Each week, my Meal of the Week feature examines an airline meal from my travels over the years. This may be a meal from earlier in the week or it may be a meal served over a decade ago.
One of the last relics of the “golden era” of flying is the dessert cart, which still offers business and first class passengers a smorgasbord of delectable cheeses, fruit, and sweets. Many airlines still serve appetizers and main courses from a cabin trolley as well. Sadly, that may be a permanent casualty of the pandemic.
It may not be as hygienic, but there is something special about a cart rolling down the aisle with a selection of appetizers, main courses, and especially dessert and coffee.
In the pre-1978 era of regulation, carriers could not compete on price so they competed on service. Most offered premium class passengers lobster, shrimp, carved roasts, and succulent side dishes. All was served from a cart. Those days are long gone, but up until the pandemic many airlines still offered vestiges of that in-flight cuisine heyday by still using carts for all or part of the meal service.
I’ve included a handful of examples below.
Austrian offered appetizers and desserts from via a cart covered in white linen with giant silver serving utensils:
EgyptAir served main courses, desserts, and coffee from a cart:
Lufthansa’s famous caviar service plus appetizers and desserts were served via cart:
Pakistan International Airlines offered a true buffet of choices from its cart:
Royal Air Maroc offered main courses, cheese, and dessert from a cart:
Royal Jordanian offed main courses and desserts from a trolley:
SAS offered appetizers, main courses, desserts, and breakfast from a trolley:
SWISS offered appetizers from a trolley in first class:
Turkish, until recently, still served all courses from a cart in longhaul business class:
United still offered its signature ice cream sundae service from a cart:
Lufthansa Offers Us A Sliver Of Hope
Lufthansa updated its catering guidelines this week and announced that there would be no changes to first class dining. I haven’t flown Lufthansa yet to report whether that means the trolleys remain, but I suspect (fear) that caviar will still be available, but served individually. Hopefully I’m wrong.
CONCLUSION
I’m not necessarily complaining that carts may disappear onboard airplanes (it may be the better alternative). But if they do, it will truly mark the end of an era.
Do you prefer meal service by cart or personally delivered to your seat?
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Kenneth, I am sure you have some wonderful dessert cart stories!
I detest tray settings. I hope that the market demands that at least some of the carts come back including TK
Maybe it’s just me but I don’t see any of those carts appealing except for Turkish+United and maybe Austrian.
Unfortunately, EgyptAir had already gotten rid of the carts before the pandemic. I flew two long haul segments with them in business class last year and, on both, the cart was nowhere to be seen…
OMG I love United’s dessert cart! Made famous by Sheila’s videos!!! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjc6e9-23QonhJkM_Cps4Qw
No one is going to get COVID from the trolley service ( at least not any more likely than from a tray). Airlines will decide the future on the basis of cost.
I like desert trolleys ,to the extent they’re a tiny bit reminiscent of high tea service in a hotel or cafe…and I’m a fan of those.
Less keen on the main courses coming down the aisle in full view and, more particularly,smell: not everyone finds the scent of burning animal flesh appealing .
+1
I am very surprised that there were no pictures of the 5-star airlines such as Cathay Pacific, EVA, Singapore Airlines, Asiana, and Vietnam Airlines. Just personal opinion, but SWISS, Royal Air Maroc, or Pakistan Airlines can never be compared to those outstanding Asian carriers.
I’ve reviewed them all—you can find reviews on this website. None used trolley service, IME.
Cathay used to in business class (don’t remember if they do with the new business class menu that was introduced a couple of years ago), the mains and desserts would be served on a trolley.
Air India does trolley service in first class.
Delta’s dessert trolley is very similar to what United offers.
I know what Matthew means. CX J meals began with everything brought around on a tray first, so the crew didn’t need to set individual tables. But once they’ve done that and done the bread basket, they did have an option to use a cart to bring out the hot entree.
I think each crew (or at least the ISM) got to decide if they wanted to serve the mains on a trolley, or bring them around the cabin on a tray. I’ve seen both on shorthauls.
I remember this because I thought it was a great “democratic” aspect of working for CX, that most of its Asian rivals desperately lack, and most HK-national CX employees have been too busy attacking the company to care about where it in fact respects them more.
Trolleys were used on all long-haul flights for the mains and desserts.
“most HK-national CX employees have been too busy attacking the company”
No, they haven’t, and usually don’t. Don’t know why you are making this up? Seems strange to take a dig at HK nationals unless you have some type of agenda…wink wink.
I like the mix of both in a service
Mains should be hand plated and served
An appetizer and dessert cart seems most festive
Yet the most high regarded service, La Premiere serves nothing via cart
I love La Premiere, but they also serve yogurt in plastic containers.
…and probably that faux yoghurt, French style, too much sugar and nothing like the real thing. Petite Miam…ghastly rubbish.
Gosh, a plastic container? Oh, the humanity!
@Andy K: In first class? It’s simply unnecessary.
I’m sure airlines will be embracing Winston Churchill’s wise words: ‘never let a good crisis go to waste’ in the months ahead. What do you guys think?