....

Chalkie

I rarely fly QF J internationally (I mostly fly F routes) and I've been underwhelmed by the international J catering standards. The low point was on an LAX-JFK flight where the food and service in J was really terrible (I've had way on AA, which was how bad it was).

That said, I flew SYD-BKK recently on QF in J and the food and service were pretty good. It was a daytime flight with lunch served as the main meal and the food was good and the service spot on - two pre-lunch drinks runs, full lunch service (including cheese, chocolates and digestifs from the trolley), mid-flight snack service, offers of fresh pots of tea and coffee and pre-landing drinks run and hot snack (the box noodles, but I thought they were fine). I felt well looked after on that flight.

Flymeanywhere

I recently did a J BNE-SIN and return and found that the day flight to Singapore was more enjoyable than the return but, it may be because of the full meal service rather than the supper service. Did the same flight last year and from recollection, I would say the same thing.

number_6

SIN looks to have a catering problem for QF -- just flew SIN-MEL and the food was ATROCIOUS ... far worse than MEL-SIN. Maybe QF has cut down on the catering budget as it is a late night departure and most pax will have eaten before-hand. I certainly did and ate next to nothing on the plane, but it was the worst food that I have seen on QF ever. So the OP was right to start this thread; still think it is a SIN catering problem and not QF food quality in general, but maybe I have been lucky. Admittedly I fly EK more than QF now, and EK has really improved catering in the past year.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

It's still a QF catering problem... they have ultimate control over the contract and quality assurance. If they choose not to... their problem.

og

They'd be happy if everyone had a meal in the lounge and not provide anything on board at all. "To maximise your rest and work opportunitirs, we won't disturb you - at all".

This is nothing new - its been a continuing spiral to the bare minimum for overnight flights.

VH-RMD

But sometimes there is little to no time in the lounge if the connecting flight is late...

og

Yes indeed - but once again that's the passenger's problem for not knowing that the catering on board is not up to expectations - even in J.

number_6

QF had better fix the SIN catering by March 2018 when they start A380 services via SIN And the lounge is already at capacity, will be double by then ... I might have to switch back to SQ once again.

og

Bacon ?

DFW DL

I'll add my +1 to the detractors of QF catering...I always take food on board QF 7/8 in J because it seems to be a total roll of the dice as to whether or not there will be tasty food on this 15-16 hour flight. OK, it's pretty hard to mess up breakfast...QF seem to do the second meal service pretty well.

I remember my first time on QF 8 thinking it odd that a chicken schnitzel sandwich would be offered as a main course on an international business class menu. And I cannot tell you how many times since that I have wished that there was a chicken schnitzel sandwich available...instead of the overly complicated, uninspired, and often unappetizing fare on offer.

Easy fixes? A more robust salad, as other posters have discussed...perhaps with a dressing choice other than the same insipid vinaigrette on every flight? Perhaps some real bread or dinner rolls as an alterative to the cardboard-crusted paste that is pretentiously passed off as "bakery"? Come on folks, it's bread. And how about at least one basic and uncomplicated main course choice? Would be nice to see a beef filet, lamb chops, or simple pasta once in a while. Maybe even a chicken schnitzel sandwich every now and then.

RealityBites

I was offered real rolls/bread in J on QF27/28 SYD-SCL-SYD back in May 2017.

I can't remember what the actual meal courses were, but I had no complaint about them.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

It would be nice to see a sauce, of any description, once in a while with a QF dish. In either premium class.

nocturne14

OP was referring to meals ex-SYD, didn't he? In airlines in general, have larger control over the meals than the caterers. The budget they spend have a larger impact on the quality of food, than the cooking consistency.

QF meals ex-SIN went through a major change about 2 years ago. They provide larger portion of meals now and have larger quantity of indian vegetarian options due to their code-share with 9W.