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United makes some progress toward improving catering, but still has a ways to go, exec says

Nov. 04, 2023
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3 min read
United Airlines Denver DEN Airport Airbus A320
United makes some progress toward improving catering, but still has a ways to go, exec says
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Bland French toast. Dry turkey sandwiches. A dish that might be chicken tikka masala?

To the chagrin of many frequent flyers, these dishes have come to define the dining experience at United Airlines during the pandemic.

Andrew Nocella, United’s chief commercial officer, said it could still take a while before passengers see noticeable improvements to the Chicago-based carrier’s menu offerings due to scaling and supply chain issues

“This is one of those things that we didn't bounce back as well with,” Nocella said while speaking at the Skift Aviation Forum in Fort Worth.

The United executive — who has taken a hands-on approach to improving United’s menu — also revealed that the carrier spends approximately $2 billion a year on food alone and serves about 165,000 meals in premium cabins a day.

He also pointed out that it takes eight months for United to fully change a menu — part of the reason why United’s dining options have seen a sluggish recovery.

At the start of the pandemic, carriers had to scale back dining options since there was virtually no demand for travel. While some carriers, like Delta Air Lines, were able to revive their pre-pandemic quality of dining, United has struggled.

As a result, United has drawn the ire of its frequent flyers, who have taken to industry blogs and social media platforms like Reddit and X, formerly known as Twitter, to post pictures of soggy scrambled eggs or unseasoned pasta.

United’s food has received such poor reception that Nocella said the carrier did not feature anything from its inflight menu during a Polaris event in New York.

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However, Nocella noted that United has made some progress in improving its menu. As the carrier is making changes to Polaris by region, Nocella said United has also been overhauling its menus.

United launched a new Polaris menu Sept. 1 for routes to London's Heathrow Airport (LHR), and Nocella said the new menu received a much warmer reception from passengers.

“The scores are off the charts,” Nocella said. “And we will talk about it more in the future as we have a lot more to say. But we've changed the wines, and we're about to change the bread, all the new entrees.”

It’s unclear when United will be able to implement these menu changes across the board, but Nocella said passengers should be able to taste some improvement on board.

“I do think if you fly United today, the food experience is dramatically better than where it was a year ago,” he said.

Related reading:

Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.