I can’t find the BOB food menu online - anyone have a link? I only see the snacks/box page

I didn’t see it either. See if you can pull up the Hemispheres menu for this month. Will look in morning if you can’t find it.

1k food options?
 

I remember reading this somewhere - and sorry if it has already been discussed - but I cant find it
1k members in ECON can get 1 drink and 1 snack box (I just posted about how I am getting tired of those) - but didnt someone mention that there are free food options, as a 1K perk, other than the snack boxes?

I think I recall getting other stuff off the menu - but it seams those are only on the longer flights?

-m

Per United's website, "all Choice Menu options, both Snack Shop and Bistro on Board items, are included."

From the Choice Menu, flights scheduled over 1500 miles have the larger items you might be thinking of. So yes, anything off the menu is free.

Only on longer flights, there are hot food.

No one is forcing you to choose a box. There are other options. Either way, it's free and more than others in the back get so it's hard to complain too much

You can choose anything off the cart that's available for sale including the cheesburger or hot sandwich, cheese tray, etc.

Pre pay for 1K?
 

Finally they are getting to pre-purchase food and drink for Hawaiian flights. I don't see how a 1K passenger is able to select options without paying by credit card?
Does one have to be logged in as 1K to get the fees waived?
I can't imagine the hassle of getting refunds...
Thanx

I had an ORD-DFW leg a couple weeks ago where it did the whole pre-order thing and notice the same thing -- I didn't want to see what would happen if I continued so I just abandoned ship (and as it turns out my PP-supported upgrade cleared after I boarded so I got to enjoy an amazingly terrible allegedly chicken flavored something in F instead

The way back my upgrade cleared weeks in advance so I was excited to try the pre-ordering dinner option only to find out it was the same abysmal options from the flight down and, not wanting to suffer through that gruel a 2nd time no way to pre-order a snackbox ("I'll eat dinner in the UC first" is an option but "Give me the recline/takeoff/tapas box" isn't? but I'll stop ranting :)

There is no charge to 1Ks doing a pre-order.

If you don't want to pre-order and are paranoid about UA charging you, don't order.

David

I went through the motions of pre ordering up to providing my CC number...I didn't see any way to indicate that I was 1K
and able to get a complimentary drink and food item

Were you logged in as a 1K? Just order - you shouldn't be charged, even if you give them your CC. UA just can't get it's IT Uafood together.

Congrats. UA and the FAs don't formally charge the registered credit card until the item(s) are delivered on the plane. And, since you're a 1K, they won't/shouldn't charge you for your complimentary food and beverage items.

David

Thanks for the clarification!

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Fl...MG_2001-XL.jpg

Got the burger and a cocktail on SFO-EWR yesterday. I had to ask the FA if there was buy on board. She said "oh the cart's down there. What do you want?". Not exactly top notch service.

^ IAD-LAX last week the FA apologized in advance that they hadn't catered the bistro burger. Ended up with the cheese plate instead, which was fine - i'd had early dinner in the airport.

Can someone confirm that GS is allowed more than one alcoholic drinks or just one per flight?

I got charged in my credit card for a second drink on a transcon flight recently.

Policy is 1 drink per flight. Some FAs comp all drinks, but I would say that is exception.

If you have old drink chits, they are usually still accepted. I just used one from 2017.

I generally do not save my credit card for onboard payment so that I don't get a charge I'm not expecting. You can do it in flight if needed.

If you have a credit card on file already (for airfare purchase), UA adds it for your onboarding purchases as well. Haven't figured out a way to remove...I had been charged in the past on my first item.

Yes, I don't save a card to my profile at all. If you have it saved, indeed, I don't believe there's a way to remove it.

Spec's sells mini's for $1 retail. Imagine what UA is paying at their volume and therefore what it would cost them to comp 1K or GS two drinks versus the damage it does for a HVF to get s surprise charge after they land? Shortsighted IMO.

I've had FAs verify identity when I order a drink, so reasonably sure they're marking my drink order (first) as a "complimentary". I haven't seen any surprise charges. Yet.

I actually don't think FAs see explicitly comp or not when they do the handheld, and they don't need to take action to make it complimentary. They just see if the 'payment' goes through (and get a prompt to thank us for our business when 1K/GS). I've had an FA ask me to verify my email for receipt, which seems unnecessary if they see there's no charge being made.

Do you now have to “preload” a credit card in the app?
I just asked for a snackbox and the FA is making a fuss because I don’t have a card preloaded in the app.
I haven’t flown in a while and they used to,just ask if you wanted the complimentary box.

Just say yes, you have a payment method loaded. They’ll tap away and hand you your comp box.

Did you check in online, because it notes you need to setup a credit card for inflight purchases.

You can skip that if you'll just be asking for the 1 complimentary item.

There's no need to have a credit card loaded to receive the benefit from the thread title.

I did check in online. I added a card during the flight and then got her attention again, since she had walked away because “she didn’t see a preloaded card and couldn’t give me a box”. I had her scan the QR code and got my box.
This just seems like a cumbersome process. I liked the old process better, vs having to show a QR code.

You are set for the future, no need for the QR code next time.

As mentioned , while purchase will be successful, as an 1K the first item will be free.

So you're asking the FA to break company rules, when the second drink is not free?

Not at all. I am giving my opinion as to why I feel that this may be a short-sighted policy by United when trying to keep their top tier flyers happy. I've also had plenty of experiences with FAs not following company policy (both in my favor and against).

From what a FA was very excited to show me earlier this month after she verified my identity ("Mr. (butchered version of my last name)? Thank you for being a 1K...") they do see that -- at least for the food [I don't frequently drink alcohol in flight] she showed me on her LINK that she selected the snackbox and confirmed it was a $0 charge. I don't think they do anything to "flag" it as a comp, rather the system knows that its the first food item and handles the comp automatically.

The FAs see VIP passengers (GS+1K+Milestone) as highlighted seats (IIRC gold and silver colored with a star vs grey/blue for normal) on the seatmap on the LINK before they even get to the "sale" part of a transaction. You'll see particularly attentive crews looking at this during boarding.

As for the more free-pouring FAs the easiest way they can do this if so inclined is to 'charge' them to the F cabin. A few About 10-15 years ago I was flying home to visit my parents on a Christmas morning flight. As I tend to do that time of year I gave the crew working 'thank you' cards and the purser expressed appreciation by stopping by my seat every 15 minutes trying to get me to take him up on free beer/wine/liquor

Correct. The Sales App automatically discounts the first drink and first box for 1Ks. Interestingly, it seems to do the first input item so if you planned on getting say, a box and Pringles, ask for the box to be "charged" first.
There are a few color options depending on settings. I have GS set to black and 1K set to the 1K blue. I used to have *G and other elites as well, but that was a mosaic so I turned it off.
UA FAs can now comp for various reasons without the need to "charge" to the forward cabin. I know the prevailing thought on this board is that UA has gotten stingier, but the reality is that crews are given more leeway for service recovery now than when I started flying. However, we are far more cognizant of the dangers of over-serving due to recent events. We don't know if you came straight from work or spent 2 hours in the UC sipping on some of the good stuff (well... good enough anyways) before the flight.

Can you still ask for a box in first or is it YMMV?

Got the pre order email for SFO-KOA on Saturday and I know even if you fill in the credit card info that they don't charge 1K's but when I went to order something it keeps saying I am too far out (greater than 5 days), is the site screwed up? Any one else running into issue with the pre order site?

Yes. And never refused - or charged for.

never even questioned.
Given the current first domestic dining "options" I would probably riot if anyone pushed back.

Great info from both of you, thanks. :tu:

It does make me wonder then why I was asked to verify email once, as I mentioned above. I suppose that confirmation must typically show up even with the $0 charge, but most FAs just skip over it in that situation? This FA did seem to be paying close attention to all the details (look up seat, ask pax to say last name; rather than just glance tap tap go).

Same here.