2021 Let's Eat - Polaris Business
 

COVID-19 meal changes are posted here:
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...g-changes.html

This thread is for the following all flights marketed as Polaris Business. In general, this includes

• Most Trans-Atlantic flights
• Trans-Pacific flights (except to/from Guam)
• South American flights to Brazil, Argentina, and Chile only.

Don't forget to post the date and route information along with the meal information! https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/imag...lies/smile.gif

Here's United's official page on this category of Polaris dining:
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/dining/business.html

For the curious folks, the 2020 thread is here:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...-business.html

With that, Let's Eat 2021!

Just note that pre-arrival Polaris meals are supposed to improve this month (starting today) so I'd be curious for any first-hand reports.

Shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish

UA149
EWR-GRU
Boeing 787-9 with new Polaris seats
Meal: Dinner, breakfast

My first UA longhaul since March 2020. I was fortunate enough to have the new Polaris seats along with a rather empty mini-cabin. Only 3 passengers in the mini cabin: myself, a deadheading pilot, and a non-rev. Front cabin had around 16 passengers.

Menu:
I chose the salmon which was decent. The sauce was similar to the spicy thai chicken noodle dish they used to serve.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ae0f180635.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...bd3e89f2c9.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e4088aa436.jpg

Breakfast was an egg-white cheese sandwich I guess. It was terrible. I don't understand why they had to cut the breakfast/pre-arrival meals to this. I would have been perfectly fine with a cereal, yogurt, and fruit--all of which are pre-packaged or sealed anyways.

My flight departed on 1JAN2021, I haven't checked what the meals were last year, but I didn't find my pre-arrival meal an improvement at all.

Uh oh. You might have gotten last year's food! ;)

David

Pasta Ravioli, is that an oxymoron? Dare they mention what was inside the Pasta Ravioli or was it pasta inside ravioli shaped pasta?

That's one of my "trivial gripes" with the menu. Pasta Ravioli is redundant. What is inside the pasta? I care because I am allergic to mushrooms and UA seems to be in love with mushrooms in many dishes, at least pre-COVID.

I had this EWR-GRU on Dec 25 also. It was a depressing meal with way too much bread. The cabin crew sort of plonked it all down really quickly too, so it just felt cheap.

I doubt a slow-mo plonking would've improved the meal.

It's an enhancement due to overwhelming customer feedback. UA customers have long complained that their waist lines are ever increasing due to the delicious pre arrival breakfast and in response they have decided to serve inedible slop such as that sandwich. #FlyerFriendly.

Looks like they've improved the breakfast. I'm sure this improves UA's bottom line.
I don't know, after rough night with not enough sleep, mysterious eggy food is the last thing I want to eat a 6am in the morning. I much prefer some "fresh" fruit. Maybe some yogurt (even greek) and some breakfast bread (warm cinnamon roll preferably)

Us Airways did it right in the old days. I would much prefer something like these that used to be served on US Airways for Envoy Class pre arrival meals. (Not my picture. Found on Flickr.)
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2d27399b07.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...dd0bfb9345.jpg

This. UA needs to up its game in business or it will eventually cost them in customers booking away from UA.

I think that ship already sailed.

That's the thing, I dont think many people will book away from UA just because of their poor breakfast (or service, or lounges, or high prices even).
The other US aren't THAT much different. Many people are hub captive, FF program captive, or their company books their flight for them.
I suppose the leisure or foreign passenger may book away, but they probably just go by price and schedule.
One can still hope and complain :)