Shutterbugs: Do you ever order food you don't intend to eat?
 

This forum is full of trip reports filled with mouth-watering photos of delicious-looking food. Browsing through one such report recently, I couldn't help wonder: Did the author actually eat everything depicted?

This wasn't the first time this thought crossed my mind. For example, if someone is flying LH long-haul F and connecting at FRA, I've often seen pictures of a hearty pre-arrival breakfast, an à la carte meal (+ maybe some snacks from the buffet) at the FCT, followed by a four-course dinner onboard the second flight, all (apparently) consumed within the span of a few hours. SQ and CX seem to be other carriers with onboard and ground services that lend themselves to such indulgences. Especially considering how little physical activity long-haul plane travel allows for, I find it hard to imagine how someone could eat (and enjoy) such vast quantities of (often rich) food.

So curiosity has led me to conduct this informal survey: Have you ever ordered food (either in-flight or at the lounge) you had no intention of eating just for the photo opportunity? Or do you eat everything depicted in your photographs? :D

No, I have never done that. I would never waste food in that manner.

Yes I have, but only with things like cheese or dessert.

The portion size of inflight (and even lounge) food is often smaller than average, allowing an enthusiastic (and possibly greedy) person to eat more servings than usual.

Someone anticipating such a travel experience may also eat little or nothing beforehand, so being able (and even needing) to eat more in the documented meals.

If you're thinking the food must be wasted because no person could ever be as gluttinous as it appears, I feel you need to increase your expectations of some people's ability to eat :)

I personally have not seen anyone order food simply to photograph it, nor would I do so myself. I have seen people order something, try it, and not eat the rest, but I assumed it was something they didn't like. I've abandoned the occasional dish in a lounge because I discovered I just didn't like it.

To be clear, I didn't mean to pass judgment (either on someone's potential wastefulness or their healthy appetite) if that's how it came across. Just trying to satisfy my curiosity!

I'm pretty sure that in most cases, uneaten perishable food is destroyed after each flight (sans double catering) so there is no waste involved.

Rarely. If my wife does not want dinner on a flight, I'll ask her to order the second entree for me to try but only if it sounds good too. I won't order something just to photograph.

Not eating cheese?! Who ARE you?! :D

Cheese bloats me up and makes me fart on planes so I avoid it as well.

Neither will I. I have to be at least kind of interested in it to order it. Doesn't mean I'll finish it, but I'll make an effort. I've also thrown in the towel half way through a meal service (during this TR... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26715270-post7.html) because I was so tired and just wanted to sleep.

If I order it, I fully intend to eat it

Also, in some (perhaps most) cases, wine that has been opened has to be dumped down the toilet before landing.

I was flying EK F and didn't feel like having any more alcoholic beverages despite the FA asking if I wanted another glass. She basically said that it would be dumped anyway, so I asked for the bottle, took it to the toilet and dumped it myself. :D

Sometimes if its chicken dish or some kind of chicken in a sauce that doesn't confirm it is chicken breast (I dont eat the dark meat) and if the crew dont know if its breast meat or not and I get it and its thigh I cant eat it.

If its a lamb dish of any kind I wont order it at all mind you.

I know that is an unpardonable sin in your book!

Enjoy your cheese with another glass of Chateu le Oscar! :D

Never, if I order it I fully intend to eat it. Probably some of the reasons why at home I'm called 'the human dustbin' and referred to as 'eating my parents out of house and home'