The "Truth" of "Small Plates/Plates" in J or "The Demise of the Toasted Sanger"!

[drewbles]

The 'toasted sandwiches' have been replaced with the 'Signature Chicken Schnitzel and Coleslaw' sandwich, according to the person who liaises with QF and NP.

Having had it several times, I have to say it's a lot better than the dreary toasted sambos they used to have in J. They took it as a genuine enhancement and likened it to the Signature F Steak Sandwich; it's something that people who fly regularly can always 'go to' and love.

 

[defurax]

On QF 128 from HKG - SYD the café breakfast choice was appalling . To be offered Citrus fruit salad OR a Ham & Cheese Croissant in Business class is not what we were expecting.

jojen

Hopefully, they will soon allow J PAX to select Y breakfast as an option:shock:

 

[serfty]

The 'toasted sandwiches' have been replaced with the 'Signature Chicken Schnitzel and Coleslaw' sandwich, according to the person who liaises with QF and NP. ....

The description on the menu is:[TABLE="class: grid"]
[TR]
[TD]MENU

Our Rockpool inspired menu, designed bu Neil Perry, allows you to enjoy
a completely personalised dining experience. You can choose from our
extensive menu after take-off from a selection of plates throughout
your flight.[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

So you supposedly can choose when to eat and what you want to eat.

Of course, the FA's will want to discourage you from eating later (and they do) as this can add to their work load - they want to get your meal out of the way.

As for the schnitzels, they are listed under "Main Plates" with the other fare and going by my conversion with the FSD are subject to the normal meal loadings - there are none additionally loaded for later snacking and if initial demand is sufficient, they will not be available later in the flight (although you should be able order for later I guess).

See the menu as posted in #5 by pleb status for what the official "snacks" actually are.

 

[Kangol]

As for the schnitzels are listed under "Main Plates" with the other fare and going by my conversion with the FSD are subject to the normal meal loadings - there are none additionally loaded for later snacking and if initial demand is sufficient, they will not be available later in the flight (although you should be able order for later I guess).

Sounds like that is the way to go then - eat in the F (or J) lounge, order a (full) meal for later in the flight and not be disappointed.
From what has been reported, it sounds like the "feedback from pax who choose to eat in the lounge and then graze throughout the flight" wasn't entirely true - just a disguise to cut costs and severely degrade the product.
I thought that one of the main advantages of J is the greater selection and amount of food. You may be better off in Y or Y+ if you literally miss out on a meal :shock:

Red Roo, where are you?

 

[RooFlyer]

Sounds like that is the way to go then - eat in the F (or J) lounge, order a (full) meal for later in the flight and not be disappointed.
From what has been reported, it sounds like the "feedback from pax who choose to eat in the lounge and then graze throughout the flight" wasn't entirely true - just a disguise to cut costs and severely degrade the product.
I thought that one of the main advantages of J is the greater selection and amount of food. You may be better off in Y or Y+ if you literally miss out on a meal :shock:

Red Roo, where are you?

I would hope Red Roo is contemplating the possible offal being served in Y. http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/qantas-frequent-flyer-program/qf-offal-red-wine-sauce-52024.html

 

[oz74]

Have our first j flight ever in August and I'm already disappointed!

 

[defurax]

Have our first j flight ever in August and I'm already disappointed!

Then keep flying only in F! Why downgrading?

 

[oz74]

Then keep flying only in F! Why downgrading?

Haha. Like it!

 

[frankxinyu]

recently on the QF98 HKG-BNE, breakfast option was a joke.

a choice of fruit salad, or ham & cheese croissant. seriously QF how much money can you save by cutting out a full breakfast?

and Re: chicken schnitzel sandwich, i stopped getting them as far back as Jan this year on QF11. Was told by FA then it is not an option any more as it was adding too much work load to the crew, even though they were still on the menu.

 

[straitman]

seriously QF how much money can you save by cutting out a full breakfast?

Over a bunch of flights and over a year the answer is in the millions :!:

 

[frankxinyu]

Over a bunch of flights and over a year the answer is in the millions :!:

great, why dont we just offer Y food in J cabin then? that would save a lot more.

why do we even call J a premium product then?

great logic

 

[farstar]

Over a bunch of flights and over a year the answer is in the millions :!:

Not much if J customers switch airline.

 

[straitman]

great, why dont we just offer Y food in J cabin then? that would save a lot more.

why do we even call J a premium product then?

great logic

If you think about it what is needed is the balance between being 'cheap' and not wasting money. ie J offering as much extra as is needed at a price that people will pay.
Using a totally unreal example:

1. Ten flights per day,
2. Twenty seats per flight,
3. 365 days per year,
4. Save $1 per meal.
5. Saving is $73,000 pa.

Then put this over a few routes and on a few items and you have a real saving.

Not much if J customers switch airline.

All airlines/businesses have to do this type of thing all the time to contain costs.

Don't shoot the messenger:!: I'm simply explaining the logic, not defending any specific action.

 

[zarzuela]

I'd like to see QF offer full breakfast on QF 6, maybe not on QF 82, from Singapore to Sydney. The current offering is pathetic!

 

[Hvr]

To follow on from straitman's calculations the classic example in airlines saving money would probably have to be AA removing one olive from each salad. It saved $40,000 per annum.

I reckon the actual costs of the J meals would be easily quantifiable and in the view of QFi worth it.

 

[oz_mark]

To follow on from straitman's calculations the classic example in airlines saving money would probably have to be AA removing one olive from each salad. It saved $40,000 per annum.

I reckon the actual costs of the J meals would be easily quantifiable and in the view of QFi worth it.

The reason for the removal of the olive, though, was that it had become apparent that they weren't actually being consumed. I am not sure that the same can be said of the Qantas change.

(see the story on Page 107: Corporate Creativity: How Innovation and Improvement Actually Happen - Alan G. Robinson, Sam Stern - Google Books)

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I returned last week from a HKG JASA (QF29/QF30) and I was impressed by the food and service. Admittedly this is slightly off topic as the small plates were so-so. But the main plates were very, very good. I had the blue eye on MELHKG and the lasgane and the sea bass on HKGMEL. The sea bass was probably the best fish course I have had in J across any airline, meaty and quite succulent. And there was a Grosset Riesling to pair with the sea bass, which is an excellent wine.

Managed to snag a chicken schnitzel sandwich two thirds of the way through MELHKG and the FA, David, had no issue with preparing it. That certainly helped with negotiating the three hours of The Hobbit.

I do agree the cafe breakfast for HKGMEL was light on and is really just a Y meal with better plates. I chose the fruit and couldn't eat it as it was too tart for my palate (red grapefruit and I do not get along). However, and I don't think I'd be the only person in this situation, I had a three-course meal in the Wing Haven restaurant (including salmon paired with cognac :shock: ) before departing HKG. When this is combined with a small plate and two large plates onboard (the lasagne and sea bass) then I really did not need anything other than a cafe breakfast.

 

[Kangol]

Just some comments on this:
I was on QF9 MEL-LHR and seated in row 12.. they had run out of my choice for the small plates on the MEL-DXB leg!
Main plate was OK - chicken schnitzel sandwich.
I also had a hot supper snack - pretty sure it was before arriving into DXB but can't remember - could have been on the DXB-LHR leg.
Oh, my skybed had the "droop" as well - something I noticed with other pax.

Good thing I had a substantial meal in the F lounge.. otherwise it would have been disappointing. Sure, it was better than Y but I expected a bit more - only other QF A380 J experience was 18 months ago. Haven't experienced A380 F but it would seem that is now the "standard" for premium longhaul travel. I guess I can see why people are moving away from QF int J...

 

[jedinite]

Just some comments on this:
I was on QF9 MEL-LHR and seated in row 12.. they had run out of my choice for the small plates on the MEL-DXB leg!

Wow! I thought my seat selection of row 12 on my upcoming trip would overcome this issue.
Isnt QF9 an A380, meaning you only had row 11 in front of you, and were the second row served?

Do they always serve front to back ? (e.g. Im doing Qf9 MEL to LHR then QF10 LHR to MEL return)

 

[Nizar]

Oh, my skybed had the "droop" as well - something I noticed with other pax

What do you mean by "droop" ?
Not fully flat ?