2021 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
Dec 31, 2021, 7:47 am
#721
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,582
I've found that about 50% of the time, the ice cream comes separately like 10 min after the initial tray comes out. I wait for the ice cream to arrive so I can take a photo of all the food undisturbed at once. I usually am one of the first to get my food and I usually let it sit so the frozen butter and bread can heat up and the overcooked entree can cool down. Sometimes I try to get creative with stacking this on top of eachother to transfer heat but sometimes this doesnt end up well. Anyways, depending on timing and how delayed the flight is, the ice cream is either had as a rock or a milkshake. In the former case, I appreciate getting it early to have more time for it to soften..
Dec 31, 2021, 10:31 am
#722
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE
Posts: 2,342
SCL-IAH Polaris meals December 2021
Recent Polaris meals in SCL-IAH. Options were described as beef “tenderloin”, salmon, or pasta. At least they said “salmon” and not just “fish.”
The salmon itself was Ok, the side of diced eggplant and green pepper was gross, the packaged roll was inedible, and dessert was a small stale brownie. Seems like UA is still ordering from the Premium Economy/Economy meal options at Intl outstations.
My travel companion picked the beef tenderloin (no photo) and wasn’t even sure it was beef. I’m told it tasted like acrid burnt plastic.
Breakfast options were described as an omelette or a spinach frittata. I asked for the omelette but received the frittata. I didn’t bother asking to have it replaced as I should have just declined breakfast altogether. The fruit was visibly rotting (brown corners on strawberries), and the children’s yogurt on the side was 99% sugar.
This was my first Polaris trip since February, 2020. I’d flown AC’s Intl biz earlier this year, and while AC’s meals are typically mediocre, they were still miles ahead of UA with separate appetizers and dessert, printed menus.
I love the Polaris seat, bedding, and lounge, but the food and service is just abysmal
Salmon for dinner; dessert was a stale brownie from the grocery store instead of the typical packaged ice cream
Breakfast. Asked for the omelette, received a spinach frittata.
The salmon itself was Ok, the side of diced eggplant and green pepper was gross, the packaged roll was inedible, and dessert was a small stale brownie. Seems like UA is still ordering from the Premium Economy/Economy meal options at Intl outstations.
My travel companion picked the beef tenderloin (no photo) and wasn’t even sure it was beef. I’m told it tasted like acrid burnt plastic.
Breakfast options were described as an omelette or a spinach frittata. I asked for the omelette but received the frittata. I didn’t bother asking to have it replaced as I should have just declined breakfast altogether. The fruit was visibly rotting (brown corners on strawberries), and the children’s yogurt on the side was 99% sugar.
This was my first Polaris trip since February, 2020. I’d flown AC’s Intl biz earlier this year, and while AC’s meals are typically mediocre, they were still miles ahead of UA with separate appetizers and dessert, printed menus.
I love the Polaris seat, bedding, and lounge, but the food and service is just abysmal
Salmon for dinner; dessert was a stale brownie from the grocery store instead of the typical packaged ice cream
Breakfast. Asked for the omelette, received a spinach frittata.
Jan 1, 2022, 1:52 am
#723
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: PVG
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Hilton Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 318
Dec 30 PVG-ICN-SFO
Boeing 777-300ER
From PVG to ICN there was a drink service with a package of decent nuts and dried cherries and cranberries.
Technical stop for crew change in ICN.
ICN to SFO
The flight attendant, a young Chinese gentleman, was so thoughtful and took pictures on his phone of ALL of the meal options, and went to each passenger to explain the meal options and ask for our choices for both first and second services while we were on the ground. SO appreciated given lack of menus!
I think they switched the meal order so the (ever so slightly) simpler meal (breakfast) was served first. It was about 2am Shanghai time when they served it so I was exhausted by that time, and think this was a good choice.
I was shocked that the other option for the 1st meal was identical to what I had PVG-SFO in Economy (not even Premium Plus) at the end of 2019 - a pork fried noodles with steamed bun on the side.
I chose the other option, a mushroom omelette. The beans were a bit hard, I don’t really care for Western sausages from China (a bit too over-processed for me), and the bacon was kind of the compressed ham-like bacon. Potatoes were good. Raisin muffin looks scary heated in that plastic bag, but was good.
Midflight, very small turkey and cheese sandwiches, Oreo wafers, and potato chips (basically what you get in the Economy class midflight snack bag) in the galley.
For the 2nd meal, the other options were a pork loin with side of potatoes, carrots and broccoli, or a gnocchi in tomato sauce.
I chose the stir-fried chicken with what I think was basil, and a ton of chili, garlic, and ginger. With egg fried rice . It was tasty but portion was quite small, taking out the garlic and ginger. Salad had kidney beans, corn, and shredded carrot. I’ve never seen it served in that shallow oval dish, only the round salad bowl before! Looks like a bountiful portion size but really just a single layer of lettuce. Served with oil and vinegar. Dessert was chocolate and walnut cake in the plastic bag.
Overall, I’m so thankful for United for actually running this flight (Delta was cancelling their SEA flights this week because they couldn’t adapt to new cleaning regulations in PVG), the service from that flight attendant was awesome, the purser thanked all 1Ks personally, and the seat was great as usual (slept a ton). But the food I must say was a rather disappointing (and meager) even with reduced expectations, and I’m usually pretty easy to please!
Boeing 777-300ER
From PVG to ICN there was a drink service with a package of decent nuts and dried cherries and cranberries.
Technical stop for crew change in ICN.
ICN to SFO
The flight attendant, a young Chinese gentleman, was so thoughtful and took pictures on his phone of ALL of the meal options, and went to each passenger to explain the meal options and ask for our choices for both first and second services while we were on the ground. SO appreciated given lack of menus!
I think they switched the meal order so the (ever so slightly) simpler meal (breakfast) was served first. It was about 2am Shanghai time when they served it so I was exhausted by that time, and think this was a good choice.
I was shocked that the other option for the 1st meal was identical to what I had PVG-SFO in Economy (not even Premium Plus) at the end of 2019 - a pork fried noodles with steamed bun on the side.
I chose the other option, a mushroom omelette. The beans were a bit hard, I don’t really care for Western sausages from China (a bit too over-processed for me), and the bacon was kind of the compressed ham-like bacon. Potatoes were good. Raisin muffin looks scary heated in that plastic bag, but was good.
Midflight, very small turkey and cheese sandwiches, Oreo wafers, and potato chips (basically what you get in the Economy class midflight snack bag) in the galley.
For the 2nd meal, the other options were a pork loin with side of potatoes, carrots and broccoli, or a gnocchi in tomato sauce.
I chose the stir-fried chicken with what I think was basil, and a ton of chili, garlic, and ginger. With egg fried rice . It was tasty but portion was quite small, taking out the garlic and ginger. Salad had kidney beans, corn, and shredded carrot. I’ve never seen it served in that shallow oval dish, only the round salad bowl before! Looks like a bountiful portion size but really just a single layer of lettuce. Served with oil and vinegar. Dessert was chocolate and walnut cake in the plastic bag.
Overall, I’m so thankful for United for actually running this flight (Delta was cancelling their SEA flights this week because they couldn’t adapt to new cleaning regulations in PVG), the service from that flight attendant was awesome, the purser thanked all 1Ks personally, and the seat was great as usual (slept a ton). But the food I must say was a rather disappointing (and meager) even with reduced expectations, and I’m usually pretty easy to please!
Jan 1, 2022, 2:10 am
#724
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: NGS
Programs: UA Silver, ANA MC, HH Diamond, Hyatt Discoverist, Bonvoy Plat, IHG Plat, Shangri-La GC, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,233
No kidding, it looks like the polymer molecules from the wrapper have seeped into the muffin, a really scary-looking thing to eat. It looks like a British take on breakfast with tomatoes and beans, which I rather like. Thanks for the photos.
Jan 1, 2022, 5:36 am
#725
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,043
Here is the new thread for 2022.
2022 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
Happy New Year, fellow FlyerTalkers!
2022 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
Happy New Year, fellow FlyerTalkers!
Jan 2, 2022, 8:44 pm
#726
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
My friend just flew AA DOMESTIC TCON for the first time and was showing me photos. Is it bad that when I saw the sundae (and was reminded of the old days) I briefly considered switching airlines?
Jan 2, 2022, 11:51 pm
#727
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Seoul
Programs: None anymore
Posts: 983
Dec 30 PVG-ICN-SFO
Boeing 777-300ER
From PVG to ICN there was a drink service with a package of decent nuts and dried cherries and cranberries.
Technical stop for crew change in ICN.
Overall, I’m so thankful for United for actually running this flight (Delta was cancelling their SEA flights this week because they couldn’t adapt to new cleaning regulations in PVG), the service from that flight attendant was awesome, the purser thanked all 1Ks personally, and the seat was great as usual (slept a ton). But the food I must say was a rather disappointing (and meager) even with reduced expectations, and I’m usually pretty easy to please!
Boeing 777-300ER
From PVG to ICN there was a drink service with a package of decent nuts and dried cherries and cranberries.
Technical stop for crew change in ICN.
Overall, I’m so thankful for United for actually running this flight (Delta was cancelling their SEA flights this week because they couldn’t adapt to new cleaning regulations in PVG), the service from that flight attendant was awesome, the purser thanked all 1Ks personally, and the seat was great as usual (slept a ton). But the food I must say was a rather disappointing (and meager) even with reduced expectations, and I’m usually pretty easy to please!
Jan 3, 2022, 2:58 am
#728
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .57 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,043
Pilots, too. UA doesn't want any of its crew to have to quarantine in Shanghai (PVG).
Jan 3, 2022, 2:58 am
#729
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,850
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Nov 29, 2022 at 8:35 pm