If you could design United's premium cabin food-- what would the menu be?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 1,116
If you could design United's premium cabin food-- what would the menu be?
So if you could design their menu what would be on it?
I would simplify it-- I hate their weird cold duck or fish "appetizer" I'd get rid of that and make the salad something simple like a Cesar salad. I feel like this is one area they just go too "fancy" and it just doesn't work.
I would get rid of the steak-- they just don't do it well. I'd replace it with a nice comfort food option like pasta and meatballs.
I would also only have mushrooms in a max of 1 entree option-- often mushrooms are in 2-3 of the choices and I don't eat mushrooms or fish-- so this often leaves me in a bit of a fight with the FA over "my second choice"
oh and I'd be able to pre-order from a larger selection of food.
\rant after a 16 hour flight with meh food
I would simplify it-- I hate their weird cold duck or fish "appetizer" I'd get rid of that and make the salad something simple like a Cesar salad. I feel like this is one area they just go too "fancy" and it just doesn't work.
I would get rid of the steak-- they just don't do it well. I'd replace it with a nice comfort food option like pasta and meatballs.
I would also only have mushrooms in a max of 1 entree option-- often mushrooms are in 2-3 of the choices and I don't eat mushrooms or fish-- so this often leaves me in a bit of a fight with the FA over "my second choice"
oh and I'd be able to pre-order from a larger selection of food.
\rant after a 16 hour flight with meh food
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,018
I’m in London at least yearly and every time I eat Indian (Masala Zone on my dime, Amaya on company’s), I wish UA would contract with this restaurant group to provide at least one of the lunch and dinner choices. The food is well-done and seems to me to be amenable to airline conditions. Gimme a samosa/chickpea appetizer and I’d be instantly content the rest of the flight. They could provide meat and vegetarian dishes...
First photo is a thali (street food) assortment and 2nd is afore-mentioned samosa and chickpeas. Makes me want to run to the airport and fly to London...
As for "Steaks on a Plane" - Americans often are not too adventurous, so a steak (no matter how consistently, and known-to-be poorly, done), will always be a frerquent option.
First photo is a thali (street food) assortment and 2nd is afore-mentioned samosa and chickpeas. Makes me want to run to the airport and fly to London...
As for "Steaks on a Plane" - Americans often are not too adventurous, so a steak (no matter how consistently, and known-to-be poorly, done), will always be a frerquent option.
Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; Nov 18, 2018 at 1:53 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
(1) a real large salad, with real "premium" things like Olives, artichokes, feta cheese, hearts of palm, dried or fresh berries, perhaps asparagus or another vegetable (I know would upset the ghost of Smisik) and fresh good bread. E.g. was just on SAS and their bread on inter-European flights was 5x better than the crap that UA serves. Good solid, with fresh butter. And oh, no chopped head or romaine lettuces, use real leafy greens.
(2) focus on dishes that (since UA is going to pre-plating) that when they re head don't throw off liquid. Sauces are good, as are spices. Interesting pasta or as others have said indian foods (chicken or lamb with a korma or similar sauce) work well, or another meat with a sauce that adds flavor (e.g. I recently had very good lamb with a sauce on DL). UA does not have a brand for the expensive quality ingredients (caviar, smoked salmon, lobster) so ought to just focus on having a large enough size along with flavors that taste good without adding tons of salt, in a high altitude environment.
(3) then offer fruit and cheese.
(4) then offer something other than ice cream.....
(2) focus on dishes that (since UA is going to pre-plating) that when they re head don't throw off liquid. Sauces are good, as are spices. Interesting pasta or as others have said indian foods (chicken or lamb with a korma or similar sauce) work well, or another meat with a sauce that adds flavor (e.g. I recently had very good lamb with a sauce on DL). UA does not have a brand for the expensive quality ingredients (caviar, smoked salmon, lobster) so ought to just focus on having a large enough size along with flavors that taste good without adding tons of salt, in a high altitude environment.
(3) then offer fruit and cheese.
(4) then offer something other than ice cream.....
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Dulles, VA
Programs: UA Life Gold, Marriott Life Titanium
Posts: 2,757
If they start putting Indian food on flights, they are going to have to deal with passengers upset with smell, or the unhappy person who can't stomach it who has a choice of it or whatever is in economy if they're the last to order. The same would go for some other Asian fare as well.
In a perfect world all airlines would do the same as Austrian - 3-4 entree options, lots of side options, 3 soups, 8 appetizers, a half dozen desserts. Short of that, keep it simple. Better quality beef - I'm sick of short ribs - and meats that you can put sauces and spices on by request but can be served fairly plain for people who don't like the sauce/spice.
In a perfect world all airlines would do the same as Austrian - 3-4 entree options, lots of side options, 3 soups, 8 appetizers, a half dozen desserts. Short of that, keep it simple. Better quality beef - I'm sick of short ribs - and meats that you can put sauces and spices on by request but can be served fairly plain for people who don't like the sauce/spice.
#9
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
If it were me, I'd stick with US dining options:
Cheeseburgers, Sub Sandwiches, Chicken sandwiches, pizza, pasta, hot dogs, various rice dishes - you can gourmet it up with Guacamole, bacon, various sides, etc....
If they could pull that off I might actually look forward to airline food.
Cheeseburgers, Sub Sandwiches, Chicken sandwiches, pizza, pasta, hot dogs, various rice dishes - you can gourmet it up with Guacamole, bacon, various sides, etc....
If they could pull that off I might actually look forward to airline food.
#10
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: SFO/CDG
Programs: UA 1k
Posts: 211
United can certainly improve the quality of the food if they choose to do so, but if they serve hot dogs in first/business people who expect fine dining would object. Basically picky eaters want the rest of us to get bland American food to accommodate them.
#11
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
I'd also argue my Singapore flight in biz and Eva in Biz earlier this certainly wasn't "fine dining", I'd rather describe it as, good for airline food. Much like going to a Mexican restaurant on Oahu - none are great, and at best, you get - its good Mexican for Hawaii.
#12
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 89
A thali is a preplated meal with multiple dishes (technically, it's the plattter on which the meal is served). It's not limited to street food.
#13
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, Marriott Bonvoy Gold; Avis PC
Posts: 9,005
I'd actually ask for less food. There is way too much food served IMO; in particular, I think the salad should be downsized. I would also like there to be some variety in the breakfast omelet that is served on arrival (especially on TATL flights).
#14
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Dulles, VA
Programs: UA Life Gold, Marriott Life Titanium
Posts: 2,757
You can always put optional sauces/spices on something to make it to your taste. For those of us with sensitive stomachs - we're not just picky, many of us can easily get sick with a lot of spice or unfamiliar foods - it's really hard to remove spices and sauces from something. Not to mention people with allergies to certain foods. Plain is good on aircraft, unless you like sitting next to a guy who rapidly gets very gassy from something in the food or starts barfing up curry halfway over the Atlantic.
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,018
Yes, you are correct, it is a thali, but the food that is plated in the photo is Masala Zone's take on street food. And delicious...