Airline food has had a bad rap for a very long time. There's not a comedian out there who hasn't joked about it. After 9/11, many airlines eliminated traditional full meal service for domestic economy class, which caused many of us to lament the loss of something we never really liked. But a return to profitability and some creative thinking has led to the creation of some new and interesting food offerings for airline passengers.
Recently, Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet announced they will be serving McDonald's on board their flights. But before people get too excited, it's only McCafe coffee that will be served for the time being. WestJet said McDonald's beat out Starbucks and popular Canadian chain, Tim Horton's for the deal. The win must have based on price, because I don't know anyone who loves McDonald's coffee. The airline has not ruled out introducing McDonald's food items to its flights as well.
Most wouldn't think of American fast food being served on an Asian airline, but Japan Airlines has been offering Kentucky Fried Chicken on some of its flights for a few years now. This may seem odd to many of us here in the US, but the chain has grown to over 4,000 locations throughout Asia in recent years, with a new location opening every 8 hours, according to KFC parent company Yum Brands.
It's important that airlines are careful about what they offer, though. For fast foods in particular, many carry a certain pungent, greasy odor that can be especially bothersome. Several years ago, I picked up a small pizza from California Pizza Kitchen while connecting between flights in the St. Louis airport. I didn't have time to eat it prior to boarding, so I took it on the plane with me. The elderly woman in front of me was not pleased, and told me that my lunch smelled disgusting. I apologized, and said I was in a rush, and the airline didn't offer any food. I ate it as quickly as I could.
Other interesting offerings in the past have included UNO pizza on American Airlines international flights, McDonald's kids meals on United, and Blimpie Sandwiches aboard Delta Air Lines.
More recently, JetBlue has offered branded meals for its MINT class passengers, but these are upscale meals that can be found at trendy New York restaurants. The airline is currently working with Saxon + Parole to create a "farm to tray table" menu of freshly sourced items. If you fly JetBlue MINT this month from JFK to LAX, you'll get to choose between grilled ahi tuna, grilled escarole salad, asparagus & artichoke risotto, pumpkin & chicken soup, and braised beef stew.
Airline passengers tend to like being offered to served branded food, because they associate it with having a certain value. It also brings a familiar taste and consistency of product, versus catered meals. In catering, one airline may have the same menu both directions of a flight, but what comes out of the galley could be completely different, based on local availability of ingredients in the departure city.
Although the days of sterling silver, lobster thermidor and white glove service are long gone, it's nice to see airlines giving us more dining options than bland "chicken or beef" - and we can only hope this culinary renaissance continues at cruising altitude.
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