Definitely not comparing to a flagship lounge - that wouldn't be fair.
While it's true I don;t generally visit the QP where there's a J lounge (eg: BNE/SYD/MEL), I've used the QP's in OOL, CNS and ADL on a fairly regular basis - most recently Feb this year. so yeah, a bit more recently than 1998 (although it seems like the orange/brown slop in SYD J domestic lounge may indeed be still from that era....
)
for example, OOL QC in Feb had little squares of pizza (probably mccain standard, but tasty enough!), some delicious chocolate brownie squares and some other bits and bobs in addition to the usual sandwich/salad bar arrangement. ADL has tended to be a bit hit and miss with hot food I agree, though.
My point being that in an average UC or AC, the food options are not even at the level of "make your own toastie" buffet offerings at QF imo. And when QC's have soup options and a hot item - even if it is pizza squares - it's still above the average offering at a US legacy club. There are always exceptions(and again I'm not onfusing AC's with flagship lounges or UC's with Polaris) but a general observation.