Last edit by: WineCountryUA
This is an archive thread, the active thread is UA preorder premium cabin meal, Y snacks/drinks - all >800 (900?) mile
united.com/preordermeals
Fall 2022 -- Only rare occasion widebodies and still hit or miss on narrow bodies.
Anticipated 1 June enhancements - UA bringing back hot meals to domestic first class -- 800 mile threshold, preorder still narrowbody only
uncomfirmed but source of earlier changes
UA is offering pre-order first class meal selection for selected domestic departures.
You receive, 4-5 days in advance, an individualized link to a selection of meals (with a caution these are not guaranteed)
generic link -- https://united.com/preordermeals
You have up until 24 hours prior to the flight to make a selection.
Note if the FA does not look in the right place on their iPhone, they may not see the pre-selection.
You can change your mind on the plane and make a different selection
If you change flights, the request is canceled and not transferred to the new flight
Initially offered on select departure from LAX (in Aug 2019) and then IAD
Some x-DEN flights started to appear in Jan 2020
Sample email
united.com/preordermeals
Fall 2022 -- Only rare occasion widebodies and still hit or miss on narrow bodies.
uncomfirmed but source of earlier changes
UA is offering pre-order first class meal selection for selected domestic departures.
You receive, 4-5 days in advance, an individualized link to a selection of meals (with a caution these are not guaranteed)
generic link -- https://united.com/preordermeals
You have up until 24 hours prior to the flight to make a selection.
Note if the FA does not look in the right place on their iPhone, they may not see the pre-selection.
You can change your mind on the plane and make a different selection
If you change flights, the request is canceled and not transferred to the new flight
Initially offered on select departure from LAX (in Aug 2019) and then IAD
Some x-DEN flights started to appear in Jan 2020
Sample email
Hi there,
We're happy to offer a variety of meals that you can preorder for flight UA XXXX on YYYY ZZZZ from AAA to BBB. Visit our meal selection page at united.com/preordermeals to choose your meal preference* from our menu of available options.
You can select your meal preference starting five days before your departure and up to 24 hours before your flight(s). If you don't want to choose a meal right now, you can let us know what you'd like to eat when you're on board.
Thank you for flying with us.
*After you select your entree, we'll do our best to reserve it for your flight(s). We try to serve you the meal you chose, but we can't guarantee it since availability of meal options may change. If you choose a meal and then decide that you'd like something different, we're happy to offer other meal options on board.
We're happy to offer a variety of meals that you can preorder for flight UA XXXX on YYYY ZZZZ from AAA to BBB. Visit our meal selection page at united.com/preordermeals to choose your meal preference* from our menu of available options.
You can select your meal preference starting five days before your departure and up to 24 hours before your flight(s). If you don't want to choose a meal right now, you can let us know what you'd like to eat when you're on board.
Thank you for flying with us.
*After you select your entree, we'll do our best to reserve it for your flight(s). We try to serve you the meal you chose, but we can't guarantee it since availability of meal options may change. If you choose a meal and then decide that you'd like something different, we're happy to offer other meal options on board.
UA preorder premium cabin meal, Y snacks/drinks {Archive}
#91
#92
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I guess I can also make a blanket statement (like yours) that salad or bread are easy to serve, but some airlines have made messy of them.
#93
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Perhaps you should try to order one on SQ before assessing it. My view is if it is one of the easiest dishes to serve, why the Japanese airlines or any other airlines have not been able to serve it.
I guess I can also make a blanket statement (like yours) that salad or bread are easy to serve, but some airlines have made messy of them.
I guess I can also make a blanket statement (like yours) that salad or bread are easy to serve, but some airlines have made messy of them.
I don't dispute airlines ability to ruin chirashi, salad, or bread. I would say it is amazing that they are capable of ruining things so simple, rather than it being amazing that an airline can serve them well.
#94
Join Date: Sep 2007
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I don't know why JAL and ANA almost never serve sushi, chirashi or otherwise. That is actually a quite good question. I never really thought about it, but I think I have only had it once to GMP. Sashimi any number of times. So it is not raw fish and airplanes that are the issue.
I don't dispute airlines ability to ruin chirashi, salad, or bread. I would say it is amazing that they are capable of ruining things so simple, rather than it being amazing that an airline can serve them well.
I don't dispute airlines ability to ruin chirashi, salad, or bread. I would say it is amazing that they are capable of ruining things so simple, rather than it being amazing that an airline can serve them well.
Japanese airlines have very high standard for sushi. if they don't think they can do sushi right, they won't do it on board. that is what they said last time.
#95
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#96
Having proper rice is pretty difficult to achieve if you aren't serving it fresh. Hold it too long in a refrigerated state and it will go hard and clumpy in a bad way. There's no recovery from that until you bring it all the way up to a fairly hot temperature - which is going to be cooking fish at that point.
#97
formerly 1984SW
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,066
Several years ago I flew in F on UA when HND-SFO was a midnight departure. The meal service was a light (*very* light) snack after departure, and then a full lunch a few hours before arrival. The lunch had a garden-variety sushi appetizer, but it was inedible (and I'm not a sushi snob) after sitting in the chillers for about eight hours. It was not only super cold, but hard and had a strange taste. The Japanese guy across the aisle took one taste and spat it back on the plate.
#98
#99
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Perhaps you should try to order one on SQ before assessing it. My view is if it is one of the easiest dishes to serve, why the Japanese airlines or any other airlines have not been able to serve it.
I guess I can also make a blanket statement (like yours) that salad or bread are easy to serve, but some airlines have made messy of them.
I guess I can also make a blanket statement (like yours) that salad or bread are easy to serve, but some airlines have made messy of them.
#100
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To do it right requires a lot of time from a crew member - the rice needs to be heated slightly from room temperature, but not hot, and the fish needs to be chilled for transport, but then brought to just under room temperature and then everything needs to be assembled and served without looking like a dump of leftover poke from Alberstons. Doing all of this in a snug galley plus the time constraint would be a real pain for the crew.
It has become my "book the cook" choice for the past several SQ flights.
#101
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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I'm flying LAX-IAD on Saturday. I did not receive a notification to pre-order my meal. I'm wondering if the latest trial is over? I'm incredibly disappointed that I am not able to pre-order, and I'm wondering if pre-ordering will ever be officially rolled out. I guess I'll see if I get a notice for my return flight on November 29.
#102
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I'm flying LAX-IAD on Saturday. I did not receive a notification to pre-order my meal. I'm wondering if the latest trial is over? I'm incredibly disappointed that I am not able to pre-order, and I'm wondering if pre-ordering will ever be officially rolled out. I guess I'll see if I get a notice for my return flight on November 29.
#103
Join Date: Mar 2003
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I didn't get a notification for my flight home, either. But...I found out that I got upgraded on LAX-IAH on Thursday when I saw an email from United asking for my meal order. So, I guess they're running the trial on this route.
#104
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Denver, Colorado
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Posts: 1,736
I got a notification for my upcoming flight LAX - IAH and pre ordered the Thai Chicken Meal.
#105
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM/AA Gold & 1MM/HH Gold/Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,930
Finally get the chance to pre-order a meal from IAD and keep getting an error message after I select my meal "Were unable to display trip information at this time."