Just recently I flew domestic first class on AA. I was recovering from emergency surgery and wanted the extra room.

I wasn't ordering booze but noticed almost everyone got a vodka soda (some with a "splash of cranberry". Is this the unofficial first class drink?

the first flight was a small 45 min or so flight- so drink and snacks. The basket of snacks and nuts came around and most everyone took 1 item- chips, cookie or bag of nuts. I notice the guy across the aisle from me took 3-4 and put half in his shirt pocket.

The person in front of me rang the bell later and took another cookie.

I just wondered- 3-4 seemed alot- or does it even matter?

The second flight was a longer one so we had a warmed nuts, meal and drinks but not a snack "basket" so I could not compare. One person did get 3 containers of warm nuts which seemed excessive but i admit I was not eating much and nothing looked good to me after surgery.

How much is too much

There are people who get some kind of kick out of stealing a small bag of pretzels. They likely toss the thing later.

As to what's appropriate? The better question is, "how much do you want?" I wouldn't take more than 2 items without letting the basket make its way through the cabin. If you want more, ask the FA and presuming that there is more to be had, it's yours. The FA will just say no if there's none left for that flight (occasionally short flights are not catered at outstation turns).

No one is forcing you to take what you don't want. And no one will wake you up if you are trying to sleep. If the airline serves and others want what they offer, what difference does it make? It makes some people feel good to be waited on and offered things and that's what the airlines want to do in 1st class - make people feel good about the airline.

There isn't a limit. I regularly take 5/6 snack items when on AA domestic F and pack them for later.

I don't think we were suggesting there was an official limit, but rather a number which suggests avarice. I would suggest 5/6 to pack for later exceeds that number. (Putting aside you may be emptying the contents of the basket for other passengers who are less greedy.)

The snacks are there for you to eat on the plane. Taking 1 or 2 and if you're not hungry, packing for later, sure. But 5 or 6 with the intention of stocking your pantry is greed. It's no different than taking Tupperware into the Admirals Club or an all you can eat buffet.

If you're actually hungry, though, I don't think there's a problem in asking for more snacks.

+1 - There's become a mentality of entitlement. They sell the same pretzels and energy bars on the ground, but people get some form of weird thrill that they can get it for "free". This isn't limited to poor people who really can't afford the pretzels.

And I'd add that even if AA doesn't impose limits, the categorical imperative does. if everyone took 5 or 6 snacks for later, the snack basket would disappear.

I think the snack basket etiquette is 1 or 2 items per pass through the cabin. Seems like the snack basket (a relic of US Airways more than AA, right?) is used on the E175's and similar. Shortish flights with 10-12 people in F. They're probably stocked to handle a couple passes of the snack basket, enough where someone eating 3-4 items is no big deal, but not enough that everybody gets 5 to take home.

I've never encountered anything in a snack basket that I desperately wanted to take off the plane and eat later. We're talking about little bitty bags of nuts or chips here...

Two is the limit, unless they're Delta's Biscoff cookies. In that case, there is no limit.

Others have discussed the appearance of greed. There is a second consideration. If you travel a lot, those garbage calories add up.

During the rare times I am upgraded I tend to limit myself to one or fewer snacks in a desperate attempt to remain able to fit into an economy class seat.

The FA's don't care. They just want you to get what you want. Why do you care how much other people ate?

If I want 3 snacks b/c I wasn't able to grab lunch or something, you better believe I'm going to take 3 snacks. Maybe 4 if something else catches my eye...if you get what you want from the basket, why does it matter what someone else takes?

Exactly! I sometimes choose nothing, sometimes I grab one thing to eat then or later and have occasionally had more than one. Not often though, it would be because I am starving - AA snack baskets aren't very yummy. But, I don't eat much anyhow and they are empty calories.

I think the only valid point is if someone emptied it out so no one else had anything - but they usually have plenty so this can't be a concern.

Delta's FAs encourage first class passengers to take more than 1 snack.

Makes me think of this:

I work in a hotel ($325 a night lowest rate). You would be surprised how many people call daily and ask for extra shampoo, soap, lotion, etc. Our amenity bottles are pretty large, so there is no way 2 people could use one even during a 4 night stay.

Some people are even blatant about it, actually asking to send up 2 or 3 of anything that is free. I make sure to include a couple of tampons, pads, condoms, and band aids, along with those horrible razors that chew your face to shreds.

On the flip side, for some reason, a lot of times I will take the left over shampoo and soaps home with me when I travel. Not sure why, as I never use them unless I really liked them.