Jan 21, 2019, 2:25 pm
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
May 24, 2019, 12:32 am
#541
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: SFO
Programs: United 1MM GS, Marriott Platinum Elite, Hilton Diamond, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 283
No food pictures, only menus.
Main meal choices
Arrival meal choices
Wine choices.
I had the short rib, which was very good. Service was very good if a little rushed. Champagne was Lanson, but I couldn't see if it was vintage or not. I asked what reds were available (for the beef), and was told a Malbec, the Colby Red Blend and a cab. I asked for the cab, have no idea what it was other than a total fruit bomb.
I slept the rest of the flight so no idea what the snacks were or how he arrival dishes were.
Main meal choices
Arrival meal choices
Wine choices.
I had the short rib, which was very good. Service was very good if a little rushed. Champagne was Lanson, but I couldn't see if it was vintage or not. I asked what reds were available (for the beef), and was told a Malbec, the Colby Red Blend and a cab. I asked for the cab, have no idea what it was other than a total fruit bomb.
I slept the rest of the flight so no idea what the snacks were or how he arrival dishes were.
May 24, 2019, 11:43 am
#542
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: DL, UA
Posts: 60
That’s like saying the seat was comfortable but the cabin was dirty so who cares? I get the point you’re making, I suppose, but mine is that UA is marketing and selling Polaris as a premium product yet they don’t treat it like one. Why not just serve meals on a one and done plastic tray? Or use plastic flatware - you can still eat with it so who cares what it’s made of? Why not take a page from the old US Airways and use plastic glasses in F? You can still drink out of them so who cares what they’re made of?
It’s odd to me how we here in America now seem so quick to accept declining standards and subpar service. Shrug it off, who cares? If we paid a lessened price, perhaps, but when paying for a premium product, whether with money or miles, you should get a level of service and attention to details commensurate with what it costs, I don’t expect a Motel 6 to be like a Ritz, but I sure as heck do not accept a Ritz charging Ritz prices but delivering a product with Motel 6 touches.
It’s odd to me how we here in America now seem so quick to accept declining standards and subpar service. Shrug it off, who cares? If we paid a lessened price, perhaps, but when paying for a premium product, whether with money or miles, you should get a level of service and attention to details commensurate with what it costs, I don’t expect a Motel 6 to be like a Ritz, but I sure as heck do not accept a Ritz charging Ritz prices but delivering a product with Motel 6 touches.
May 24, 2019, 12:31 pm
#543
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: DEN/OGG
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 1,482
Just had the Hamburger Wellington on UA 181 FRA-DEN pre arrival meal. Jimmy Dean? Tiny hamburger patty in puff pastry. Condiments were ketchup, mustard, and butter.
Salad comprised of 3 tiny Mozzarella balls and 4 tiny Tomatoes. UA Polaris experience is on a fast decline.
Had the halibut as first meal and it was inedible.
Salad comprised of 3 tiny Mozzarella balls and 4 tiny Tomatoes. UA Polaris experience is on a fast decline.
Had the halibut as first meal and it was inedible.
May 24, 2019, 12:54 pm
#544
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Just had the Hamburger Wellington on UA 181 FRA-DEN pre arrival meal. Jimmy Dean? Tiny hamburger patty in puff pastry. Condiments were ketchup, mustard, and butter.
Salad comprised of 3 tiny Mozzarella balls and 4 tiny Tomatoes. UA Polaris experience is on a fast decline.
Had the halibut as first meal and it was inedible.
Salad comprised of 3 tiny Mozzarella balls and 4 tiny Tomatoes. UA Polaris experience is on a fast decline.
Had the halibut as first meal and it was inedible.
May 24, 2019, 1:17 pm
#545
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: BA Bronze, United 1K, HH Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,477
If they can serve an omelet for an 8:00 PM arrival at HKG they should be able to serve them on that flight. Last year, the Southwest omelet was my Thanksgiving dinner.
May 24, 2019, 5:31 pm
#546
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
That’s like saying the seat was comfortable but the cabin was dirty so who cares? I get the point you’re making, I suppose, but mine is that UA is marketing and selling Polaris as a premium product yet they don’t treat it like one. Why not just serve meals on a one and done plastic tray? Or use plastic flatware - you can still eat with it so who cares what it’s made of? Why not take a page from the old US Airways and use plastic glasses in F? You can still drink out of them so who cares what they’re made of?
It’s odd to me how we here in America now seem so quick to accept declining standards and subpar service. Shrug it off, who cares? If we paid a lessened price, perhaps, but when paying for a premium product, whether with money or miles, you should get a level of service and attention to details commensurate with what it costs, I don’t expect a Motel 6 to be like a Ritz, but I sure as heck do not accept a Ritz charging Ritz prices but delivering a product with Motel 6 touches.
It’s odd to me how we here in America now seem so quick to accept declining standards and subpar service. Shrug it off, who cares? If we paid a lessened price, perhaps, but when paying for a premium product, whether with money or miles, you should get a level of service and attention to details commensurate with what it costs, I don’t expect a Motel 6 to be like a Ritz, but I sure as heck do not accept a Ritz charging Ritz prices but delivering a product with Motel 6 touches.
But plastic dinnerware? Serving on one plate instead of two? I am sorry, that's purely psychological.
May 24, 2019, 7:50 pm
#547
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 139
I had both the Halibut and the Hamburger Sphere on FRA-SFO last week. The halibut was so fishy/off in taste that I couldn't finish it. I think I'll have to stop ordering the fish post-catering downgrade as it's really not a protein that has been figured out with the one temperature to rule them all preparation. In general, I'm finding that only the chicken in liquid prep survives this step of prep towards offering nutritional pucks in lieu of a meal that is the next eventual downgrade. Unfortunately chicken in liquid (ginseng/broth/coconut milk/etc.) wasn't available on this particular flight.
The hamburger sphere was weird but I somewhat enjoyed it. I'd love to meet the person that invented this feat of science. I may have been delirious after the long ride.
It doesn't seem like the wine program matches the menu or any direction these days. A random selection of cheap wines was offered on my flight and the menu offerings were not available. The FA's were reluctant to show or mention which wines they had, instead offering the varietal with no other details. I shouldn't have bothered them with the question, I suppose.
The hamburger sphere was weird but I somewhat enjoyed it. I'd love to meet the person that invented this feat of science. I may have been delirious after the long ride.
It doesn't seem like the wine program matches the menu or any direction these days. A random selection of cheap wines was offered on my flight and the menu offerings were not available. The FA's were reluctant to show or mention which wines they had, instead offering the varietal with no other details. I shouldn't have bothered them with the question, I suppose.
May 26, 2019, 1:11 pm
#548
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: EWR, PHL
Programs: UA1k 3MM, AA Plt, peasant on everybody else, elite something or other at a bunch of hotels.
Posts: 4,637
Do anyone know what are UA's requirements for an FA to work a premium cabin? Are there any other than standard FA training? First world problem, but I once had an FA serve me white wine instead of the requested champagne because she saw the word "Champy" on the label and assumed is was champagne. I don't know if she just didn't notice the lack of bubbles or didn't know. (But as a white wine for United, it wasn't bad!
)
May 26, 2019, 1:27 pm
#549
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
EWR-EZE 25 May 763 Seat 5A
Good crew. The captain's Spanish was cute. Went with the spicy chicken even though I'm a bit tired of it because the alternative is to risk another casserole-dish fiasco. (I guess the pasta option might not have been pre-plated but I had already had a lot of the tasty tortellini arrabiata in the Polaris Lounge). Did not get a look at the champagne but it was tasty. The spicy southwestern omelet always delivers.
May 26, 2019, 6:32 pm
#550
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Posts: 11,468
Just had the Hamburger Wellington on UA 181 FRA-DEN pre arrival meal. Jimmy Dean? Tiny hamburger patty in puff pastry. Condiments were ketchup, mustard, and butter.
Salad comprised of 3 tiny Mozzarella balls and 4 tiny Tomatoes. UA Polaris experience is on a fast decline.
Had the halibut as first meal and it was inedible.
Salad comprised of 3 tiny Mozzarella balls and 4 tiny Tomatoes. UA Polaris experience is on a fast decline.
Had the halibut as first meal and it was inedible.
The app was a good chicken terrine - a welcome change to the regular offerings.
I passed on the hamburger, instead had the FA serve a 2x-size of the hot bites item, which turned out to be a tasty chili. Still not as great as the beef stew & spaetzle used to be.
The champagne was a nice 2008 (IIRC) vintage Piper. OTOH, the red wine offerings were really subpar.
May 26, 2019, 10:56 pm
#551
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,581
It doesn't seem like the wine program matches the menu or any direction these days. A random selection of cheap wines was offered on my flight and the menu offerings were not available. The FA's were reluctant to show or mention which wines they had, instead offering the varietal with no other details. I shouldn't have bothered them with the question, I suppose.
May 27, 2019, 12:52 am
#552
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,453
Those airlines all have a single international hub (excepting SK with three smallish ones, ARN, CPH and OSL), so UA's task is more complicated.
May 27, 2019, 1:26 am
#553
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: UA-1K MM, AA-Gold, DL-Silver, AS-MVP
Posts: 2,508
Agree that it's more complicated for UA due to the complexities of multiple hubs and delivering consistency. But SQ is still able to deliver a high quality meal (but no BTC) ex-EWR goes to show that UA just isn't trying very hard. But since I value seat more than food, I can live with the mediocre UA food on-board and eat in the Polaris lounge instead.
May 27, 2019, 1:37 am
#554
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,159
For me, it just shows a lack of effort and will, plus general slonbines in procurement and logistics.
Out of curiosity, has anyone heard this mentioned as a problem for Delta or AA? Might be more comparable operations.
May 27, 2019, 1:38 am
#555
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,581
I had to pick an old scab, but before the merger they didn’t seem to have a problem boarding the wine that was advertised.