Discussion of the Quality of UA's In-Flight Meals
Feb 26, 2020, 11:57 am
#241
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
Different strokes, for different folks. Both are traditional European meals, high quality ingredients from the photos, and things will likely all taste good. Note the Cappuccino with breakfast. (and that these are TATL flights, so not even ULH). This said, there are certainly some folks who are happy with a starch and small piece of low quality meat, and a head lettuce salad and some $10 wine. My best friend in high school's parents thought that the top of the world was Luby's and they had no interest in eating anything else, anything beyond Luby's was quickly dismissed.
The problem is that people flying in J are probably mostly folks who would not want to eat at Luby's, and prefer something a little more interesting and adventuresome when traveling, or at least traditional food that is of much higher quality.
The problem is that people flying in J are probably mostly folks who would not want to eat at Luby's, and prefer something a little more interesting and adventuresome when traveling, or at least traditional food that is of much higher quality.
I don't get this at all. It's business class. A product pitched to people who have work to do. The food should be decent, but really, I would never expect five star restaurant food in business class. I might expect it in international first where the ticket is $6,000 one way or something, but not in business class. I want to work, and sleep, and eat decently and quickly.
Also- and this is related- I don't think "fine" food is on a different plane than most food. I have had Waygu beef- and it is only a tiny bit better than typical beef. I have had $200 wine- and I can't even tell the difference from $10 wine.
If someone has a hobby of loving fine food, there are tons of restaurants on the ground to pursue that hobby. But it's just that- a hobby. There isn't some inherent superiority to fine food, a point you note. And business class on an airline doesn't have to cater to that hobby.
If you guys all quit United over that, fine..More availability for me.
Feb 26, 2020, 12:29 pm
#242
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I don't get this at all. It's business class. A product pitched to people who have work to do. The food should be decent, but really, I would never expect five star restaurant food in business class. I might expect it in international first where the ticket is $6,000 one way or something, but not in business class. I want to work, and sleep, and eat decently and quickly.
Also- and this is related- I don't think "fine" food is on a different plane than most food. I have had Waygu beef- and it is only a tiny bit better than typical beef. I have had $200 wine- and I can't even tell the difference from $10 wine.
If someone has a hobby of loving fine food, there are tons of restaurants on the ground to pursue that hobby. But it's just that- a hobby. There isn't some inherent superiority to fine food, a point you note. And business class on an airline doesn't have to cater to that hobby.
If you guys all quit United over that, fine..More availability for me.
I don't get this at all. It's business class. A product pitched to people who have work to do. The food should be decent, but really, I would never expect five star restaurant food in business class. I might expect it in international first where the ticket is $6,000 one way or something, but not in business class. I want to work, and sleep, and eat decently and quickly.
Also- and this is related- I don't think "fine" food is on a different plane than most food. I have had Waygu beef- and it is only a tiny bit better than typical beef. I have had $200 wine- and I can't even tell the difference from $10 wine.
If someone has a hobby of loving fine food, there are tons of restaurants on the ground to pursue that hobby. But it's just that- a hobby. There isn't some inherent superiority to fine food, a point you note. And business class on an airline doesn't have to cater to that hobby.
If you guys all quit United over that, fine..More availability for me.
Feb 26, 2020, 2:15 pm
#243
Join Date: Dec 2014
Programs: UA GS ,QF Plat
Posts: 686
I disagree and you are missing the point , business class is pitched at people traveling for business, it is not a flying office , I do and have done many long hauls without doing any work because I have been or will be running around a region doing 60/70 hours a week while there.Sometimes the food I get is the only food I have had in hours and when I have paid $7/8000 for a ticket I want good quality.It is also pitched heavily as a luxury travel product and is for some perhaps a significant component of a once in a lifetime travel experience. The theme of the thread is not that it needs to be five star (I would take 3 from the current 1)it is that it is bad and getting worse as part of a deliberate strategy by UA management to further cheapen an already shoddy food product.
Feb 26, 2020, 2:25 pm
#244
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Join Date: Aug 2003
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I’m not really sure why having work to do and having good food have to be mutually exclusive for you. As has been noted by many here, there are hundreds of other airlines out there that manage to do both. One shouldn’t need to fly in F to enjoy a palatable meal, especially when many of the J tickets being sold by UA are well over $6000.
What is there to debate?
Feb 26, 2020, 2:30 pm
#245
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I disagree and you are missing the point , business class is pitched at people traveling for business, it is not a flying office , I do and have done many long hauls without doing any work because I have been or will be running around a region doing 60/70 hours a week while there.Sometimes the food I get is the only food I have had in hours and when I have paid $7/8000 for a ticket I want good quality.It is also pitched heavily as a luxury travel product and is for some perhaps a significant component of a once in a lifetime travel experience. The theme of the thread is not that it needs to be five star (I would take 3 from the current 1)it is that it is bad and getting worse as part of a deliberate strategy by UA management to further cheapen an already shoddy food product.
Feb 26, 2020, 2:57 pm
#246
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
I don't get this at all. It's business class. A product pitched to people who have work to do. The food should be decent, but really, I would never expect five star restaurant food in business class. I might expect it in international first where the ticket is $6,000 one way or something, but not in business class. I want to work, and sleep, and eat decently and quickly.
Also- and this is related- I don't think "fine" food is on a different plane than most food. I have had Waygu beef- and it is only a tiny bit better than typical beef. I have had $200 wine- and I can't even tell the difference from $10 wine.
If someone has a hobby of loving fine food, there are tons of restaurants on the ground to pursue that hobby. But it's just that- a hobby. There isn't some inherent superiority to fine food, a point you note. And business class on an airline doesn't have to cater to that hobby.
If you guys all quit United over that, fine..More availability for me.
I don't get this at all. It's business class. A product pitched to people who have work to do. The food should be decent, but really, I would never expect five star restaurant food in business class. I might expect it in international first where the ticket is $6,000 one way or something, but not in business class. I want to work, and sleep, and eat decently and quickly.
Also- and this is related- I don't think "fine" food is on a different plane than most food. I have had Waygu beef- and it is only a tiny bit better than typical beef. I have had $200 wine- and I can't even tell the difference from $10 wine.
If someone has a hobby of loving fine food, there are tons of restaurants on the ground to pursue that hobby. But it's just that- a hobby. There isn't some inherent superiority to fine food, a point you note. And business class on an airline doesn't have to cater to that hobby.
If you guys all quit United over that, fine..More availability for me.
In addition, as others have said, it seems quite off-topic in a thread discussing the quality of UA food to keep asserting over and over and over that the quality of UA food doesn't matter and that travelers shouldn't care. Obviously the travelers posting actual opinions about the quality of UA food on this thread do care, so maybe find a thread with a topic of greater personal interest?
Feb 26, 2020, 3:18 pm
#247
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I will say, I think I am required to take all of UA_Flyer's posts with a grain of salt though, as the quality of the photography is so high it can make almost any meal look amazing
Feb 26, 2020, 3:20 pm
#248
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: 6 year GS, now 2MM Jeff-ugee, *wood LTPlt, SkyPeso PLT
Posts: 6,526
I don't get this at all. It's business class. A product pitched to people who have work to do. The food should be decent, but really, I would never expect five star restaurant food in business class. I might expect it in international first where the ticket is $6,000 one way or something, but not in business class. I want to work, and sleep, and eat decently and quickly.
... I have had Waygu beef- and it is only a tiny bit better than typical beef. I have had $200 wine- and I can't even tell the difference from $10 wine.
I don't get this at all. It's business class. A product pitched to people who have work to do. The food should be decent, but really, I would never expect five star restaurant food in business class. I might expect it in international first where the ticket is $6,000 one way or something, but not in business class. I want to work, and sleep, and eat decently and quickly.
... I have had Waygu beef- and it is only a tiny bit better than typical beef. I have had $200 wine- and I can't even tell the difference from $10 wine.
And oh, having expresso availble is a big part of that - something UA lacks.
But you give the game away, if a $10 wine tastes the same as a $200 wine, then this discussion is lost on you. Most J passagners' can, and they can also tell the difference between a $10 wine and a $25+ wine, which is what the competiton is serving. As to Wagu, no one is expecting that, but most Americans can tell the difference between a decent cut of steak (the old filet) and a cheap cut like UA serves. Most american's also can tell the difference between a well presented meal and a bunch of slop on a single tray.
But power to you if $10 wine is just as good for you as $25+ wine on a $6-12K RT J ticket...
Feb 26, 2020, 8:53 pm
#249
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My apology! The overhead light (above my seat) was not working on the Swiss Air flight, so I had to use the reading spot light, which was harsh lighting for meal photos.
The meals were tasty and not bland at all, and looked a lot better than shown in my photos.
You are embarrassing me, because I cannot make UA meals look average (from bad).
The meals were tasty and not bland at all, and looked a lot better than shown in my photos.
You are embarrassing me, because I cannot make UA meals look average (from bad).
Feb 26, 2020, 9:48 pm
#250
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My apology! The overhead light (above my seat) was not working on the Swiss Air flight, so I had to use the reading spot light, which was harsh lighting for meal photos.
The meals were tasty and not bland at all, and looked a lot better than shown in my photos.
You are embarrassing me, because I cannot make UA meals look average (from bad).
The meals were tasty and not bland at all, and looked a lot better than shown in my photos.
You are embarrassing me, because I cannot make UA meals look average (from bad).
Feb 27, 2020, 2:06 am
#251
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,605
But you give the game away, if a $10 wine tastes the same as a $200 wine, then this discussion is lost on you. Most J passagners' can, and they can also tell the difference between a $10 wine and a $25+ wine, which is what the competiton is serving. As to Wagu, no one is expecting that, but most Americans can tell the difference between a decent cut of steak (the old filet) and a cheap cut like UA serves. Most american's also can tell the difference between a well presented meal and a bunch of slop on a single tray.
Feb 27, 2020, 4:43 am
#252
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(I think the problem lay in the food preparation rather than the photography quality.)
Feb 27, 2020, 5:47 am
#253
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But you give the game away, if a $10 wine tastes the same as a $200 wine, then this discussion is lost on you. Most J passagners' can, and they can also tell the difference between a $10 wine and a $25+ wine, which is what the competiton is serving. As to Wagu, no one is expecting that, but most Americans can tell the difference between a decent cut of steak (the old filet) and a cheap cut like UA serves. Most american's also can tell the difference between a well presented meal and a bunch of slop on a single tray.
Feb 27, 2020, 7:34 am
#254
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You can’t make ugly ducks look like swans....
Feb 27, 2020, 8:37 am
#255
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Amex Cent, DE Plat, UA1K, Globalist, etc.
Posts: 31
Agree w all here
Cafeteria food in Polaris is pretty correct so I eat on the ground or bring food. I take the setups.
I also carry a small bottle of hot sauce and packets of condiments.
Years ago I was flying Continental and the pilot made a cabin announcement, “I know we are having chicken today because I heard a flight attendant say it was fowl”. Well nothing has changed!
Even on Austrian, the schnitzel is soggy. So while there may be exceptions, they are not the rule.
My offhand advice to United is to keep the food simple, nutritious and healthy - we’d appreciate organic items and perhaps some condiments. I have no illusions that anything will change however.
I also carry a small bottle of hot sauce and packets of condiments.
Years ago I was flying Continental and the pilot made a cabin announcement, “I know we are having chicken today because I heard a flight attendant say it was fowl”. Well nothing has changed!
Even on Austrian, the schnitzel is soggy. So while there may be exceptions, they are not the rule.
My offhand advice to United is to keep the food simple, nutritious and healthy - we’d appreciate organic items and perhaps some condiments. I have no illusions that anything will change however.