Why American Airlines Removed Sliders and Fries From First Class
A new first class menu item AA called “Sliders & Fries” debuted on flights out of Chicago O’Hare (ORD) in February for pre-orders. American Airlines called it a “new limited-time pre-order option” and said it would gather feedback to evaluate whether to continue the offering:
We are testing a new limited-time pre-order option: hamburger sliders and fries. Customers traveling in Business Class out of Chicago O’Hare International Airport can enjoy the classic American meal in the skies on eligible flights.
The two pretzel-bun sliders will come with American cheese and a side of crinkle cut fries and traditional condiments. Customers can pre-order the meal for a limited-time up to 24-hours before departure on the American app or at aa.com.
…American will use customer feedback about the meal option to inform future offerings inflight and deliver on American’s commitment to continuously provide an enhanced customer and experience on the ground and in the air.
Turns out the sliders were a hit and AA expanded them across its domestic network in March and April.
However, View From The Wing notes “the sliders will be cycled out on May 14.” Why would a highly successful menu item be transitioned out?
The knowledgeable Jon NYC shares the surprising reason why: they were just too popular.
And that makes sense, doesn’t it? If tons of people were pre-ordering it, that messes up whole supply chains. AA perhaps could have known better that a burger and French Fries would be popular with its US clients (heck, I would have certainly ordered it if it were an option on my recent AA flight).
I think the good news here is that the burgers will be back…AA just has to figure out how to source more of them at once. And that’s a good problem to have: if I happen to try the new 787-9 on a lunch or dinner flight, I’m hoping the burgers will be back…
Have you tried the American Airlines sliders?
So it’s very shrewd to be, very, very popular like me….unless you’re a slider on American Airlines.
image: Donald J Foley / Facebook
Given the timing, beef was likely imported ( Canada, Mexico ) and now will price out 25% higher. So supply chain or tariffs? If it was very very popular that could play into a decision to pull it so quickly.
I’ve been saying the airlines need to stick to the basics when it comes to meals for a long time. Stop serving locally sourced, organic, kale-quinoa hipster chow (and even worse, half-posteriored attempts at ethnic food) that nobody likes, and stick to the basics – burgers, sandwiches, pizza, etc.
The last time I was in the DL Sky Club at FLL, everybody was passing up the hipster chow and going for the mac and cheese. It reminds me of a conversation I had a number of years ago with an executive from a major national restaurant chain… They said they kept some “healthy options” on the menu to satisfy the health nannies, but that the vast majority of their customers never ordered it.
AA could offer Croque Monsieur, BLT’s and ceasar salads as a substitute.
I bet they didn’t taste great but people would rather have “simple” food that tastes ok vs the faux-fancy entrees sometimes passed around in domestic F / intl J on US airlines.
Judy: Wow Bob, those sliders we’re trying out are really loved by our passengers. What should we do?
Bob: Kill them off of course.
The sliders themselves were OK. The fries were surprisingly good. They actually came out crispy the one time I had them. I’m sad to see them go, but they weren’t healthy at all.
Oven-baked fries have come a long way.
AA Management is just a joke. They prove it time and time again :/