seat38a

Based on what MatthewLAX wrote regarding the rollout of the domestic first meal preordering, it looks like the food is going to improve substantially from the current offerings.

• Ginseng chicken bowl
• Seared chicken
• Vegan chli
• Flat-iron streak

For LAX - ORD

I can really do without eating the buffalo mac and cheese on ALL of my segments.

narvik

If United really is suddenly going to "substantially" improve its meals, they will inevidably reduce any such improvement with a subsequent significant reduction in quality.

They just won't be able to help themselves....

findark

Most of those are already in the system and nothing too spectacular... I am also highly skeptical of anything called "Fit Fuel" as it seems a great excuse to cut out all forms of seasoning or flavor, and then hack back quantity until it's not a meal.

bocastephen

Given the Kirby way is to always offer something small while delivering a big screw at the same time, I highly doubt this will be a change we will like - I can see portions being cut substantially as a start. Honestly, I am surprised he didn't do away with hot food altogether on non-PS and non-NY/ORD flights and just offer a coach snack item to everyone in F. That is a change HE would like.

However, for current data points:

10/26 YYZ-DEN - choice of buffalo mac and cheese or field greens salad with chicken, served with a roll and carrot cake sliver
connecting to....
10/26 DEN-SNA - surprise! choice of buffalo mac and cheese or field greens salad with chicken, served with a roll and carrot cake sliver

I love the mac and cheese, but just couldn't do it twice in 3 hours.

I was very happy with the service, on the other hand - PDB served on both segments, friendly crew, and they came to me first, welcomed me onboard by name and took my meal order then the other 1K onboard before departure, then went front to back after departure for everyone else, which is how I prefer it be done.

findark

They tried to cut meal service from anything under 4 hours, but there was enough of a riot they rolled that back.

nexusCFX

I had the short rib meal on UA 459 YYZ-SFO on Sunday and it was the worst meal I've ever had on any flight. I could barely even cut through the beef. It was so tough that I wouldn't feed it to a dog. I know beef can be problematic on flights but the worst I've ever had previously was like A5 wagyu compared to this thing. The rice was also undercooked, and the whole thing was lukewarm which was also an issue for the man seated next to me.

The actual problem though is that they ran out of all other meals in J, and all hot food in Y. They could only give me some snack box thing that had some junk food. I had been rushing so I didn't have time to eat on the ground so I was pretty hungry and upset, but the crew did all they could given the crummy situation.

Wrote in, got offered $200 voucher which seems pretty good for a $531 Z class ticket. I emailed back asking if they could do 20k miles instead and they said sure. Just going to bump to 25k miles and book AC's lie flats on the route for next time. Sorry UA.

I saw above that UA claims food is going to improve. I'll definitely try UA again some time on this route if it does and the price is right as it's priced similarly to AC's premium economy product but with slightly better seats and better FA attentiveness. I'll probably make sure I have time for a proper meal before departure though.

dilanesp

If there's a short connection between those two flights, I see no reason to eat twice no matter what they are serving.

bocastephen

Wasn't that many years ago? Before the merger - and I remember the old United trying a BOB option for first class that lasted awhile. Of course that was all before 8 airlines became 3, and I don't think Kirby would care if there was a riot - the Baldanza Method he follows thrives on that kind of customer insult.

fumje

Maybe they did try many years ago, but they did try (again?) about two years ago. It wasn't really communicated officially, and the rollback was also quiet.

findark

Yes I'm talking about early 2018 (?) as the tail end of the general wave of cuts that sent midcons to hot/cold option (from two hot), transcons to two hot (from three), eliminated sorbets, and significantly reduced the occurrence of the cookie.

tylerdurden4543

Hi all,

I'm considering an upcoming MIA/FLL/PBI-ORD flight scheduled for 3 hours 19 mins. departing at 12:30pm. According to United.com this should be a full meal with two choices of entree but the reservation screen says Snack. Any idea which is right and if it's a snack, what that consists of?

Thanks!
Tyler

findark

Something like this or similar. Contrary to the purported policy, UA does not use the scheduled flight duration for meal standards (it's something much closer to distance).. you should pretty much always trust what it says for your particular flight.

CApreppie

EWR-MCO dinner flight. Pre-departure drink. Warm nuts. Choice of Thai beef noodle salad or buffalo chicken and cauliflower. Have to say it was pretty good, but it could have used another slice or two of beef. The beef was definitely on the medium rare side which was fine for me. The buffalo chicken and cauliflower looked like stew. The First Class FA was quite attentive and friendly. Kudos.

tylerdurden4543

Thanks!

Longboater

Does anyone know when the pre-ordering will become available? I see on the website, pre-orders will be available beginning 5 days before the flight until 24 hours. Also, any chance we’ll be able to pre-order “snack” for a morning and/or afternoon flight?