American Airlines started letting customers pre-select their meals online when they’re flying in premium cabins back in the fall of 2012. Delta didn’t roll out this feature until early 2019 and going into the pandemic United was still in testing.
The airline offered meals pre-ordered between 30 days and 24 hours before a flight, selecting from items that are offered on board anyway. Most meal service on domestic flights was scrapped, though, early in the pandemic.