Qantas Business Class meals & menus

[Daver6]

It can't be that either because it does not have pineapple.

Anyway really it comes down to just simply "chicken" or the "beef".
I suppose a bit of Qantas Enhancement lends a bit of pizzazz to the show.

How confident are we that the chicken is actually chicken? Just putting it out there.

 

[Quickstatus]

chicken is actually chicken

Fair point.
I wouldn't like to speculate

 

[SzumyloK]

it's said that the taste buds dont work very well at 30,000 feet. So airline food flavours need to be enhanced

Bizarrely, while I like salty food, I've usually found Qantas meals (predominately in economy given my travels) to be way too salty for my taste buds!

 

[RichardMEL]

Remember many airline meals specifically add spice and salt to a higher level to try to provide taste at altitude because the taste buds are apparently affected by altitude. I've seen this mentioned in one of those docos about catering for flights and why some meals "work" and some don't and why things like wine can taste different at altitude.

So if anything the chicken should perhaps have had all the chillis ! lol

 

[jrfsp]

Just got off the QF94 this morning

The suite is great, crew were lovely.
Catering is almost an afterthought, basically on par with AA domestic first.

Small portions, bland and uninspiring with no fan fare. Even BA has a better meal service.

 

[Spacetravel]

Tried to do a search but wasn't able to find anything recently. Forgive me as I am somewhat new to Qantas, it appears pre pandemic QF had "Menu Select" which would allow pre booking the inflight meal 7 days before travel. This looks to have gone when the pandemic started (or maybe before?) is there any news if this is coming back/ does anyone think it will? Or do we think this has been enhanced forever?

ET Article referring to it: How to order your meal in advance on Qantas international flights

 

[Sprucegoose]

@Sprucegoose , that's simply awful. Were the 'mushy' peas as dry as they look?

RF Nothing mushy whatsoever tasted worse than they looked, sadly.

Nothing I am familiar with. But what I was saying was that it could be described as sweet and sour chicken, given it was served up by Qantas.

At least with Sweet and Sour Chicken, one knows what one is getting.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Where's the tomato sauce?

Thats part of the problem; it was loaded and on the cart, but CSM never offered it - big fail.

I am way past instructing others how to do their jobs.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Even BA has a better meal service.

Sorry to hear about your experience. After BA's woes in the last past five years, that is an unenviable comparison.

Catering is almost an afterthought, basically on par with AA domestic first.

But AA has the cookie, which I have survived on for a day....we may need to self-cater (I already self-garnish - apart from that vile pie thing).

I saw someone on a plane a few weeks ago with Red Rooster!

pre booking the inflight meal 7 days before travel. This looks to have gone when the pandemic started (or maybe before?) is there any news if this is coming back/ does anyone think it will? Or do we think this has been enhanced forever?

Gone the way of the Dodo, I believe... SQ BTC is the only decent pre-booking service I am aware of; even then, senior members here have had issues with this of late.

I don't look forward to QFi meals these days; therefore, isn't it time for a total rethink from QF?

NP has become complacent, and management has nodded off. Clearly, there is a gap/opportunity in the market at this time.

 

[SYD]

Gone the way of the Dodo, I believe... SQ BTC is the only decent pre-booking service I am aware of; even then, senior members here have had issues with this of late.

Yep, seems to have been a Covid casualty. Hopefully it returns - if only to help guarantee you get your first choice. But they also used to have extra items not on the menu of the day.

Yes, SQ “Book the Cook” is still running but I’ve found it can be hit and miss.

 

[Berlin]

Yep, seems to have been a Covid casualty. Hopefully it returns - if only to help guarantee you get your first choice. But they also used to have extra items not on the menu of the day.

Yes, SQ “Book the Cook” is still running but I’ve found it can be hit and miss.

Yea, I wasn't such a fan of the "Book the Cook" options on SQ lately. If you are allergic to fish and seafood like I am, then you end up with the "Western Choice" of beef steak or Satay. The latter is always tasty but really a starter rather than the main meal. SQ even manages to spoil a perfectly fine pork ramen with drizzles dried fish on top

What I find more noteworthy is that American Airlines, yes (!!!), has for a long time and still manages to allow you to select your meal choice in J or F. Domestically and internationally. Has worked for a very long time and still works- so no idea why it seems to be such a monstrous issue for other airlines to make it happen.

 

[RooFlyer]

I don't look forward to QFi meals these days; therefore, isn't it time for a total rethink from QF?

Or: ... therefore, isn't it time for a total rethink about QF?

 

[Sprucegoose]

Or: ... therefore, isn't it time for a total rethink about QF?

Well you maybe onto something here .....

 

[Quickstatus]

total rethink

Some airports in the US have really good food available for online ordering delivered to you at the gate. Obviously that introduces a new paradigm in inflight eating but a lot of Americans are doing that now.

I'll go put on the PPE

 

[Tropic]

Take that concept a step further and have airlines allow you to order food deliveries from a select range of restuarants (nothing like KFC at cruise...) to your seat through their app (like BTC) and you"d have a winner...all they need to do is keep track of orders, keep hot/cold onboard as required, and hand to you when you ready... cut out the middle (ponytail) man, and collect the garbage in the binbag as they do now!

 

[sudoer]

QF had "Menu Select"

Qantas International has developed Meal Select 2.0.

They no longer need to ask for your choice in advance as the only dishes produced at all catering locations are Jiangxi Style Humpty Doo Barramundi and Slow Cooked Chipotle Lamb Sandwich.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Two flights today flying SYD to AKL (via MEL) in paid J as part of the DSC promo.

Flight #1 - QF433 - SYD to MEL (~10 AM flight):

Options were either the quiche (pictured) or some sort of yogurt concoction that I didn't hear that well.


To say I was disappointed by the meal would be to put it lightly. And I know, some folks will chime in, well Sydney to Melbourne is a one hour flight what are you expecting? Michelin star dining? Here's what I had for a flight of comparable length on an Embraer flight operated by Air Canada back in late June (YYZ to YSJ):


And yes the pancakes tasted delicious thanks to the sirop d'érable as mandated by the Government of Canada on domestic flights.



Flight #2: QF 153 - MEL to AKL (~ 1 PM flight):
Options were the barramundi (pictured), Jiangxi Style Noodles, or some chicken n' rice dish.

They no longer need to ask for your choice in advance as the only dishes produced at all catering locations are Jiangxi Style Humpty Doo Barramundi and Slow Cooked Chipotle Lamb Sandwich.

That seemed to be my experience on today's "domestic" flight between MEL and AKL (yeah I know you folks are gonna keep referring to NZ as international but c'mon, it's across the ditch! You never see a Canadian refer to a US flight as international or vice versa!)

 

[Quickstatus]

Jiangxi Style Humpty Doo Barramundi

According to the Great One, it should look like this: but there are not enough Chilli IMO

Humpty Doo Barramundi is farmed barra

 

[Gladstone Tim]

So chose QF650 PER-SYD to get the A330~200 connecting to QF552 SYD-BNE on a 737-800.
J on the Airbus was an excellent choice and my wife approved of us taking the slightly circuitous route.
No PDB but the drinks trolley was out within ten minutes of the seatbelt sign going off. No GF option for the nibblies.
Main course was a choice of Kung Pao chicken, a pumpkin salad or some pasta dish, maybe with mushrooms. I chose the chicken which was fine but no significant flavour. Came with a slice of sourdough and a boxed passionfruit cake. The cake was heavy, greasy and lacking any standout flavour. Later in the flight Maggie Beer cherry ice cream tubs were distributed.

On the second flight, same offerings of Kung Pao chicken or pumpkin salad along with sourdough. The chicken had more chilli which gave it some flavour. Surely being opposite sides of the country and a connecting flight they could liaise to have some variety??? A Lindt ball and bar on the tray.

CSM and cabin crew on both flights great-efficient, happy and eager to please.

 

[RooFlyer]

And yes the pancakes tasted delicious thanks to the sirop d'érable as mandated by the Government of Canada on domestic flights.

Quebec Superior? Not on YYC flights!!

You never see a Canadian refer to a US flight as international or vice versa!)

Flights to the 51st state aren’t international.