if I understand the op the issue was on BWI-DEN flight. That would be a BWI issue.
Also why would the pilot know about onboard catering?
Outbound catering on mainline is done at the departure point. There really isn’t enough space to hold the extra carts on board needed for a return flight.
On the point of DEN catering problems, I was impressed with operations there after the walk through at the mini-do. I find it hard to believe that any problems there would extend more than a few hours. From there they cater other airlines, a local supermarket, charters, and the Air-force academy sports. I can’t believe that management would allow anything to drag on longer than it would take to bring in whatever was required to correct the problem.
Friday I was on PHL-SFO UA1273 with the door still open at push back time. PHL catering comes in and there is some not so quiet interaction between them and the purser and eventually the Capt. Oh you don’t have any crew meals? We might be able to get you a couple in 20-30 minutes. It turns out the was only partial catering for the complete plane. Between the Capt. and purser they decide to not take a delay and push back with only a 5 minute delay not 20-30+.
PS: catering was just leaving when we started boarding and came back with carts before boarding was complete.
Separate point: this wasn’t the first or fifth time in the last year I been on a UA out of PHL with catering issues.

But isn’t it a positive thing if FAs are showing empathy and are apologizing profusely? I’m sure if they hadn’t this board would have erupted with even more criticism in addition to the criticism over the catering problem. I’ll be flying EWR-DEN on Tuesday. I’m curious if the problem will be fixed by then.

Nope, it was a DEN issue. I was listening to the pilot, the BWI gate agents and ground crew, and both FA crews in and oubound discuss it. Except for the whispering by the inbound pilot they were talking about it openly. They said the DEN-BWI-DEN flight were catered by Denver for both segments. BWI could not fill the plane because those orders had to come from UA corporate, not the pilot or ground crew. I know you are doubtful of this by the Denver operation after seeing it first hand but this is a DEN issue as evidenced by the emails and texts coming to us now. All of us listening to the conversation were thinking the same as you as far as who loads the meals, but they openly discussed it was Denver for both flights.

Perhaps not covered in your breakout at the DO, but some markets are indeed double catered ex-DEN

I'll ramp up the "strange situation." I got this message too .... but I'm not flying into or out of Denver for the foreseeable future. :-)

Agreed. I had the same experience yesterday YYZ - DEN on an E175 - and while the FA did appear OTT with the apologies, I felt his efforts were sincere and commendable and all passengers seemed in good spirits. As I had paid for my F ticket I did take the compensation, I was happy with what he offered.

Might have been a Health Department shut down? Am sure those kitchens are inspected from time to time?

We were probably on the same flight (I was in 2A). I'm not complaining about the FA being too apologetic, just that it was out of proportion to the problem. I'm so used to there not being meals these days that it wasn't that big of a deal to me.

I didn't ask - what was the compensation?

This was my thought...I wonder if the kitchen didn't pass an inspection?

The internet is our friend when it comes to finding such information. @:-)

The last publicly posted inspection was "limited" and from 2016. No violations were found then.

https://denvergov.org/restaurantinsp...ctionId=267297

Wouldn't we rather have a voucher to buy food rather than United's craptacular meal choices?

Or compensation?

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

The pilot would know when he/she came out to use lav and FA mentioned it. Might have been a conversation about catering status before/during boarding. Why would captain be precluded from having knowledge of catering issues on his/her flight?

Not sure why you don’t think ex-DEN meals can’t/aren’t sometimes double-catered. Some flights are. I can name HNL and OGG as two of them. I can also name other stations that double-cater mainline flights. Drinks and ice might be replenished for second flight that is food double-catered.

Since some flights are double-catered, your cart assertion is wrong.

Yes, same flight - 2D.

It varied per passenger - I was offered $125 voucher on a $688 ticket cost. The FA also offered, what I thought was 62,500 miles. If that was correct, then I made a mistake selecting $'s asked the FA later, who tried to switch but it was too late. It's possible I misheard him and that it was 6,250 miles but I don't think so. I know the person in front of me received $75 voucher. In the scheme of things, the flight was fine and most importantly on time as my connection was fairly tight.

Got same email for YYC-DEN tomorrow. I am pretty sure there is more than one caterer in Denver

Not that United contracts with. And getting a second contractor up to speed to serve that many meals is not a quick transition.