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Home  >  United Airlines  >  United Airlines Swaps Ice Cream For Milk Bar Birthday Truffle Cake
United Airlines

United Airlines Swaps Ice Cream For Milk Bar Birthday Truffle Cake

Matthew Klint Posted onSeptember 27, 2022September 26, 2022 32 Comments

If you’re flying longhaul in economy or premium economy class on United Airlines next month, expect a birthday truffle cake from Milk Bar in place of ice cream or gelato for dessert.

Milk Bar Birthday Truffle Cake Coming To United Airlines

For many years now, United has offered some form of ice cream (sometimes gelato or sherbet) as the dessert in economy class on longhaul flights. While it seems like we’ve been stuck with lemon sorbet for years (admittedly, not my favorite…) we’ve seen all sorts of ice cream in economy class served in individual-size cups.

But starting on October 1, 2022, United will begin offering a new dessert in both economy and premium economy (Premium Plus)classes on most longhaul flights, a Milk Bar Birthday Truffle Cake.

These packaged treats will be placed on trays and avoid the provision of dry ice in the main cabin on most longhaul flights, including all outbound flights from the USA, except to India, and most inbound flights.

Flights from Europe, South Africa, and Ghana to the USA will still offer ice cream during the main meal service. Furthermore, flights to and from India will still offer ice cream.

It is not clear if this is a limited partnership, experiment, or simply a cost-cutting measure. A memo reviewed by Live and Let’s Fly does not mention a rationale for this change.

Part of me thinks this is a logical response to the complaints I hear all the time—either that the ice cream is too hard or melted like soup. Of course, proper use of dry ice can prevent this, but with United flights running at minimum flight attendant levels, that may take an extra pair of hands that are not on the flight.

CONCLUSION

I’ve never tried these desserts so I cannot say whether this is good news or bad news, but it seems to me that almost everyone loves vanilla or chocolate ice cream. 

Have you tried the Milk Bar Birthday Truffle Cake?

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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32 Comments

  1. Joseph Story Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 7:38 am

    It’s a cost cutting measure. This is what happens when your whole operating model is based on increasing stock price.

    • ptahcha Reply
      September 27, 2022 at 8:59 am

      Ironically, which is how most public companies are governed – it is a for-profit business, and the goal is to increase profit and reduce cost.

      • Joseph Story Reply
        September 27, 2022 at 10:06 am

        Chick-fil-A has somehow remained private and has tons of profits. It doesn’t have to worry about stock price.

        • Brian T. Reply
          September 27, 2022 at 12:53 pm

          Fair point, but he was specifically talking about publicly-traded companies, of which United is one.

          • Interested Traveler
            September 27, 2022 at 1:22 pm

            While I agree that for many companies cut costs to raise profits is the name of the game, I then remember Costco.

            Costco has always been about customer service first and to that end, it is very profitable and doesn’t just cut costs to raise profits.

            I admit there aren’t many Costco’s out there, but I can imagine what if UA and Kost Kut Kirby acted more like Costco.

      • Frank Reply
        September 27, 2022 at 12:06 pm

        These are not the same thing. Profitability is an income measure and stock price is an asset measure. In the extreme, look at Uber. It has a $55 billion market cap and no GAAP profits in any period of its history and no path to profitability in the future.

    • Random gawande Reply
      September 27, 2022 at 9:51 am

      While maximizing profit is the right goal the relationship is uneven. The corpration is too powerful. The labor tried to even the field by organizing. The consumers are powerless. Only a few consumers are powerful, like the corrupt congresswomen/men because they are open to taking bribes, and some corporate buyers like apple. What we need is a goverment controlled OTA or cooperative through which only the consumers can buy the ticket. Thus the consumer’s can organize and get more power in this uneven relationship. This OTA can also be advocate for passenger rights.

  2. Malik on Wall Street Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 8:46 am

    Had them before when a colleague brought them in. They tasted like a conglomerate of raw sugar and flower with a very artificial and chemical aftertaste. Would take any form of ice cream over this tragedy.

    Grateful that I don’t fly UA.

    • Malik on Wall Street Reply
      September 27, 2022 at 3:13 pm

      Realized autocorrect changed “flour” into flower just right now

  3. ptahcha Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 9:00 am

    The birthday truffle cake are pretty good. The size is tiny, though, and may not be as satisfying as an ice cream cup.

  4. DWT Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 9:11 am

    I’ve bought them before; they are okay but nothing particularly premium. (You can buy them at Target.). They are supposed to be refrigerated prior to consumption, so at least it isn’t something completely shelf stable they are serving.

  5. Jerry Fly Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 9:29 am

    Hi Matt, I know some of the onboard services team at Willis for UA. and confirmed this is a cost cutting measure and is being trialed on mostly outbound U.S. flights.

  6. Chris@Oak Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 11:32 am

    Management picking up on Union suggestions. Lighten the carts making it easier for Senior Citizen FAs to push them thru the aisles.

    Cost cutting!

    Recently did SFO-ICN. Econ.
    FAs did only one beverage service for both “meals” on both flights. Mid-flight snack:
    Was- Plastic bag with 1/4 sandwich; chips; candy bar.
    Now- 1/4 sandwich

    Pre-arrival meal to SFO-
    Was- Tray with eggs + chicken sausage; potatoes; fruit salad; packed brick (roll)
    Now- Heated ham & cheese sandwich.

    Fewer flight attendants needed for massive reductions of f&b service.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 27, 2022 at 11:53 am

      When did you do SFO-ICN? According to my catering sheets, a full breakfast should been served before landing in economy class.

      • Chris@Oak Reply
        September 27, 2022 at 12:53 pm

        19/20-23 Sept 2022
        Service was awful.

        For the SFO pre-arrival, I asked the FA if they had a veg version of the ham&cheese. She said vegetarian meals must be ordered. I told her it was a snack sandwich and not a meal. In the past, catering loaded veg versions to be placed on a tray with other items.

        At an hour prior to landing, snack wrappers and beverage containers picked up. I asked if there would be a second beverage service and I was told no. They didn’t HK have time as we’d be landing soon. An hour to go in the flight is not landing soon.

        I’ll send a trip report about other issues to 1K voice. I’ll likely get the same BS rely; catering issues and f&b timed with flight crew. BS.
        Cost cutting + lazy!

        1K/2.8 MM

      • Chris@Oak Reply
        September 27, 2022 at 12:53 pm

        19/20-23 Sept 2022

        For the SFO pre-arrival, I asked the FA if they had a veg version of the ham&cheese. She said vegetarian meals must be ordered. I told her it was a snack sandwich and not a meal. In the past, catering loaded veg versions to be placed on a tray with other items.

        At an hour prior to landing, snack wrappers and beverage containers picked up. I asked if there would be a second beverage service and I was told no. They didn’t HK have time as we’d be landing soon. An hour to go in the flight is not landing soon.

        I’ll send a trip report about other issues to 1K voice. I’ll likely get the same BS rely; catering issues and f&b timed with flight crew. BS.
        Cost cutting + lazy!

        1K/2.8 MM

        • Matthew Klint Reply
          September 27, 2022 at 1:04 pm

          That’s crazy if they have swapped out the full breakfast for those nasty sandwiches. Nothing else served with it?

          And what about the main meal? Was it that southwest skillet with chicken and quinoa?

  7. Aaron Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 12:54 pm

    As with many initiatives UA is taking, probably cost cutting more than anything.

    The ice cream/sorbet used to be offered as a mid-flight snack in economy on long haul flights till someone thought it would be cheaper to remove the dessert served with the first meal* and offer the ice cream/sorbet as the dessert for the first meal instead.

    Now it seems like they have found a cheaper costing dessert.

    *I believe dessert on long haul flights used to be some type of packaged cookie or brownie bar, no?

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      September 27, 2022 at 12:55 pm

      Back in the day, yes indeed. A packaged brownie. But that was many years ago now.

  8. Jerry Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 1:12 pm

    Only Tim Dunn could spin this as anything other than a cost cutting measure.

    Real shame too, ice cream is one of those things that everyone likes. I don’t think anybody really likes eating packaged cake/cookies.

    • Aaron Reply
      September 27, 2022 at 1:17 pm

      Yeah but as I said, you used to get both back in the day. Brownie as dessert, ice cream/sorbet as a mid-flight snack.

  9. Chris@Oak Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 1:45 pm

    Nothing else!
    ICN-SFO main: Chicken with rice. The FA on aisle mumbled the other choice; I think beef with noodle.
    I heard her ask PremEcon: chicken with rice or chicken with noodle. (Still no menus.)

    I’d like to add in another change.
    Neither flight had FA or purser announcement of meal options in economy prior to the service.
    Also, they appear not to know what they are quickly handing out.
    SFO-ICN pre-arrival; FA on aisle said breakfast options were scrambled eggs with sausage or waffles. The scrambled eggs had crumbled sausage on top of the eggs; not the usual two on the side.
    I asked the FA what the meat was and she replied she didn’t know.
    It was beyond unappealing. Visualize recycled food.

    What happened to inflight service standards? Victim of Covid? FAs doing less.
    At least ANA has their inflight menu available online and part of the inflight programming.

    • Malik on Wall Street Reply
      September 27, 2022 at 3:11 pm

      It’s almost as if UA actively want people to fly on OZ or KE to get to Korea on a nonstop flight or do a SFO-HND-GMP on ANA.

  10. Paul Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 2:07 pm

    Customers want United to improve its catering not more cost cutting.

  11. Island Miler Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 2:25 pm

    The cake truffles aren’t so good. The Mrs. loves the actual Birthday Cake from Milk Bar stores, as well as their cake truffles. But if they’re serving those pre-packaged Birthday Truffle Crumb Cakes, then expect it to be disappointing. They’re overly sweet, dry, and crumbly.

  12. hp12c Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 2:45 pm

    No bueno. Milk Bar’s stuff is absolutely vile and all sweetened as if a 5-year old is in charge of the kitchen.

  13. Chris@Oak Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 3:02 pm

    (Eating the wrapper might be healthier. Sarcasm)

    INGREDIENTSNUTRITION FACTS
    Ingredients
    Ingredients: Sugar, Wheat Flour, White Confectioner’s Coating (Sugar, Palm Kernel Oil, Skim Milk Powder, Sunflower Lecithin [An Emulsifier], Natural Flavor), Eggs, Soybean Oil, Coconut Oil, Egg Yolks, Water, Natural Flavors, Brown Sugar, Sprinkles (Sugar, Potato Starch, Maltodextrin, Rice Bran Oil, Lemon Juice, Fruit & Vegetable Juice [For Color], Carnauba Wax), Glycerin, Glucose Syrup Solids, Brown Rice Syrup, Tapioca Starch, Cultured Nonfat Milk Powder, Invert Cane Sugar, Salt, Citrus Fiber, Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate), Sunflower Lecithin, Xanthan Gum.

    Nutrition Facts
    16 servings per container
    Serving size
    1 cake (33 g)
    Amount per serving
    Calories
    150
    % Daily Value *
    Total Fat 6g
    8%
    Sat Fat 3.5g
    18%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Cholesterol 25mg
    8%
    Sodium 130mg
    6%
    Carbohydrates 21g
    8%
    Fiber 0g
    0%
    Sugars 14g
    Added Sugar 13g
    26%
    Protein 1g
    Vitamin D 0mcg
    0%
    Potassium 20mg
    0%
    Iron 0mg
    0%
    Calcium 9mg
    0%
    * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

  14. JSF Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 10:28 pm

    We got this on a recent American premium flight. It’s actually pretty good!

  15. HGHglobal Reply
    September 27, 2022 at 11:15 pm

    It appears Scott Kirby’s April 2022 “Four Pillars” announcement to make United the “biggest” and “best” airline in the world together with a subsequent announcement of “Good Leads the Way” rings hollow with reality. Another example of cost cutting and diminished passenger services by the cabin crew. There is urgent need for United’s leadership to inspire pride and confidence among customers and especially premium passengers. Sadly, it’s not forthcoming!

  16. Tony N Reply
    September 30, 2022 at 8:46 pm

    You have to wonder if you are actually eating something called food with all these processed ingredients. And the sugar will kill you in the long run. But don’t worry, you are still YOUNG.

  17. Dian Reply
    October 14, 2022 at 12:29 am

    I’d rather have no dessert and more real food but between the sorbet and the Milk Bar, I’d happily take Milk Bar instead.

  18. Pingback: What's For Dessert? A Look At United Airlines' New Economy & Premium Plus Offering – Stocks Delivered

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