Do Qantas’ upgraded meals hit the spot?

I'm sure there are people out there who will enjoy the offerings, just not me.

Nothing here is really standing out here or sounding impressive. All feels a bit... meh

Totally underwhelming. Just provide a tasty hot meal like you used to, Qantas.

All the economy meals look tiny. For 2 hour plus trips I'd like to be served a full sized meal container item, like international. 

Transcontinental is also north-south in Australia.

I fly monthly to Darwin and the Weiss bars are back on those flights when it is a 737.

I'd be interesting to know if there is any difference with Qantas Link catering? You can end up on a transcontinental sector flown by E190s or A320s from Darwin. They may have less galley space than 737s or A330s. 

Yep. Underwhelming. Until they actually offer more than one single dry item in economy (which looks to be pretty much still the plan) or offer the likes of Weiss bars on any domestic flight other than transcontinental sectors, I don’t see how they can expect passengers to really be “wowed”

The other thing is that when QF brought in their new international economy catering style, they talked about it being quicker to clear, allowing more options to be handed out bit by bit. 

Now there’s no side salad and no replacement. Other elements (meal, bread roll placed on top of foil, ice cream on a stick maybe later) are just a few of the elements that were previously on an economy tray. It’s cost cutting really - simple as that.

The photograph of the “new economy offerings” there says enough - a heap of small cardboard boxes of fairly underwhelming offerings.

God that looks underwhelming- for al the rage about QF offering a service no one else offers domestically. Glad I don’t pay overs for that. 

Utterly underwhelming, and very processed. Bring back the boxed hot meals.

A small suggestion - why not package the items in Qantas branded boxes/packets rather than advertising the suppliers? I think I’d feel better if I imagined/pretended that the food came from a (former) Qantas kitchen.

I appreciate the effort but I agree with the above sentiment - get the basics right like a good bacon and egg roll for breakfast, decent hot meal or sandwich for lunch and maybe a cake, scone or sandwich for afternoon tea and it will be a crowd pleaser. Style over substance isn’t going to win this one. 

Whilst I know this article talks mostly about domestic flights I have to say those boxed meals  on international flights, and some longer domestic flights are just woeful.  It's sad to see what was and was is now. I'm sure the powers that be are more than aware of how underwhelming those things are when put in front of a customer. Apparently that's OK with them.  As the saying goes "the standard you walk past is the standard you accept. " I think this must be acceptable for Qantas management 

Even in international business class flights menus is nothing to sing a song about. First class keep afloat but just. So even slighter improvement is very welcome. Though I still do not hold my breath.

It looks awful. Give us a boxed meal at dinnertime like you used to. It can't cost you more than a couple of dollars per passenger and will be easily covered by the premium fares being charged. The downhill slide continues. I'm guessing buy-on board will be their next premium economy offering.   Qantas is obviously looking to US domestic carrier offers for inspiration, and that is sad for the flying public here who knew they have done so much better in years gone by.

I honestly don't see what's wrong with a smoked salmon bagel or a miso-glazed chicken salad. They're both things I would be happy to order at my local cafe so what's wrong with them being on the menu of a domestic business class flight?

I am sure this has been suggested by somebody here as a comment on a similar topic in the past, but when you look at the quality of a lot of 'grab-and-go' food places I think those could be ideal meals and even snacks in economy. Every time I go the the UK I look at shops like Pret, well Pret is a favourite, and they have great sandwiches and wraps and salad bowls, and so many places locally these days have great Poke Bowls, and I think, why doesn't an airline just do a deal with Pret or somebody similar to hand those out in economy? Surely Qantas could easily get its catering supplier to do your basic but decent quality selection of wraps and sandwiches and Poke Bowls and make that their inflight economy meal, unless they need to introduce a hot meal, which I think is over-rated a lot of the time.

Qantas’s food is simply disappointing whether on the plane or in the lounges. I know people rave about deep fried squid in the first lounge, but the sad reality is you get the equivalent in most fish and chip shops. 

They really should start again, with fresh whole foods rather than highly refined factory fodder like bagels.   Appreciate many don’t care about their health but for those that do, and you see them all the time on Qantas, “just a bottle of water please” and decline the rest of the offering. 

These food offerings probably help the profit line assuming the food doesn’t go to waste when people decline it. 

Prefer to save the money and fly Jetstar and pay for a choice of what I want to eat.

None of the QF offerings look any better than what VA and JQ charge for - yet we pay a huge premium for a full service.

I would hope that they upgrade the embarrassing economy meals on long haul international flights. A dry bread roll on top of a small container of a main course, with no side salad or similar must rank as one of the world's worst major airline meal offering. 

And don't get me started on their diabetic meals which are likely to turn you into a diabetic rather than them providing a low carb, high protein, low sugar meal suitable for a diabetic!

Unfortunately not!  Had the focaccia with various toppings on Wednesday evening ex Sydney to QLD - bread was hard, toppings inadequate to counteract the drying out and as the flight was late, delivering a bread laden article at 9pm not in anyone's best interest.  Back to the drawing board methinks and could Qantas not think of reintroducing the placemat come rubbish bag for a little health measure between the tray and food article being slapped down on the tray?

Oh, and upon reading the inflight magazine and noting that Neil Perry is still the overseer of all matters culinary on Qantas flights, I should think he needs to fly Qantas on occasion and turn right (as opposed to left to business) to understand the frustrations of short duration flight passengers and the inedible offerings.  I would be ashamed to put my name to such a menu.

Great to see the MFH Cakes back in DOM JC.

Lemon Polenta deserves a Long Service Award... (it would have clocked Long Service Leave twice now)

I wonder if Qantas execs who make these decisions ever fly on any of the Asian or Mid-Estern carriers to understand how Business Class meals should be presented? My last 7.30 pm Bus Cl departure from Singapore to Sydney offered a woeful choice and presentation which wouldn't even equal economy on their competitors. QF is the most expensive and least attractive experience ....   just penny pinching.

Qantas doesn't care - we need to accept this as the catering of the 80' and 90's is over. It's all about fast and cheap now. many have said with JQ at least you can buy what you want, and I fully believe if QF went down this road it would be better for all - as long as the menu was worthy of purchasing from.

At least with JQ, even though its cheap and nasty, you can enjoy wine and cheese at 10 am for morning tea, try and order this on QF at 10am - good luck!

The catering game is over and what we have now is here to stay - it is all about budgets. profits while balancing brand loyalty. I am however all about service and quality and QF does not see my business!

Well with few complimentary comments posted, it raises a very good question if in fact has there been of consequence any "Upgrade to the Meals" actually occur?

One can remember for example when a J Class Breakfast comprised of a Poached egg, slice of bacon and a grilled tomato or Scrambled eggs with cooked spinach and grilled tomato with yogurt to compliment  Decent toast was served and not the sour dough rendition that has a thick hard crust, enough to do damage to ones teeth, indeed a dentists dream!.

Lunch offerings were always tempting and the Evening meal choice more than acceptable to round off a busy day.   

On a recent flight in J Class, we were offered just after 10.am, either curried pork or a chicken salad and thank goodness we had a decent Breakfast in the Lounge.

To view such a number of negative comments, really makes one think if Qantas is going all out to "Raise the Bar" with the Domestic meals.

You don't fly QF to eat. 

QL E190 ADL-BNE a couple of weeks ago leaving at 0730, the Breakfast (according to the booking in the app) was cheese and crackers, the 1430 flight BNE-PPP again QL E190 Cheese crackers and salami with wine!

Pre 2019, particularly the 2011-2015 period during the airline fight for pax between VA1 and QF, there was hot meals and great breakfast selection such that I don’t bother about coming in early, and this is Y class. 

Sure, we are not flying to eat, but we sure have gone backwards on offering since 

They don’t care. Let’s face it - that stuff is mostly processed and pre-packaged faux-food. Wouldn’t eat it at home or out and about. Not on and aircraft either.

Lucky bastards, compare it to the small chips & cookie we get here across the ditch in the world's best airline Air NZ.