Tale of 2 brekkies [or Qantas "Cafe" Breakfast Sucks!]

[dfcatch]

To be fair, in F on the HKG-SYD an LHR-DXB legs I really don't see a need for a full breakfast. The continental options are more than sufficient, sometimes a pastry and coffee are plenty. Airplanes shouldn't be non stop eat-athons! It's very unhealthy to eat large amounts of cooked foods, whilst being entirely sedentary and often sleeping.

To be fair - that's your opinion.

And more importantly - that's your "choice" (if you have in fact been given one).

I on the other hand - if flying F (or J for that matter) would like the option of a full breakfast. I may have a high metabolism, I may not have had time for (or felt like) food in the lounge prior to departure, and I may have to go straight to work / appointments upon landing.

Or god forbid, I have a tight domestic connection which allows no lounge time upon landing (and given I live in CNS), QF may well have shunted me onto a zero-service JQ domestic connection.

So yes - part of "my" premium inflight experience is the choice of a full breakfast.

 

[Robbi]

To be fair - that's your opinion.

And more importantly - that's your "choice" (if you have in fact been given one).

I on the other hand - if flying F (or J for that matter) would like the option of a full breakfast. I may have a high metabolism, I may not have had time for (or felt like) food in the lounge prior to departure, and I may have to go straight to work / appointments upon landing.

Or god forbid, I have a tight domestic connection which allows no lounge time upon landing (and given I live in CNS), QF may well have shunted me onto a zero-service JQ domestic connection.

So yes - part of "my" premium inflight experience is the choice of a full breakfast.

I agree.

I would have thought "premium" implies choice - meals for those who require/expect them and opt-out for those that aren't bothered, and consistency of meals on and between services. Premium price also implies premium service.

I am pretty sure my body clock and metabolism are different to yours so why should mine dictate whether other people eat or not?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

to me this seems to be a fairly simple issue.

a potential problem has been highlighted, and plenty of evidence has been provided to go with that.

the next steps would seem to be recognition by the airline and an outline of when this will be reviewed.

it is so simple: 'we will conduct a review of the cafe breakfast in March' (or whatever).

we may not like the outcome of the review - but at least we would then have certainty and could use that in any decision making process on which carrier to fly.

I would find it hard to believe that a major company would have a review process that is not part of a wider project plan. You can't simply turn up at the office and decide to review something today because you feel like it, and implement it tomorrow. There are contracts in place, supplies have been ordered, crew have been trained, approval will be required by management.

that all takes time. we could be looking at a lead time of months here.

 

[DaveB]

Our QF82 SIN-SYD flight involved skimping at bother ends.
For a 6:45pm boarding and 6:15am landing, to take 2+ hours to serve a Supper that included main options of mushroom soup or chicken schnitzel sandwich is ridiculous, along with lighting the cabin up still west of Broken Hill to serve a small smoothie and croissant.
To take at least four hours of a 7+ hour overnight flight to serve 'take-away' style food options was bemusing and not even close to recent experiences on VA, SQ, EY and even short Silk Air flights that week to Koh Samui.
I thought the hordes devouring the excellent food and drink on offer in the QF SIN lounge were pax on the many JQ flights departing the same time, but obviously included more aware QF pax than me.
Being the last of the on-line JASA's with FF points long gone eleswhere, the experience didn't concern me other than feel sad how far QF is falling. Definitely would have felt cheated and used if paid the fare.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Including warm bakery items :shock: More than appropriate :shock: :shock: If one chose not to have dinner, because of the time it was served, would the scrooge breakfast still be 'appropriate'?

And this is the dilemma the airlines face. Because of the short time frame between dinner and breakfast on these flights, SQ introduced an "either dinner or breakfast, but not both" policy - and didn't people squeal about that !!! QF has chosen to make dinner the 'proper' meal. You can bet there would be equal uproar is they decided to not serve dinner, but have a full breakfast.

This is one of those areas where there really is no "one size fits all" solution.

 

[dfcatch]

And this is the dilemma the airlines face. Because of the short time frame between dinner and breakfast on these flights, SQ introduced an "either dinner or breakfast, but not both" policy - and didn't people squeal about that !!! QF has chosen to make dinner the 'proper' meal. You can bet there would be equal uproar is they decided to not serve dinner, but have a full breakfast.

This is one of those areas where there really is no "one size fits all" solution.

Except instead of serving a proper meal for dinner in an expedient manner - they have this stupid "small plates" business that takes twice as long to serve.

So you're kept awake for longer for a average dinner service (IMHO), then woken up early for a piss-poor coughpy croissant that is less than I can get from McDonalds in the terminal.

 

[Ewing]

And this is the dilemma the airlines face. Because of the short time frame between dinner and breakfast on these flights, SQ introduced an "either dinner or breakfast, but not both" policy - and didn't people squeal about that !!! QF has chosen to make dinner the 'proper' meal. You can bet there would be equal uproar is they decided to not serve dinner, but have a full breakfast.

This is one of those areas where there really is no "one size fits all" solution.

I'd rather the choice personally.

QF6 for example (SIN-SYD) leaves just after 10pm. The last thing I want to be doing on that flight is have dinner - which comes around midnight. I'd prefer to have a decent dinner in Singapore a few hours earlier before getting on the plane and then go straight to sleep.

Breakfast on the other hand. The flight lands at 9am, and I head straight to the office. I'd like to be fully fueled and ready to go!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And this is the dilemma the airlines face. Because of the short time frame between dinner and breakfast on these flights, SQ introduced an "either dinner or breakfast, but not both" policy - and didn't people squeal about that !!! QF has chosen to make dinner the 'proper' meal. You can bet there would be equal uproar is they decided to not serve dinner, but have a full breakfast.

This is one of those areas where there really is no "one size fits all" solution.

i though someone said SQ has changed its policy to either/and now at least on AU flights? (although in 6 and a bit hours two meals is doing quite well!)

 

[serfty]

I flew a fortnight ago in First HKG-SYD and there was a breakfast menu - purely 'continental'. I have kept a copy and will publish it here.
...

Here is the breakfast part ...

CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST

BEVERAGES

Orange Juice
Apple Juice
Tomato Juice
Santa Vittoria Pear Nectar
Santa Vittoria Peach Nectar
Orange and Mango Energiser

FRUIT & CEREAL

Seasonal Fruit Salad
Cereal Selection
Brookfarm Toasted Muesli
Yoghurt and Honey

BAKERY

3 Seed toast
Croissant
Cinnamon Scroll
Baked Char Sui Pork Bun
Berry Jam, Marmalade, Honey, Vegemite

 

[docjames]

If the time factor is an issue, and half the cabin wants dinner, half wants breakfast, then surely the solution is the "order before you fly" that they are using on long haul eg. ex-LAX for late night departures.

I would also argue it's easier to serve a small single plate supper as in the lounge (new and improved with improved food offerings in SIN, but there' plenty of options in HKG too!) there's the opportunity to eat a proper dinner prior to boarding, allowing for a larger breakfast (again on short overnight, single tray is ok). Those that know they will arrive late at the airport can order a larger dinner in advance to have on board.


I need to move on from this topic. Qantas don't get it. Or I don't. :shock: One or the other.

 

[markis10]

EY have put some thought into their menu with options to suit most if not all, not bad considering the later departure in comparison to the QF flights ex SIN.

 

[drron]

Well after a week of hospital breakfasts I have changed my mind-would have loved a QF Café brekkie this morning!

 

[RooFlyer]

And this is the dilemma the airlines face. Because of the short time frame between dinner and breakfast on these flights, SQ introduced an "either dinner or breakfast, but not both" policy - and didn't people squeal about that !!! QF has chosen to make dinner the 'proper' meal. You can bet there would be equal uproar is they decided to not serve dinner, but have a full breakfast.

This is one of those areas where there really is no "one size fits all" solution.

Exactly! So one casts one's mind back to the time when (and remember we are talking about J here - and a reasonably 'fully priced' J it is):

* You were offered dinner, with several choices, or you could choose not to have dinner, or only part of it AND

* You were given a breakfast menu soon after boarding and they took them up before lights out. You could choose nothing (and indicate that you didn't want to be woken), or from several hot choices.

Now we have a slow, small-ish, coughpy-ish (depending on your tolerance) dinner and a small coughpy breakfast served hours out from arrival.

We all know its not about customer's wishes, or letting people sleep longer, or a 'modern' menu. We all know its cost cutting, done in the most obvious, shrewish and pathetic way.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

...

Now we have a slow, small-ish, coughpy-ish (depending on your tolerance) dinner and a small coughpy breakfast served hours out from arrival.

just out of interest, what options are available in business class? Can you choose one or two small plates and a large plate and a dessert? How does it work if you use Q-eats? does that let you select multiple courses?

 

[legroom]

just out of interest, what options are available in business class? Can you choose one or two small plates and a large plate and a dessert? How does it work if you use Q-eats? does that let you select multiple courses?

My post earlier (with the photos) showed the either/or J breakfast options ex NRT: rice ball (onigiri) or fresh fruits.

Q-Eat would never allow you to choose multiple options (had done one ex SYD yesterday).

On the QF22 ex NRT route (J), you were not given a breakfast menu to preselect before retiring, only a verbal offering of choices in the morning.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My post earlier (with the photos) showed the either/or J breakfast options ex NRT: rice ball (onigiri) or fresh fruits.

Q-Eat would never allow you to choose multiple options (had done one ex SYD yesterday).

On the QF22 ex NRT route (J), you were not given a breakfast menu to preselect before retiring, only a verbal offering of choices in the morning.

sorry my bad.. I meant for dinner... rooflyer's post seemed to indicate a 'smallish' meal (dinner). is it possible for pax to order a large meal?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

friend of mine is flying PVG-SYD on QF business (yes i warned them against it!!) - do they get cafe breakfast on that flight or full hot?

 

[smit0847]

This is what I was served recently for breakfast on a 6 hour overnight SQ J flight to Japan (admittedly you have to choose between supper and breakfast):

 

[legroom]

Thought I would follow up with an ex HKG Y meal photo on QF128

Seems more substantial than my J meal ex NRT

Not sure why they treat QF22 so shabbily

This tiny portion of cold Japanese style rice wrapping or some fresh fruits was all I got for breakfast on QF22 (J).

After some 9 hrs in the air, arriving at 8am, it appears QF expects you to BYO when it comes to breakfast.

Never mind only 1-2 pax ordered dinner anyway (I did not).

Quite disappointing !

It was a paid ticket - ouch !

View attachment 23047

(my portion)

View attachment 23048

(my wife's portion)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

friend of mine is flying PVG-SYD on QF business (yes i warned them against it!!) - do they get cafe breakfast on that flight or full hot?

said friend arrived - there was a hot breakfast.

Western

- scrambled eggs with bacon, spinach, corn fritters and tomato jam
- french toast with cinnamon butter and poached pears

Chinese

- steamed pork bun
- stir fried egg noodles with vegetables and soy
- selection of prok and prawn steamed dumplings
- congee with oy beans, preserved vegetabvles and fried bread