Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Related threads
2019 Let's Eat - United First, United Business, & Premium Transcon Service
2019 Let's Eat - Economy Class (Domestic & International)
And the 2018 thread is here: 2018 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
2019 Let's Eat - United First, United Business, & Premium Transcon Service
2019 Let's Eat - Economy Class (Domestic & International)
And the 2018 thread is here: 2018 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
2019 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
#211
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
Programs: UA Global Services 3.2 MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 2,505
Just a small nitpick -- that's the lemongrass chicken, which I had on FRA-SFO today. As your picture evidences, it too is being plated on board, and remains in the old style crockery. This means that there's really little change in the dining service for me, because this and the Thai chicken are what I'm always ordering anyway.
#212
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,454
Just to defend myself here, my United Polaris Dining: The Sad New State Of Affairs (blog) story got over 70K views. People do care...
Let's see if United maintains the status quo in hopes that our expectations just get dulled further.
Let's see if United maintains the status quo in hopes that our expectations just get dulled further.
#213
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Global Services 1MM,, AA Exec Plat. Hilton Honors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 606
We need to all write in about these changes! The more we write in, the more likely they are to listen to feedback and make improvements.
United’s revenue based accrual system is killing their competition, and yet another reason UA can charge higher prices and attract loyalty. 75k redeemable miles on most intl biz tickets is much preferred to 15-20k on star alliance and other competitors.
United’s revenue based accrual system is killing their competition, and yet another reason UA can charge higher prices and attract loyalty. 75k redeemable miles on most intl biz tickets is much preferred to 15-20k on star alliance and other competitors.
#214
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 129
It doesn’t appear that there are any meal changes at all. Just the way they are plated. I don’t mind at all having one less set of hands touching the food.
#215
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
Maybe I misunderstood the changes: the difference is the way the meals are cooked. I thought that now the whole dish is cooked at the same time which means that some parts of it might get overcooked. Anyway, my next Polaris flights is one month away so then I'll figure for myself what the changes are all about.
#216
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA*Lifetime GS, Hyatt* Lifetime Globalist
Posts: 12,336
Just to defend myself here, my United Polaris Dining: The Sad New State Of Affairs (blog) story got over 70K views. People do care...
Let's see if United maintains the status quo in hopes that our expectations just get dulled further.
Let's see if United maintains the status quo in hopes that our expectations just get dulled further.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 20, 2019 at 8:32 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
#217
#218
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 112
I fly for a living but am not a United employee. I just fly on them a lot to get to and from work. I’m on a layover in Asia at a hotel where United crews layover. Some common layover hotels have areas set aside for aircrew to hang out and I happened to hear a group of United flight attendants discussing the topic of this thread. I didn’t listen long, but I didn’t need to. They are professionals, and they are really frustrated with the state of Polaris service. They call the serving dishes “dog bowls”. They think the food looks disgusting. In short, the changes are having a very negative impact on their morale. That’s a real shame because for most passengers, the flight attendants are the face of an airline. When they aren’t happy, the culture of the entire airline, from a passenger perspective, takes a hit.
I also happen to fly on Emirates a lot. Usually in first class. The hard and soft product on Emirates is really hard to compete with. However, Emirates treats its flight crews poorly. They work long hours and have shorter layovers than most international airline crews. They are understaffed in the front and the back. And guess what... on a long flight with a less than full passenger load, it isn’t uncommon for flight attendents and passengers to chat. And after a bit of small talk, conversations turn to lifestyles and those trained professional aircrew let the veil down just a bit. When passengers start realizing the crews on their airplanes are tired, frustrated and looking for a new job, that hurts the bottom line of an airline. You start to see signs of it in little and large things during a flight. Tired employees get irritable. That’s human nature. And employees who aren’t proud of the service they are providing stop caring about it. Simply human nature, and an absolute killer for a service oriented business.
Frankly, I don’t expect gourmet food on an airplane. I actually think most of the discussions about food on this website are silly. If there isn’t an actual chef cooking fresh ingredients over an open flame, you’re basically getting an old fashioned TV dinner. So I don’t expect fine cousine. But even a TV dinner can be presented in such a way that it looks a little better than it tastes. And when the people serving it are embarrassed by what they are serving, the net effect matters more than the quality of the food. I get why United is exploring ways to improve their bottom line. I’m a die hard capitalist. But I also know that if your workers aren’t happy, you start losing customers. Happens everytime. And guess what United...I think you’ve crossed a line you’re going to regret crossing. Nobody at the frontlines of your business is happy with the changes. It’s very noticeable. And at some point, it’s going to start costing more than it saves.
I also happen to fly on Emirates a lot. Usually in first class. The hard and soft product on Emirates is really hard to compete with. However, Emirates treats its flight crews poorly. They work long hours and have shorter layovers than most international airline crews. They are understaffed in the front and the back. And guess what... on a long flight with a less than full passenger load, it isn’t uncommon for flight attendents and passengers to chat. And after a bit of small talk, conversations turn to lifestyles and those trained professional aircrew let the veil down just a bit. When passengers start realizing the crews on their airplanes are tired, frustrated and looking for a new job, that hurts the bottom line of an airline. You start to see signs of it in little and large things during a flight. Tired employees get irritable. That’s human nature. And employees who aren’t proud of the service they are providing stop caring about it. Simply human nature, and an absolute killer for a service oriented business.
Frankly, I don’t expect gourmet food on an airplane. I actually think most of the discussions about food on this website are silly. If there isn’t an actual chef cooking fresh ingredients over an open flame, you’re basically getting an old fashioned TV dinner. So I don’t expect fine cousine. But even a TV dinner can be presented in such a way that it looks a little better than it tastes. And when the people serving it are embarrassed by what they are serving, the net effect matters more than the quality of the food. I get why United is exploring ways to improve their bottom line. I’m a die hard capitalist. But I also know that if your workers aren’t happy, you start losing customers. Happens everytime. And guess what United...I think you’ve crossed a line you’re going to regret crossing. Nobody at the frontlines of your business is happy with the changes. It’s very noticeable. And at some point, it’s going to start costing more than it saves.
#220
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: Mileage Plus Global Services 2MM
Posts: 1,201
After reading this thread I fully expected to be treated like I was back in steerage on a u.s. transport plane during my stint in the Navy. Much to my surprise, flight number 29 from San Fran to Singapore was a great flight. Flight attendants were attentive, knew they had some obstacles to overcome with losing one of the mid-galley crew members, but handled it perfectly. Service took slightly longer than normal since I was sitting in the mini cabin in row 6. That said the food quality and quantity was undisturbed and the overall experience was what I experience prior to February 1. Bottom line, other than the two screaming children in the aisle adjacent to me, the 17-hour flight was just as I had experienced it the prior five years. So that covers both Polaris and pre Polaris. Again, maybe I just had a good crew but it was Much Ado About Nothing from my perspective. That's just one data to point, I still have to fly home!
#221
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: UA GS ,QF Plat
Posts: 686
Frankly, I don’t expect gourmet food on an airplane. I actually think most of the discussions about food on this website are silly. If there isn’t an actual chef cooking fresh ingredients over an open flame, you’re basically getting an old fashioned TV dinner. So I don’t expect fine cuisine. .
On the main topic of food/service there are many people on this site who have flown long enough to know that you used to get close to gourmet food and choice for the top $ paid to be in the front of the plane and looked fowrard to what was being served, not fear it. Life was not always a tv dinner and they can do way better than they do today
#222
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: IAH, SGN, BKK
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 396
My fish was good, but it really became a fish stew in that bowl instead of fish accompanied by vegetables.
#223
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Mileage Plus 1K; Marriott Platinum; Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,355
Perhaps Cioppino will make a comeback on the Polaris menu? They should serve dishes that match their new plating capabilities.
#224
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Honolulu Harbor
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 15,023
#225
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: JAX
Programs: United Lifetime 1K, Global Service, Marriott LTTE, Hyatt GLobalist, AA MM,Hertz PC, Global Entry
Posts: 110
Nut dish is only half full all the time and I want my Filet back. Tired of the ribs.
Lot of food allergies so the beef without sauce is always safe.
Lot of food allergies so the beef without sauce is always safe.