Qantas meals

[straitman]

I just wish they'd take Diet coke off and put coke zero on!

+1 for that as an option.

 

[drewbles]

I'm still stunned every time I see someone praise the rissoles. For me:
Pasta: Acceptable.
Curry/chicken/other: Reasonable, though bland.
Rissoles: Inedible. Greasy, salty sludge.

On my ADL-PER flight the other day I had the pasta or curry option. I went with the pasta. It was dried (crunchy from not being moist), under-cooked and the sauce was a 'ragu' which was just mince with about 2-3 minute pieces of mince and tomato. The broccoli that came with it was so watery it made the pasta into a much. Taste wise? pretty awful.

The other option was a Chicken and Vegetable Korma. I've seen better looking things come out of a nappy, but I didn't taste it.

The SYD/MEL/ADL-PER runs need to have greater variance. I read somewhere that catering changed every 6 weeks or so for special meals (I used to have one but got sick of the same 2-3 meals being presented to me every time)

I'm actually looking forward to the rissole. The Y catering on QF really has gone to hell unfortunately, but it's still better than the US carriers 95% of the time.

And another +1 on Coke Zero. Hell, have both on board if they want, but i'd rather coke zero any day.

 

[docjames]

Diet coke is fine - but i tend to drink the James Squires anyway. :mrgreen:

Happy to drink coke zero (maybe we can get Pepsi Max??)

 

[11sjw]

Personally I like the "Beef Rissoles with Mashed Potatoes" as well as the "Fish & Rice/Pasta".

Not a fan of the lamb.

+1 on Coke Zero too.

Whilst the Y meals aren't great, I always promised not to bag QF about meals after having travelled with a full service airline (AA) in the USA. SEA - JKF on AA gets you no food in Y for 5.5hrs. We did get a drink or maybe two.

Travelling AA makes me greatful for QF in so many ways!

A big +1 there.

 

[anat0l]

The other option was a Chicken and Vegetable Korma. I've seen better looking things come out of a nappy, but I didn't taste it.

I haven't had the dish before (the Korma, not the other "one") - and frankly I didn't need to read that. (Now where's a "I'm sick" emoticon...)

I agree that the tomato ragu pasta becomes quite watery after the broccoli is thrown in.

The rissoles seem to divide this board! Of course, it's highly dependent on whether the catering guys can do their job properly in preparation of the meals and loading (so they don't end up soaking the meals).


I have to admit that QF on average does bring up trumps against some other carriers in the world as far as domestic flights are concerned. Especially in Y and almost certainly in J (or C depending on your following):

• On Air New Zealand domestic, there are no hot meals, period. Sure, AKL/WLG is not much longer than SYD/CBR, but AKL/CHC is close to ADL/MEL in length; AKL/DUD and AKL/ZQN are close to ADL/SYD. You'd better hope you get Koru Hour so you might get a mini-breakfast (in the morning) or a cheese plate / bagel chips with hommus (in the evening). Otherwise its "crusps, lollues or chocolate chup biscut".
• US carriers we've had enough anecdotes.
• Can anyone name a carrier that operates intra-Europe that offers a hot meal in Y? Last time I flew LH I was on the first flight of the day out and the last flight of the day back. Perhaps the latter I wouldn't expect a meal (we got a rather boring sandwich), but on the first flight of the day we only got a sandwich, too. I flew BA from LHR-FRA as well, but I was in CE and got a deli platter (cold sliced meat, sliced salmon, creme fraiche, piece of cheese) with bread roll and tub of yoghurt. No idea what the great unwashed got.
• South Africa they didn't have hot meals on my flight from PTG-JNB (a 333 mi flight), but we did get a "snack box" of a sandwich, muffin and yoghurt. This was the first flight of the morning.
• Asian carriers (operating intra-Asia) might be the only ones that are doing much better than QF and subsequently much, much better than the rest of the world (for intra-national or intra-(small) continental).

In the end, if you're really hungry, in many cases QF Y food usually will do the trick. It won't be - and probably never will be - the best meal you've had in <insert any timeframe you like here>.

 

[thewinchester]

I seem to remember back in the 1990's United experimented with Macca's on board domestic routes that used 747's

As someone who's worked the whole QSR (quick service restaurant) game, the mind boggles as to how they'd actually do that. I dread to think exactly how it tasted as well.

As for Coke Zero, I think its time to flood the QF feedback service with requests for it. Surely if they get enough people asking for it, both electronically and on-board the word might make it back to the Catering teams to get the product on board.

 

[JohnK]

Lamb is always good. But perhaps that is the Mediterranean showing in me. We are having lamb Christmas Day and it is also Dad's name day. We normally have lamb chops and chichen but hope they also made some marinated lamb/pork souvlakia, tzatziki, barbequed vegetables, marinated octopus, beef/pork rissoles, good old beef sausages.

Internationally - variable. I'm with JohnK on the hot breakfast ratio - assume (almost) everyone will want it.

And the most disappointing would have to be the FA's starting to say sorry "eggs" are not available half way through the breakfast service. You would somehow think that the message has gone back to QF catering to load 99% hot breakfast and if the odd person wants muesli store some extras.

I would not be an issue if it was not for a piddly ~4.5 hour BA morning flight ATH-LHR where everyone was served full English Breakfast. That is what I call breakfast not a couple of pieces of inedible fruit and/or muesli.

 

[koro25]

Flew BNE-SYD, lunch hour flt.Got served burned toasted ham and cheese sandwich. No choices avaliable. Mrs flew back SYD-BNE, only beef meal avaliable, again no other choices. QF Domestic meal is close to uneatable these days. So much for premium carrier. QF International economy is a bit better.Business class meals are on par with its fare.

 

[pauly7]

maybe we can get Pepsi Max??

+100! Coke Zero and Diet coke pale in comparison!

 

[medhead]

I think the best meals on QF are the kids special meals. Hands down. real chicken nuggets, edible and substanial vegetable opitions, plus the usually extras. This has been in J domestic and Y international, from current memory.

Other that that I don't might the curry option, in general, and find the pasta and rissole to be hit and miss. I also try to avoid snack flights. I usually enjoy the salad option, when it appears. But I mostly get that on alliance "dinner" flight returning from OLP.

You can keep your Diet coke, Coke zero, pepsi max. Coke heavy all the way for me - it is the real thing and it adds life.

 

[milehighclub]

And the most disappointing would have to be the FA's starting to say sorry "eggs" are not available half way through the breakfast service. You would somehow think that the message has gone back to QF catering to load 99% hot breakfast and if the odd person wants muesli store some extras.

Qantas wouldn't load 99% hot breakfasts considering most of the time the continental breakfast runs out.

The average breakfast ratio is about 80/20 and as with all catering they monitor the catering reports for each flight and adjust accordingly.

 

[docjames]

Qantas wouldn't load 99% hot breakfasts considering most of the time the continental breakfast runs out.

The average breakfast ratio is about 80/20 and as with all catering they monitor the catering reports for each flight and adjust accordingly.

yes, you would think there'd be plenty of historical data....

 

[drewbles]

+100! Coke Zero and Diet coke pale in comparison!

I just can't cope with Pepsi Max. It's so fake-sweet.

+100 on the Coke Zero (and seeing as QF don't stock Pepsi products, Coke Zero is a far more reasonable expectation for them to start stocking).

 

[pauly7]

I just can't cope with Pepsi Max. It's so fake-sweet.

Each to their own! though most Australians would disagree given Pepsi Max now outsells both Diet Coke and Coke Zero...

and seeing as QF don't stock Pepsi products, Coke Zero is a far more reasonable expectation for them to start stocking).

Not quite correct, QF have a dual supply arrangement in place with Coca-Cola/Coca-Cola Amatil and Pepsi/Scwheppes. QF stock several Pepsi/Scwheppes products but not their colas....yet.

 

[serfty]

... Not quite correct, QF have a dual supply arrangement in place with Coca-Cola/Coca-Cola Amatil and Pepsi/Scwheppes. QF stock several Pepsi/Scwheppes products but not their colas....yet.

"SOLO" is one such.

Each to their own! though most Australians would disagree given Pepsi Max now outsells both Diet Coke and Coke Zero...

Not surprised, Coles is currently Flogging 2 x 24 Can boxes of Pepsi MAx, SOLO et al for $19 here. That 48 cans @ ~39½¢ each.

 

[JohnK]

Qantas wouldn't load 99% hot breakfasts considering most of the time the continental breakfast runs out.

The average breakfast ratio is about 80/20 and as with all catering they monitor the catering reports for each flight and adjust accordingly.

Does not say much for my luck then.

What I do not understand is why FA's would apologise for not having a hot meal as the choice when they do not even know what the person is going to choose. Sorry a couple of pieces of fruit in the morning after a very light lunch and hardly any snack is just not right....

 

[pauly7]

Coles is currently Flogging 2 x 24 Can boxes of Pepsi MAx, SOLO et al for $19 here. That 48 cans @ ~39½¢ each.

Thanks for the tip! Pity no QFF points for Coles...

 

[samh004]

Not surprised, Coles is currently Flogging 2 x 24 Can boxes of Pepsi MAx, SOLO et al for $19 here. That 48 cans @ ~39½¢ each.

I recall a similar special from Woolies before Christmas of 2 x 30 can packs Coke for about $30. Don’t think that’s as cheap overall, but we’re stocked up for next month now!

 

[pyffii]

Flew BNE-PER yesterday afternoon and had dinner at 4.00pm...strange time but nevertheless acceptable...had Penne with Riccotta and Pumpkin and was quite tasty...Mrs Pyffii had Thai Chicken and Rice and enjoyed her meal but we both missed out on icecream being seved frosty fruits !!!...Hope we get icecream on the return flight !!!...And yes, only 2 crackers for the cheese...But all up good value and happy with what was served

 

[cmon0005]

I had the rissoles last saturday on SYD-MEL I thought it was the best Domestic Y food I have ever had.. (then again most of my Dom Y flights have been in the morning and lunch time).

I was travelling with someone else, and they didn't feel like eating so I had their rissole as well.

Have also flown QF Intl Y a few times, and although the meals were pretty good, I have to agree with some other people in this thread in that the portion sizes are too small!