PHX787 From Japan, joined Mar 2012, 5106 posts, RR: 14 Posted (6 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 5250 times:
Save the comedy for your comedy classes
I've only had experiences with 3 airlines: DL, AS, and AF. I never got fed with AS, and I had really good meals with AF intra-Europe.
DL's food domestic is ok, and international, it really depends on the day, but I always get the chicken outbound and the beef inbound.
So, frequent fliers of A.net, this year, 2012, I want to know: which airline ranks the best in terms of food service, deliciousness, options on board, prices, etc etc?
And who ranks the worst?
Photos, stories, anything and everything related to food
B2468 From United States of America, joined Sep 2009, 89 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (6 months 4 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 5230 times:
Before I talk about food in flight, I should preface my comments by saying that I am an extremely picky eater (I really wish I weren't, but I am and that is that)...so my opinions may not necessarily be a fair commentary on the quality of the food, and may only reflect my pickiness.
My international flights this year were on NH, CO, and SQ. My domestic flights were on CZ, and MU (all of my domestic flying was in China this year).
Domestically in China, MU beats CZ hands down. I flew CZ on SHA-CAN-SHA, and the meal choices on both flights were exactly the same, either chicken and noodles, or beef and noodles. On SHA-CAN, I chose the chicken...the noodles were dry (overcooked), and the chicken had bones in it. Since I was traveling with my wife, and she is a vegetarian, I got a double portion. On CAN-SHA, I chose the beef and noodles (and again got a double portion). The noodles were better, and the beef was a kind of ground beef, which was of reasonably good quality, but it was in a sort of tomato sauce that had vinegar and sugar in it .
MU was much better, when the wife and I flew SHA-SZX-SHA (for our honeymoon to Hong Kong and Macau...I demanded to go into SZX so I could experience the A300). I don't remember the meal we had on SHA-SZX (probably since I was so excited to be on an A300), but it must have been okay, since I completely ate a double portion (remember that my wife is a vegetarian). On SZX-SHA, the meal was catered by Shenzhen Air Catering, and was very good...the meal was beef and rice...the food on the main course tray was neatly arranged...the rice was tender but not overcooked, the beef was lean and *excellently* spiced (I wish I knew what the spice was, it was so good), and the veggies were not too oily and still just slightly crisp. The side salad and fruit plate also were very well done. I did not get a full double portion since my wife ate all of my veggies, salad, and fruit .
Internationally, back in January my wife and I flew PVG-NRT-EWR-PVG on NH, and CO, to visit my family here in Connecticut. My wife and I did not fly together PVG-NRT-EWR, so I don't know much about her experience. I was on NH from PVG-NRT, and the meal was meatloaf with rice, and some Japanese sides. I have heard somewhere that "Japanese cuisine pleases the eye" and the Y meal I was served lived up to that saying. The entire tray was very carefully assembled, and looked very pleasing. The meatloaf and rice was excellent. The sides looked good, but I did not eat them, since they had things like mini prawns in them that I don't eat (remember that I am picky, picky, picky).
CO (NRT-EWR and EWR-PVG) was a tremendous surprise to both of us. Normally, my wife and I avoid flying on US or European carriers Asia-USA (our preferred carrier ex-PVG is MU)...there are very good reasons for that (CO int'l check-in at EWR being at the top of the list), but food has not turned out to be one of them. We were both VERY impressed with the quality and quantity of food offered on CO. Firstly, CO offered printed menus, something we had only seen before on SQ, a "premium airline". The portions were generous, and quality quite good. Since I purchased these tickets, I ordered the vegetarian meals for my wife (she refuses to order them herself), and she *inhaled* them. Ex-NRT, I had Gyudon-style beef, which was very good. For the second (breakfast-style) meal, I wasn't hungry, and I asked the friendly FA for just the fruit plate, which she happily gave me, and later brought me a second one since they had extra. Ex-EWR, I was pissed-off (because of the int'l check-in), drunk, and on Ambien (truly a lovely combo), so I don't remember what we had, but my wife says I ate everything, so it must have been good, and I trust her.
SQ was also a surprise. I flew SQ back in Nov 2009 PVG-SIN-PVG, and I remember that I hated the food. I don't know if it was because of the quality of the food, or just that since I am a picky eater, the choices didn't appeal to me. However, this past July 2012, I flew one-way (unfortunately without the wife...waiting on a USA immigrant visa for her) PVG-SIN-FRA-JFK (specifically chose this routing to experience the A380 on SQ026...what a fabulous airplane!), and the food was excellent. I don't remember what I had on PVG-SIN-FRA, since the booze cart came by at least five times before meal service and I and my seat mate (playing IFE games against each other) were pretty sloshed, but it was all very good. On FRA-JFK, much to my surprise, one of the meal choices was gnocchi, something I would not expect on a Singaporean airline. Being from Connecticut (I grew up in NIMBY-land just two blocks from BDR), we take our Italian food seriously, and for Y-class fare, it was excellent. What I appreciated most was that the tomato sauce was not heavily salted (which is common in in-flight meals), nor was it very acidic, which is also common in Italian restaurants which either over-roast their tomato sauce, or purchase it from those distributors like SYSCO. Whoever catered the SQ026 flight in FRA was pretty damned good.
As for the rest of 2012, I ain't going anywhere else, so that's that. Internationally, SQ, NH, and CO (or UA, whatever the hell it is now) were all "very good" to "excellent". Domestically, MU was "quite good" and CZ was "meh...better than nothing (which is what we would have gotten in the USA)".
FlyKev From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2006, 1350 posts, RR: 6 Reply 8, posted (6 months 4 weeks 1 day ago) and read 5173 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
I nominate Air Transat for providing a pretty adequate meal. Whilst the mood lighting makes this look less pleasant, it was a pretty enjoyable sweet chilli chicken and rice and the quantity was very good too.
Kev.
The white zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only
TurkishWings From United States of America, joined May 2006, 1412 posts, RR: 9 Reply 11, posted (6 months 4 weeks 20 hours ago) and read 5113 times:
On an recent FRA-IST flight on LH, I had the worst meal of my life (including those outside of an airplane). It was some sort of pasta lost in creamy pesto sauce. One bite and I almost puked. I actually wrote to LH about this...
When it comes to good food on an airplane, it is hard to beat TK in my opinion... I always had good food on BA too...
Quoting B2468 (Reply 4): have heard somewhere that "Japanese cuisine pleases the eye" and the Y meal I was served lived up to that saying. The entire tray was very carefully assembled, and looked very pleasing.
typical amazing Japanese customer service for you. In Y they treat you like kings, as I have heard.
Quoting CXB77L (Reply 10): I've never flown in anything but economy, but of all the economy class meals I've had, this one stands out as being the best, served on NZ:
jetblue777 From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 1429 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (6 months 4 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 5048 times:
My experience is only limited to EY, PR, DL, UA, VX, OZ, SQ
Top 3
1. Asiana Airlines - MNL to ICN - OZ 702 - A330-300 (Some beef stew with white rice and vegetables)
2. Asiana Airlines - JFK to ICN - OZ 221 - B747-400 (Steak with potatoes, carrots, etc)
3. Singapore Airlines - MNL to SIN - SQ 915 - B777-200 (Seafood Special Meal, Noodles with shrimp)
Worst
1. Singapore Airlines - FRA to JFK - SQ 26 - A380-800 (Originally ordered the pork but the FA mistakenly gave me the chicken, which I didn't mind the mistake...but the chicken was too dry and the potatoes were under cooked, dessert was too sweet. Good thing I wasn't that hungry.
HELyes From Finland, joined Oct 2010, 655 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (6 months 4 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 5046 times:
My best meals this year were on a charter carrier Thomas Cook Scandinavia A332 HEL-HKT, got cheap last minute flights in Premium Class. The cabin was old and the seat uncomfortable, but the meals were pretty good.
davidho1985 From Hong Kong, joined Oct 2012, 146 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (6 months 4 weeks 11 hours ago) and read 5038 times:
Quoting PHX787 (Reply 12): Quoting davidho1985 (Reply 6): Water!!!
Really? in a thing like that? haha
Yes. The crews onboard were bad too.
During the beverage service,
when I request some ice for the Coca-Cola,
The crew replied me that they believed the Coca-Cola was cold enough and no ice is needed. >.
n729pa From UK - England, joined Jan 2011, 268 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (6 months 3 weeks 19 hours ago) and read 4607 times:
For me the best I've flown with has been QF.
For example, a meal of which you get four LHR-SYD tends to comprise of a mixed salad, hot dish usual things chicken, beef, pork etc sometimes fish from SIN, with a selection of vegetables and or rice etc. A pudding of some sort, and then cheese and biscuits. You can have anything a drink a bottle of Aussie wine for example, plus a tea/coffee. You get ice creams brought round, a snack bag during the night sector which tends to be a mixture of sweets, dry fruit, nuts, biscuits or crisps plus a bottle of water in case you have a hole to fill. Soft drinks come round either 30 mins or so during the night if you need them. You also get a choice of peppermint tea or hot chocolate after one of the main meals on each sector. This is just in economy. The food's always fresh, hot and well cooked and very good. WhenI fly domestic the snacks/meals are good. Even on a Q400 Qantaslink flights you get more to eat/drink than you do on European flights with the likes of BA/SK or AZ for example.
Lufthansa are pretty good on European flights, as are Swiss. SAS was poor, coffee was OK. Alitalia was a bit better at least you got a snack, AF much the same. Brussels Airlines you even had to pay for the coffee. BA the food is very fresh and I do like their coffee. But I flew LH LHR-FRA recently and for the first time I got something hot to eat in Y, it wasn't much but if LH can do it.....shame on the others for not even trying!
I expect all the airlines First Class/Business services to be pretty good one way or the other, perhaps with the odd exception, but I only travel Economy, where I think you can actually judge a carrier's service and performance better, because they are having to reproduce it for hundreds rather than the 20 or 50 travelling up front.
skiaplg From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2012, 27 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (6 months 3 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 4569 times:
In 2012, I've flown FI, AF, AM, MU and DL internationally with meals. The hands down worst meals were from DL - I flew ATL-NRT-TPE and not one meal on those flights was edible. One particular example was a dish of noodles that were soaked in a brown sauce that was extremely unappealing. It didn't help that during my delay in Tokyo, we were offered a meal voucher of 600 JPY ($7.8) - not much to buy in Narita for that. It's a shame, because the new product in the 747 is very good in my opinion.
MU offered decent food on PVG-PAR, although I was more impressed by the seats and the IFE. As I remember, it was a pork meal with rice and vegetables. (I was not, however, impressed by the fact that I have still not received FB credits for this flight, despite having applied for FB miles Oct. 4)
Both AM and AF offered good meals, but not memorable, but as always the Champagne in Y for AF is welcome, especially the fact that there were refills! In my many EDI-CDG flights with AF/Cityjet, I have been offered everything from fairly decent sandwiches, croissants and full size drinks, to tiny packets with a couple of crackers and a half-size drink.
FI's food, while not being free, was actually really good, and I had a really decent sandwich, and it was also a convenient opportunity to rid myself of some of my stash of Icelandic Krona.
All in all, I wouldn't say I had a meal that was particularly memorable in a good way - although there has been no contest with a meal served on CA PEK-KMG in 2010. Appalling is the only word that can describe it. Sorry for the poor quality picture - it was a bun filled with food varying from gray to brown color.
jumpjets From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2012, 490 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (6 months 3 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 4568 times:
Quoting n729pa (Reply 17): But I flew LH LHR-FRA recently and for the first time I got something hot to eat in Y
I have a 'breakfast' flight with LH next Friday, LHR-MUC so I hope they continue that trend at least for another week . I'll report back when I get home.
So far this year my best meal was BA LHR-MAA [lunch/dinner] which despite a packed plane was served promptly, was hot, fresh and tasty - no pics sorry.
n729pa From UK - England, joined Jan 2011, 268 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (6 months 2 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 4150 times:
i think someone at BA read my message the other day, I flew on them to EDI yesterday and much to my geniune surprise I got a hot breakfast on BA...very hot in fact and I'm not one to lavish praise on BA normally but it was very nice too 10/10 I just wish I'd had enough time to have enjoyed it. How about on some of the longer flights to STO or BCN for example please!
SRQKEF From Iceland, joined Jun 2011, 704 posts, RR: 1 Reply 21, posted (6 months 2 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 4111 times:
This year I've flown: FI QK UA TA AC CX TR TG AI WY EK AF NY FNA DL.
3 best meals:
1. Duck in FI J class from KEF to YYZ. Tender, tasty and served with an amazing sauce. Wonderful meal in every way!
2. Tika Masala chicken anoard EK073 from DXB to CDG. Tasty, tender, juicy and very rich.
3. English breakfast aboard AC081 from Lima to YYZ. Tasty and just what you needed in the early morning.
Worst meal:
1. Pasta aboard UA855 from IAH to LIM. Dry, hard and the taste was disgusting.
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