2018 Let's Eat - United First, United Business, & Premium Transcon Service
Jun 3, 2018, 10:22 am
#811
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: NZ *E
Posts: 346
I keep checking this thread to see if it's safe to book United again instead of potentially taking a connection on another carrier from SFO.... It seems not since nothing has improved
(The meal trickery feels like such a rip off so prefer to give my business to someone else if possible until they fix it)
(The meal trickery feels like such a rip off so prefer to give my business to someone else if possible until they fix it)
Jun 3, 2018, 12:29 pm
#812
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: Still trying to use my Continental OnePass miles...
Posts: 171
I keep checking this thread to see if it's safe to book United again instead of potentially taking a connection on another carrier from SFO.... It seems not since nothing has improved
(The meal trickery feels like such a rip off so prefer to give my business to someone else if possible until they fix it)
(The meal trickery feels like such a rip off so prefer to give my business to someone else if possible until they fix it)
Jun 3, 2018, 9:55 pm
#813
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,410
UA 2046: SFO to DCA
June 3, 2018
Boeing 757-300, Lunch
Honestly, I think more than anything else this meal taught me that it's not just the selection that has been cut with the catering, but really just the raw quality. Fortunately, it was by counterexample - I actually thoroughly enjoyed my lunch today, although it felt like the salad portion size had skipped down a notch.
The salad was amazingly not the "heap of spinach" disaster which seems to be taking over dining. In a hearkening back to the past, it was a nicely arrayed salad of mixed greens, strawberries, mandarins, and feta cheese. The only downside was that the dressing pairing seems to have become either random or "all balsamic all the time" - while okay, I don't think it was the greatest choice for the salad.
The main was a choice between the "beef with vegetables" and a "cheese ravioli". I usually avoid the vegetarian option, but I had been forewarned that blindly ordering the beef would yield the "beef bourguignon" which I've had several poor experiences with (it being basically like having a cheap beef stew emptied onto my plate and then cooked some more so the stew is gone). In light of this, I chose the ravioli and despite the vegetable-heavy presentation I was very pleasantly surprised. It could be the novelty talking, but I found it a very interesting combination of flavors (strongly lemon-y olive oil, red and yellow beets, onion, four cheese ravioli, and a few other things my FL350 tastebuds weren't up to identifying). My lasting impression of it was "wow, I haven't really enjoyed a meal on a domestic flight since 2016". So two thumbs up to the ravioli
Dessert was a lemon sorbet, up to the same tasty standard as always. Warm and delicious cookie was served on arrival. The DCA nonstop, 1A on the 753, a good meal and pleasant crew.. flights like this remind me why I do choose to fly UA.
Sadly, rumor has it that I've Snacked myself out of lobster mac on my way home this week. But good news for anyone doing a westbound TCON this month!
June 3, 2018
Boeing 757-300, Lunch
Honestly, I think more than anything else this meal taught me that it's not just the selection that has been cut with the catering, but really just the raw quality. Fortunately, it was by counterexample - I actually thoroughly enjoyed my lunch today, although it felt like the salad portion size had skipped down a notch.
The salad was amazingly not the "heap of spinach" disaster which seems to be taking over dining. In a hearkening back to the past, it was a nicely arrayed salad of mixed greens, strawberries, mandarins, and feta cheese. The only downside was that the dressing pairing seems to have become either random or "all balsamic all the time" - while okay, I don't think it was the greatest choice for the salad.
The main was a choice between the "beef with vegetables" and a "cheese ravioli". I usually avoid the vegetarian option, but I had been forewarned that blindly ordering the beef would yield the "beef bourguignon" which I've had several poor experiences with (it being basically like having a cheap beef stew emptied onto my plate and then cooked some more so the stew is gone). In light of this, I chose the ravioli and despite the vegetable-heavy presentation I was very pleasantly surprised. It could be the novelty talking, but I found it a very interesting combination of flavors (strongly lemon-y olive oil, red and yellow beets, onion, four cheese ravioli, and a few other things my FL350 tastebuds weren't up to identifying). My lasting impression of it was "wow, I haven't really enjoyed a meal on a domestic flight since 2016". So two thumbs up to the ravioli
Dessert was a lemon sorbet, up to the same tasty standard as always. Warm and delicious cookie was served on arrival. The DCA nonstop, 1A on the 753, a good meal and pleasant crew.. flights like this remind me why I do choose to fly UA.
Sadly, rumor has it that I've Snacked myself out of lobster mac on my way home this week. But good news for anyone doing a westbound TCON this month!
Jun 4, 2018, 5:18 am
#814
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Lifetime Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Radisson Premium
Posts: 6,638
If the snack was maybe warm nuts and a piece of cake, it may be better than the non-dressed lettuce leaf and dry chicken.
Jun 4, 2018, 2:10 pm
#815
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA 1K 25 years/2MM, Honors LT Diamond, AVIS & Hertz Prez Club
Posts: 4,753
SNA-EWR
Breakfast
737-700
2 June
The choices were French Toast or Huevos Rancheros. I opted for the eggs. This is identical to the eggs they offered ex-DEN to the west coast during the kitchen issue. A biscuit or cinnamon roll was offered.
So this coast to coast breakfast is what I used to get DEN-SFO before the cuts. Sad.
Breakfast
737-700
2 June
The choices were French Toast or Huevos Rancheros. I opted for the eggs. This is identical to the eggs they offered ex-DEN to the west coast during the kitchen issue. A biscuit or cinnamon roll was offered.
So this coast to coast breakfast is what I used to get DEN-SFO before the cuts. Sad.
Jun 4, 2018, 5:01 pm
#816
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Denver, Colorado
Programs: IHG Spire, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Titanium, Mileage Plus Gold
Posts: 1,736
LAX to DEN
757-300
Dinner: Chicken Salad or Burger
5/23/2018
757-300
Dinner: Chicken Salad or Burger
5/23/2018
Jun 4, 2018, 5:03 pm
#817
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Denver, Colorado
Programs: IHG Spire, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Titanium, Mileage Plus Gold
Posts: 1,736
DEN to LAX
737-900
Snack: Southwest Chicken Salad or Cheese Plate
6/2/2018
737-900
Snack: Southwest Chicken Salad or Cheese Plate
6/2/2018
Jun 4, 2018, 5:42 pm
#818
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Chicago IL US
Programs: UA 1K; National Executive Elite; Hertz PC & Hotels Galore
Posts: 946
Jun 4, 2018, 6:20 pm
#819
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Denver, Colorado
Programs: IHG Spire, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Titanium, Mileage Plus Gold
Posts: 1,736
Jun 4, 2018, 6:49 pm
#820
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP (AC), DL G (SC), Bonvoy LTP, & IHG AMB
Posts: 1,798
UA 790
ORD->BOS
Dinner
B739
happy to report choice of shrimp paella or chicken Cobb salad for this short flight. Clocks in at 2 hrs 21 minutes blocked time and one hour 48 minutes take off to touch down.
Mini TR: FA is kind of funny. During PDBs a customer ordered the white wine, FA replied, you’ll probably only want one glass. Another guy asked if she could take his jacket, she replied, “ only if you’re not wearing it, they kind of don’t like us taking clothes off a customers.” I love sarcasm though. Some might not.
ORD->BOS
Dinner
B739
happy to report choice of shrimp paella or chicken Cobb salad for this short flight. Clocks in at 2 hrs 21 minutes blocked time and one hour 48 minutes take off to touch down.
Mini TR: FA is kind of funny. During PDBs a customer ordered the white wine, FA replied, you’ll probably only want one glass. Another guy asked if she could take his jacket, she replied, “ only if you’re not wearing it, they kind of don’t like us taking clothes off a customers.” I love sarcasm though. Some might not.
Jun 4, 2018, 8:08 pm
#821
Moderator: Hawaii-based airlines & Hawai'i forums
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
Programs: NEXUS/Global Entry, Delta, United, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and Hertz
Posts: 18,037
Transcon Breakfast Hindu and Vegan Special Meals
UA1760 PDX-EWR (A320)
I have no idea what the dishes in the Hindu meal are named but it was a three-bean (kidney, lima, and garbanzo) curry, a baked pie filled with potatoes and peas, and a sweet mush.
The Vegan meal was a bowl of oatmeal, fruit cup, and orange juice.
I heard the standard offerings described as "Apple crepes" and "Southwestern Egg Scramble.:
I have no idea what the dishes in the Hindu meal are named but it was a three-bean (kidney, lima, and garbanzo) curry, a baked pie filled with potatoes and peas, and a sweet mush.
The Vegan meal was a bowl of oatmeal, fruit cup, and orange juice.
I heard the standard offerings described as "Apple crepes" and "Southwestern Egg Scramble.:
Jun 4, 2018, 8:53 pm
#822
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,460
UA 2046: SFO to DCA
June 3, 2018
Boeing 757-300, Lunch
Honestly, I think more than anything else this meal taught me that it's not just the selection that has been cut with the catering, but really just the raw quality. Fortunately, it was by counterexample - I actually thoroughly enjoyed my lunch today, although it felt like the salad portion size had skipped down a notch.
img
The salad was amazingly not the "heap of spinach" disaster which seems to be taking over dining. In a hearkening back to the past, it was a nicely arrayed salad of mixed greens, strawberries, mandarins, and feta cheese. The only downside was that the dressing pairing seems to have become either random or "all balsamic all the time" - while okay, I don't think it was the greatest choice for the salad.
The main was a choice between the "beef with vegetables" and a "cheese ravioli". I usually avoid the vegetarian option, but I had been forewarned that blindly ordering the beef would yield the "beef bourguignon" which I've had several poor experiences with (it being basically like having a cheap beef stew emptied onto my plate and then cooked some more so the stew is gone). In light of this, I chose the ravioli and despite the vegetable-heavy presentation I was very pleasantly surprised. It could be the novelty talking, but I found it a very interesting combination of flavors (strongly lemon-y olive oil, red and yellow beets, onion, four cheese ravioli, and a few other things my FL350 tastebuds weren't up to identifying). My lasting impression of it was "wow, I haven't really enjoyed a meal on a domestic flight since 2016". So two thumbs up to the ravioli
img
Dessert was a lemon sorbet, up to the same tasty standard as always. Warm and delicious cookie was served on arrival. The DCA nonstop, 1A on the 753, a good meal and pleasant crew.. flights like this remind me why I do choose to fly UA.
Sadly, rumor has it that I've Snacked myself out of lobster mac on my way home this week. But good news for anyone doing a westbound TCON this month!
June 3, 2018
Boeing 757-300, Lunch
Honestly, I think more than anything else this meal taught me that it's not just the selection that has been cut with the catering, but really just the raw quality. Fortunately, it was by counterexample - I actually thoroughly enjoyed my lunch today, although it felt like the salad portion size had skipped down a notch.
img
The salad was amazingly not the "heap of spinach" disaster which seems to be taking over dining. In a hearkening back to the past, it was a nicely arrayed salad of mixed greens, strawberries, mandarins, and feta cheese. The only downside was that the dressing pairing seems to have become either random or "all balsamic all the time" - while okay, I don't think it was the greatest choice for the salad.
The main was a choice between the "beef with vegetables" and a "cheese ravioli". I usually avoid the vegetarian option, but I had been forewarned that blindly ordering the beef would yield the "beef bourguignon" which I've had several poor experiences with (it being basically like having a cheap beef stew emptied onto my plate and then cooked some more so the stew is gone). In light of this, I chose the ravioli and despite the vegetable-heavy presentation I was very pleasantly surprised. It could be the novelty talking, but I found it a very interesting combination of flavors (strongly lemon-y olive oil, red and yellow beets, onion, four cheese ravioli, and a few other things my FL350 tastebuds weren't up to identifying). My lasting impression of it was "wow, I haven't really enjoyed a meal on a domestic flight since 2016". So two thumbs up to the ravioli
img
Dessert was a lemon sorbet, up to the same tasty standard as always. Warm and delicious cookie was served on arrival. The DCA nonstop, 1A on the 753, a good meal and pleasant crew.. flights like this remind me why I do choose to fly UA.
Sadly, rumor has it that I've Snacked myself out of lobster mac on my way home this week. But good news for anyone doing a westbound TCON this month!
Jun 5, 2018, 3:24 pm
#823
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP (AC), DL G (SC), Bonvoy LTP, & IHG AMB
Posts: 1,798
UA 790
ORD->BOS
Dinner
B739
happy to report choice of shrimp paella or chicken Cobb salad for this short flight. Clocks in at 2 hrs 21 minutes blocked time and one hour 48 minutes take off to touch down.
Mini TR: FA is kind of funny. During PDBs a customer ordered the white wine, FA replied, you’ll probably only want one glass. Another guy asked if she could take his jacket, she replied, “ only if you’re not wearing it, they kind of don’t like us taking clothes off a customers.” I love sarcasm though. Some might not.
ORD->BOS
Dinner
B739
happy to report choice of shrimp paella or chicken Cobb salad for this short flight. Clocks in at 2 hrs 21 minutes blocked time and one hour 48 minutes take off to touch down.
Mini TR: FA is kind of funny. During PDBs a customer ordered the white wine, FA replied, you’ll probably only want one glass. Another guy asked if she could take his jacket, she replied, “ only if you’re not wearing it, they kind of don’t like us taking clothes off a customers.” I love sarcasm though. Some might not.
It's been awhile since I had this dish, but I think it's pretty decent. I felt full after eating. Neighbor had the cobb salad which also looked substantial enough. The shrimp were actually tasty, and not rubbery, the rice had a decent spice, and the little chopped up breakfast sausages were alright. Second, service from FAs was very good, they hit all of the service marks: PDB, warm towel, warmed nuts with drink service, proactive offers for refills. As I might have mentioned elsewhere, this iteration of the meal policy brings UA in line with AA for the timing of this flight. All in all, nice performance by UA on this flight ^
Jun 7, 2018, 8:45 am
#824
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: MIA
Programs: AA EXP (AC), DL G (SC), Bonvoy LTP, & IHG AMB
Posts: 1,798
UA 439
BOS->ORD
Dinner
B738
Choice of Asian beef noodle salad (which was gone by the time the FA got to me in row 4) or the jambalaya. I guess I'm not picky because I like both dishes. Of note, the FA proactively offered to get snack boxes as a substitute for the meal and asked "do you want just the box or would you prefer it to be plated" to the pax in row 3. Haven't seen that one before. I went with the jambalaya because I didn't want to eat when I landed. Have to say, still pretty good. A little more spicy than the paella. Very good crew onboard, hit all the service elements: warm towel, warm nuts with drink service, offered blankets to pax, refills during and after meal time. Recent experiences with UA have me thinking UA might be my new carrier of choice between ORD and BOS: better schedule, better lounge, better service, etc. Washed the meal down with the Citradelic IPA. I'm really not a fan of New Belgium, or IPAs, but this is a great beer. The tangerine mellows the hops of the IPA. Old school B738 (Direct TVs still in the seatbacks) are definitely a bit gnarly, but the FAs made up for it. Kudos offered via Twitter.
BOS->ORD
Dinner
B738
Choice of Asian beef noodle salad (which was gone by the time the FA got to me in row 4) or the jambalaya. I guess I'm not picky because I like both dishes. Of note, the FA proactively offered to get snack boxes as a substitute for the meal and asked "do you want just the box or would you prefer it to be plated" to the pax in row 3. Haven't seen that one before. I went with the jambalaya because I didn't want to eat when I landed. Have to say, still pretty good. A little more spicy than the paella. Very good crew onboard, hit all the service elements: warm towel, warm nuts with drink service, offered blankets to pax, refills during and after meal time. Recent experiences with UA have me thinking UA might be my new carrier of choice between ORD and BOS: better schedule, better lounge, better service, etc. Washed the meal down with the Citradelic IPA. I'm really not a fan of New Belgium, or IPAs, but this is a great beer. The tangerine mellows the hops of the IPA. Old school B738 (Direct TVs still in the seatbacks) are definitely a bit gnarly, but the FAs made up for it. Kudos offered via Twitter.
Jun 7, 2018, 4:32 pm
#825
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
Whole-wheat rod roll is my second-favorite UA bread, after the pretzel roll.