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In 2021 we flew to Phoenix in first class on United. While the food was prepared and reheated it was FAR better than the Amtrak Flex meals. IMO, the flex meals could be good using quality food but right now they are terrible. We've had $3 TV dinners that tasted better than that stuff. We just requested a cheeseburger instead and that was far better than the flex stuff. Amtrak Eastern route sleeper passengers pay the highest prices but are served flex meals similar to what is served at the federal prisons.
 
In 2021 we flew to Phoenix in first class on United. While the food was prepared and reheated it was FAR better than the Amtrak Flex meals. IMO, the flex meals could be good using quality food but right now they are terrible. We've had $3 TV dinners that tasted better than that stuff. We just requested a cheeseburger instead and that was far better than the flex stuff. Amtrak Eastern route sleeper passengers pay the highest prices but are served flex meals similar to what is served at the federal prisons.
When my brother was in Federal Prison( Minimum Security/Long Story) and I visited him, we were allowed to eat Lunch with him ( we paid like $4 for the Meal) and the Food was MUCH Better than any "Fresh and Contemporary" or "Flex Meal" I've had on Amtrak since the Diners started slinging that swill!
 
Here is the menu from Air Canada domestic "Signature Service" - one step above normal domestic Business Class, from my recent flight to Calgary:
View attachment 28867

They didn't have one of the entrees and actually ran out of Business Class meals entirely, with some passengers receiving Premium Economy trays. Also, you got cheese or a brownie - not both.
Did first class on VIA from Montreal to Windsor in 2019. The food and service was fabulous.
 
Went on AA's "Flagship First" service from Miami to Los Angeles a couple weeks ago:

R0000146.jpg


Olives, nuts, and sparkling wine: https://i.bf1c.us/R0000146.jpg
Seared tuna and salad: https://i.bf1c.us/R0000151.jpg
Tortilla soup: https://i.bf1c.us/R0000161.jpg
Chicken: https://i.bf1c.us/R0000162.jpg
The sundae: https://i.bf1c.us/R0000167.jpg

Not a fan of the plating on the chicken, everything was pretty good, saved the sundae for the back end of the flight, and you'll be pleased to know that I got my amateur extra license and the presentation went well too.
 
From Post #29...

Did they say they were out of your preferred option and cobbled this together as a favor? I'm no expert on plating but this does not look very appetizing as presented.

That most certainly is not First Class dining plating! A chef in a smart casual restaurant would be embarrassed to have what he/she prepared was plated in such a sloppy manner.
I think staff who feel embarrassment over poor service are weeded out during probation. My first few flights with American were during the transition to deregulation when service was still fantastic. AA made me feel welcome and appreciated even though I was just some kid in coach. Maybe the reason I'm so disappointed with AA is that I was able to see them at the top of their game. I've technically had worse service from United but because they were never that good to begin with it does not sting as much.
 
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Menus were discontinued but here is what I dug up for AA's long haul PE. I could not use everything because few of the people filming recent reviews were able to get the meal in focus. 📸

February, 2022
AA PE Feb 22.png

April, 2022
20220503_American-Airlines-777-200-Premium-Economy_BStawski-57.jpg


April, 2022
20220503_American-Airlines-777-200-Premium-Economy_BStawski-61.jpg


Looks like a domestic First meal in a domestic First seat with a pillow, blanket, amenity kit (meh), and seatback AVOD. The main downgrades being plastic cups, Oasis coach lavs, and senior AA staff that expect you to visit the rear bulkhead for any service items. You also have to unwrap your own plates but that's unsurprising. It honestly does not seem that bad if it's a daytime flight.
 
What route are you looking at? I have to say those trays look better than most of their domestic F offerings pre-Covid. I might not be so hasty to dismiss PE for future trips if they've upped their game that much.
I was looking for transpacific but mostly found transatlantic instead. A few videos came out recently but most of those were amateurish with blurry visuals and/or focused on the vlogger instead showing the quality of the meal. Maybe the more professional vloggers refuse anything below F/J or they're too embarrassed to post a review of PE. I've honestly had some good experiences in PE and I've had no problem with AA's domestic First so it seems workable for a daytime flight. The review with the best looking photos was not super positive but if you normally fly F/J that would be expected.

https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/american-airlines-premium-economy/
Looks like the heyday of PE was before the pandemic with printed menus, snacks, & preorders.

https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/american-airlines-772-premium-econ-lhr-mia/
 
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Menus were discontinued but here is what I dug up for AA's long haul PE. I could not use everything because few of the people filming recent reviews were able to get the meal in focus. 📸

February, 2022
View attachment 28975

April, 2022
20220503_American-Airlines-777-200-Premium-Economy_BStawski-57.jpg


April, 2022
20220503_American-Airlines-777-200-Premium-Economy_BStawski-61.jpg


Looks like a domestic First meal in a domestic First seat with a pillow, blanket, amenity kit (meh), and seatback AVOD. The main downgrades being plastic cups, Oasis coach lavs, and senior AA staff that expect you to visit the rear bulkhead for any service items. You also have to unwrap your own plates but that's unsurprising. It honestly does not seem that bad if it's a daytime flight.

Thanks for your post and the pictures. The meals certainly look appetizing and the plating of the food is well done. Even the fruit dish looked very attractive.
 
I was looking for transpacific but mostly found transatlantic instead. A few videos came out recently but most of those were amateurish with blurry visuals and/or focused on the vlogger instead showing the quality of the meal. Maybe the more professional vloggers refuse anything below F/J or they're too embarrassed to post a review of PE. I've honestly had some good experiences in PE and I've had no problem with AA's domestic First so it seems workable for a daytime flight. The review with the best looking photos was not super positive but if you normally fly F/J that would be expected.

https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/american-airlines-premium-economy/
Looks like the heyday of PE was before the pandemic with printed menus, snacks, & preorders.

https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/american-airlines-772-premium-econ-lhr-mia/

The two reports make for interesting reading. I am impressed given the recent reports about AA. Do not care for the 2-4-2 seating, but, I realize that is what one is going to find in this Class of service.
 
We're fortunate (or in these times of airline turmoil I should probably say optimistic) to be flying home with AA on a temporary domestic route next month. One thing AA does well is letting you know the menu a month out so you can select and avoid them being out of your choice. I wish our "local" airline could figure this out.

There's a decent selection on offer this time:
  • Gorgonzola-Crusted Beef Filet
    balsamic demi-glace, potato gratin, asparagus, blistered tomatoes
  • Grain and greens bowl
    red quinoa, red lentils, pearl barley, basmati rice, edamame, sautéed shiitake mushroom, broccoli, red cabbage, roasted corn, pickled onion, hot smoked salmon on the side
  • Porcini Truffle Tortelloni
    with Tuscan cream sauce and marinara
  • Created and inspired by our partnership with the James Beard Foundation and Chef Sarah Grueneberg
    Braised Chicken Cacciatore, porcini mushrooms, zucchini, squash, creamy polenta
I'm looking forward to this flight, however getting to its origin point with another airline is looking a little shaky. Not unlike the current Amtrak troubles, this trip was booked many months ago for a special occasion and both airlines have had their recent share of well-publicized problems.
 
Look, the "$500 ticket" is mostly for having a private room and a lie-flat bed with sheets, blankets and a pillow. As for the value of the "$5 enchiladas," the true cost of putting them before you on your plate is more than that. Even when you make them at home, there's the mileage cost of driving to and from the store to buy them in the first place, the cost of the electricity needed to microwave it, and the labor cost of your time driving to the store and buying the product and then heating them up in the microwave and placing on the table. All of these costs need to be loaded with your personal overhead costs, which everyone has, even if they don't realize it. So, too, in the dining car. You're paying for someone to bring edible food to you, which is always going to be a lot more than the price of an equivalent item in a supermarket case.
The $500 can just as easily be spent for a first-class seat on Delta, which can get me door-to-door in 3 1/2 hours (instead of 16 hours on Amtrak), with unlimited cocktails, wine, beer and snacks. And a comfortable seat that doesn’t have duct tape patching it up (unlike my recent Amtrak seat in a Viewliner I).

Would Amtrak prefer that? If not, it needs to do a better job of justifying the expense.
 
Not everyone who would take first class on an airline would even want to spend overnight on a train regardless of the food or whatever - no matter what. And first class on airlines varies in quality.

I thought the subject here was food not every single issue going on with Amtrak. By the way in case you haven't paid attention to the news airlines have had cancellations as well.
I guess I'm an exception. I fly first class always. In summer I travel from south Florida for my summer trip to Wyoming landing in Salt Lake City. With due respect to TheCresent Delta fares are no where near $500. Try $850-$2000. One way. The food if you get anything besides snacks is ok and the beer has been just below room temperature for the last three years so I send back to get it iced for a bit. Service is decent. But I get there in 3-4 hrs which is my only goal and then drive to my ultimate destination. Coming back home to Florida I prefer the slow overnight train trips in a sleeper bedroom or a Viewliner roomette is fine for the down home east coast leg and dont care that much about the food on any train. Over the last 30 years for me the best food has been fresh cooked breakfast and dinner desserts. The rest of the food has been ok at best. I like the general dining experience and meeting others but dining is not my primary reason for train travel. The overall train experience has significant room for improvement for sure.

I have two train trips back to Florida starting on Sept 10 so I'll see how it goes this year. Ill try some new things in the cafe and have some flex food and do a brief report after I'm home.
 
I guess I'm an exception. I fly first class always. In summer I travel from south Florida for my summer trip to Wyoming landing in Salt Lake City. With due respect to TheCresent Delta fares are no where near $500. Try $850-$2000. One way.
Same. I always fly first class. And I almost always get a sleeper even for a day trip.

I’ve flown Delta first class for as little as $340 I think but that was a red-eye that nobody would want. Haha. But deals are out there.
 
Is that first class, because my daughter had a first class on United from Newark to NO during end of pandemic and she got snacks, but she said coffee was good and she just wanted to be separated from other folks with a little more space. So that was important for her and she ate when she arrived in NO
 
With due respect to TheCresent Delta fares are no where near $500. Try $850-$2000. One way.
Delta first-class fares can be far below $500. My quote for fares was between two cities that are served by the Crescent.

On September 30, first-class fares are:

Atlanta-LGA/NYP: as low as $529 on Delta, $485 on Amtrak

Greenville, SC-LGA/NYP: $279 on Delta, $543 on Amtrak

So first class on a plane can be significantly cheaper than on Amtrak.

Odd that Amtrak has a higher fare for a shorter trip on the same train on the same day.
 
Just for the kicks, this was the menu in Business Class on a two hour domestic dinner flight from Kolkata to Delhi on Vistara (Tata and Singapore Airlines collaboration) in India that I was on, a couple of days back... It was served in three rounds on a place setting on a table cloth - first the soup and salad, next the main course and last the dessert, all within a total flying time of around one hour and 45 mins! Aircraft was A320neo 2x2 seating. The Business Class section was two rows.

Notice that there is no alcoholic beverage on domestic flights. The food was excellent.

IMG_7451.jpg
 
Two of the four entrees are vegetarian, the other two (including the hilariously transplanted "Cajun chicken") eschew beef and pork in keeping with India's major religions, this looks delicious. And table cloths! Really, if an airline can pull this off, why not Amtrak?

Such a menu makes domestic First Class look even more disappointing.
 
Is that first class, because my daughter had a first class on United from Newark to NO during end of pandemic and she got snacks, but she said coffee was good and she just wanted to be separated from other folks with a little more space. So that was important for her and she ate when she arrived in NO
Yes - that’s from 2 different Delta First class flights this month.

I was also served a good meal on a recent American flight. Plus American has Baileys!
 
Delta first-class fares can be far below $500. My quote for fares was between two cities that are served by the Crescent.

On September 30, first-class fares are:

Atlanta-LGA/NYP: as low as $529 on Delta, $485 on Amtrak

Greenville, SC-LGA/NYP: $279 on Delta, $543 on Amtrak

So first class on a plane can be significantly cheaper than on Amtrak.

Odd that Amtrak has a higher fare for a shorter trip on the same train on the same day.
Good prices for short flights you are right on those types. Believe you said $500 for 3 1/2 hr flights which is what I have to take. Those are considerably more expensive for 2023 anyway. No matter as Amtrak doesnt have first class.
 
Good prices for short flights you are right on those types. Believe you said $500 for 3 1/2 hr flights which is what I have to take. Those are considerably more expensive for 2023 anyway. No matter as Amtrak doesnt have first class.
The $500 that I quoted was for 3 1/2 hours door to door. The total flight is 2 hours (from departure to arrival; about 650 miles). But the first-class price is as low as $279, above.
 
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