If you like cheese, you'll love United
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,429
Am I the only one who remembers the cheese soup C used to serve? Talk about a cheesy overload! It became such a joke that at one of the CO Do events in Houston they used a vat of it as the booby prize.
(Maybe they haven't gotten rid of it all and it's slowly being reconstituted into cheese again and served to us in all those meals described above...)
(Maybe they haven't gotten rid of it all and it's slowly being reconstituted into cheese again and served to us in all those meals described above...)
#32
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,998
As a non-cheese eater, I'm constantly surprised about how much cheese UA puts into their meals in both economy and biz. It's like it has to be in just about everything they offer. For those of us who lactose intolerant or just don't like cheese, you really notice it.
Last week from EWR-LAX in PS biz, there were 3 entrees - a cheese crepe, a 4 cheese omelette, and the cereal with milk. Yesterday, in economy from DEN-LGA, there was a chicken wrap with feta cheese, a melted cheese roast beef sandwich and an artisan cheese selection. The breakfast entrees from LGA-DEN were chicken sausage egg skillet (with cheese) and ham baguette (with melted cheese.)
How about an Asian noodle option, or a green salad?
Last week from EWR-LAX in PS biz, there were 3 entrees - a cheese crepe, a 4 cheese omelette, and the cereal with milk. Yesterday, in economy from DEN-LGA, there was a chicken wrap with feta cheese, a melted cheese roast beef sandwich and an artisan cheese selection. The breakfast entrees from LGA-DEN were chicken sausage egg skillet (with cheese) and ham baguette (with melted cheese.)
How about an Asian noodle option, or a green salad?
#33
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Princeton, NJ; Lviv Ukraine
Programs: UA 3.6MM, AF/KL Lifetime Plat, BA Gold, AA 1MM, IC Spire RA, Kimpton IC, Marriott Plat, et alia
Posts: 2,732
No meat for you!
They are heavy on cheese, hummus, celery, carrots, rabbit food and other inedibles in their Club and in their meals.
"Chicken, pasta or vegetarian?" are the meal choices. The pasta of course is vegetarian already, and chicken might as well be a vegetable. Not a single edible choice.
I want to be served food, not served what food eats.
"Chicken, pasta or vegetarian?" are the meal choices. The pasta of course is vegetarian already, and chicken might as well be a vegetable. Not a single edible choice.
I want to be served food, not served what food eats.
#34
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: UA GS 4MM
Posts: 583
#35
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: SAN
Programs: UA-1K, AA-Gold, HH-Gold, MR - Gold, HY-Explorist
Posts: 222
Have to agree with the OP. Since a significant portion of the world's population is lactose intolerant, it is always disappointing to realize that your choices are to decline the food or to chance GI distress for the rest of the flight. At a minimum, it would be nice if it was clear whether you could request something from the Buy on board items if none of the food choices in first work for you.
I submitted a comment on united airtime, perhaps if enough people did as well, they would notice.
I submitted a comment on united airtime, perhaps if enough people did as well, they would notice.
#36
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Plat, Avis First, Hertz PC
Posts: 575
What is left? Beef/pork/fish (no pasta/grains, no vegetables, as those are what food eats) with processed corn products like Cheetos?
Fish is semi common both internationally and domestically, so that is covered somewhat. Beef pops up a lot internationally too.
Fish is semi common both internationally and domestically, so that is covered somewhat. Beef pops up a lot internationally too.
#37
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Would one solution to this menu emphasis be to distribute LactAid pills as part of a cheesy meal service? And in the UC's they could be distributed next to the lifesavers/mint dish.
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA1k
Posts: 106
I'm not saying get rid of the cheese by any means, but does 80% of the food they sell or serve have to contain cheese? No sir.
#39
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: NYC/Row 21
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott/Starwood Platinum Elite, National Executive Elite
Posts: 39
Cheese In Everything On PS Flights
I fly EWR>SFO/LAX at least 2-3 times a month, usually sitting in E+ and upfront when RPU's clear. I wouldn't consider myself a picky eater, but why do most of the food options all come with a form of cheese? The eggs with chicken sausage have gouda (in E+), the wraps all have a cream cheese dressing, the salad in first has blue cheese and goat cheese grits on the sides for the entree.
Anyone else agree or had any luck asking for it on the side or not at all? Not sure why they wouldn't stick to something a little more common, like mozzarella or cheddar.
Anyone else agree or had any luck asking for it on the side or not at all? Not sure why they wouldn't stick to something a little more common, like mozzarella or cheddar.
#40
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
It's not just PS it's the whole United BOB menu. I try to do the healthy thing and United menu annoys me as well.
There was another thread about this ahwile back
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ve-united.html
There was another thread about this ahwile back
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ve-united.html
#41
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: London & Sonoma CA
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They probably want to serve dishes with strong flavors since taste is dulled in a plane. Mozzarella is always mild and cheap cheddar will also be mild. That could explain the type of cheese.
As to why all dishes contain cheese I suspect it's lazy or inept menu construction. First off, cheese is better avoided on planes and secondly the idea of providing a choice of dishes is to do just that: not to have similar strongly flavored ingredients running through all of them.
As to why all dishes contain cheese I suspect it's lazy or inept menu construction. First off, cheese is better avoided on planes and secondly the idea of providing a choice of dishes is to do just that: not to have similar strongly flavored ingredients running through all of them.
#42
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
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On a slightly more serious note, I feel like quality is enough of a challenge that trying to conform to everyone's dietary expectations is a little far. Flipping through some meals (F or J) in my head.. I feel like the salad usually has cheese and the entree does not. As someone who likes cheese (it's delicious!) I'm also glad to see it isn't always boring cheese either. But do most entrees have cheese? IIRC it's usually just meat/potatoes/vegetables or riffs on each. Maybe the vegetarian option is more cheese heavy.
#43
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, UA Gold, Marriott LTT, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,539
Welp, that explains my loyalty
On a slightly more serious note, I feel like quality is enough of a challenge that trying to conform to everyone's dietary expectations is a little far. Flipping through some meals (F or J) in my head.. I feel like the salad usually has cheese and the entree does not. As someone who likes cheese (it's delicious!) I'm also glad to see it isn't always boring cheese either. But do most entrees have cheese? IIRC it's usually just meat/potatoes/vegetables or riffs on each. Maybe the vegetarian option is more cheese heavy.
On a slightly more serious note, I feel like quality is enough of a challenge that trying to conform to everyone's dietary expectations is a little far. Flipping through some meals (F or J) in my head.. I feel like the salad usually has cheese and the entree does not. As someone who likes cheese (it's delicious!) I'm also glad to see it isn't always boring cheese either. But do most entrees have cheese? IIRC it's usually just meat/potatoes/vegetables or riffs on each. Maybe the vegetarian option is more cheese heavy.
It would be nice if one hot item didn't have cheese.
#44
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,161
Tonight’s dinner choice DEN-ORD was pizza or cheese burger. As a cheese avoider, I got a snack box from the back that the flight attendant had beautifully arranged on a tray. Before merger with CO, there was generally a dairy free choice - I think because of UA’s strong Asia presence. But since, I’m beginning to wonder if UA has corporate contract with ‘The Cheese Council,’ if there’s such s thing.
#45
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SZX/HKG/BWI
Programs: UA 1K 1.1MM, CX Diam 1.0MM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC, MGM Pearl
Posts: 2,637
I do notice that there is almost a cheese overload on many UA domestic flights that I am on. However, I almost exclusively travel to Asia on UA and surprisingly, they are very light on cheese dishes on such routes, except for pasta dish loaded with cheese on NRT-HNL I flew about a week ago.
The cheese doesn't bother me as much as the amount of food being served on these Asia routes. It wasn't like the Smisek days but I've noticed it is dwindling.
The cheese doesn't bother me as much as the amount of food being served on these Asia routes. It wasn't like the Smisek days but I've noticed it is dwindling.