This week I took a few American Airlines flights in first class, including on back-to-back days. That’s not unusual, except I pre-ordered meals and had forgotten I’d done so for day one when I pre-ordered day two. I ordered the sliders both times – it’s a good pre-order option but they come out with inconsistent quality so I actually prefer the enchiladas when available.
On day one they were actually fantastic, really tasty, and even the fries were o.k.
On day two they were downright awful. I wasn’t planning to eat much of it, but I took only one bite. First, here’s how they were presented: fries still in the cardboard box?
The flight attendant working first class was so obviously legacy American Airlines. She was delivering pre-order meals first and went to the bulkhead row to deliver a meal. The passenger there hadn’t pre-ordered. And she was just dumbfounded. She said, “but this is for seat 3A!” American Airlines used to number the first row of first class as three (except on the 757) because the cockpit was row one and the flight attendant jumpseats by the galley were two.
She proactively offered that the burgers looked terrible, and said “I cook them about as long as the nuts and they still come out like this.”
Fortunately I’d already eaten. I had been in D.C. so stopped by the Capital One Landing before my flight. The salmon there is really excellent, along with staples like the croquettes and steak.
For my one night I was back at the Westin Arlington. You might think I’m crazy since this is the hotel caught faking guest benefits to Marriott and secretly pocketing bogus destination fees. But I wanted another bite at that apple.
- They’ve started charging a $25 destination fee.
- Benefits are listed at Marriott.com.
- However, the hoel wasn’t sharing anything proactively about the benefits with guests.
- In fact, when I last checked in I was told that there were no benefits except for a $12.50 food and beverage credit. There was no printed sheet listing the details and I was told I needed to charge items to my room and redeem the physical paper coupon against my folio in person later.
This seems like fraud (advertising benefits that they say are fake) and also a violation of Marriott’s franchise agreement (which requires specific benefits with a face value 4x the fee amount).
On my last stay I was told management would contact me, but they didn’t. I complained to Marriott and I was promised that the hotel would contact me. They didn’t. They would close the case on their end. I would keep getting Marriott to re-open it, and they’d keep closing it.
So I figured I’d go check in and record the interaction, because I wasn’t done with this. Except after I wrote about the destination fee issue they… started proactively sharing details of it with pre-printed cards.
It’s still a complete rip off, but they aren’t promising one thing and then denying the benefits exist!
I read Gary’s American Airlines slider post a few weeks back, and literally pre-ordered it so I could try for myself. I should have taken his earlier warning seriously. It was awful. Delta’s non-co-branded burger (like on transatlantic DeltaOne westbound is best, so far), followed by their domestic First co-branded Shake Shack burgers; United’s cheeseburger is still better than American’s sliders. Oof.
Burgers are junk food. Please stop eating them.
“Enchanced” high speed internet lol. Please stop staying at this hotel.
Oh my, those do not look pleasant to say the least.
Glad you got to eat at the Cap 1 landing beforehand — the ice cream machine was working for me a couple weeks back! I don’t think it’s well advertised though – I was there at 7 pm and when I asked if it was working they said they weren’t sure and tried it for me. Heck if it wasn’t for this site I would forget to ask.
As for the Westin, thanks for your repeated sacrifice! How sleezy.
@1990 — had to try at least once in the name of science! To be fair the earlier pictures Gary posted when it came out were much nicer (relatively speaking) and at least worth a shot.
@Yin Dao Yan — You must know that Daoism emphasizes ‘moderation’ as a key principle for achieving balance and harmony in life. Likewise, the Buddha promotes ‘the Middle Way,’ which advises against extremes in thought and action. So, c’mon, live a little, have a burger (or a bao bun) now and then, just not when flying First with AA…
Westin Arlington as a “destination”… just shameless. Next, some franchisee is gonna dare claim a Courtyard off I-95 in Florence, SC, as a ‘resort.’ (Welp, they gots an indoor pool, son!)
@ Yin Dao Yan – Eating an occasional hamburger can be perfectly healthy when made with quality ingredients and consumed as part of a balanced diet. Lean beef provides a rich source of high-quality protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins, which support muscle health, immune function, and energy production. When paired with a whole-grain bun, fresh vegetables like lettuce, tomato, and onion, and healthy condiments, a hamburger can deliver a well-rounded mix of macronutrients and fiber. As for French fries? We can agree that those are truly junk food.
@1990 — Sometimes a part me wishes more Hiltons would claim resort status even if bogus so the Aspire $200/6 months would be easier to use heh
@Mike Hunt — Facts. Still want the fries though if theres a burger involved.
@Mike Hunt — Speaking of ‘lean’ meat, I still find bison to be one of this best, and wish we’d bring more of it back; after all, it’s uniquely North American (as were turkeys, and alpacas/llamas in the Andes). While it seems today like authentic Texas-style Americana, cattle actually originated in the Near East, and were brought to Europe and the Americas later on (as were pigs, dogs, etc.) Likewise, in southern Africa, they’re into ‘ostrich,’ which is actually more of a red meat than a poultry; if you ever fly Airlink, in their Business Class, go with the ostrich meal. It’s good. I’ve tried kangaroo in Australia; less good, too purple.
I’m with @L737. I’m no ‘lefty’ on food. Meat and potatoes, one way or another. Yum.
@1990 – Yes, I’ve had kangaroo fajitas in Australia. Ostrich and bison are both ok, but wagyu beef makes for the best hamburger of all in my opinion.
@Mike Hunt — Top preference for actual wagyu, definitely as a steak, a pinch of salt, if anything. Call me a purist, but I’m not watering down my scotch either. Neat.
Unless it’s at a high-end place, I’ve become a bit skeptical of the overuse of ‘wagyu’ to describe practically any beef product these days.
Like, is it really ‘A5’ from Japan, at… Costco… for $30/pound. Hmm…
At least folks are appreciating marbled steaks, but it isn’t always ‘wagyu,’ yet more and more places are calling it that, charging extra. Feels scammy.
Lemme put it this way… once Golden Corral starts advertising ‘unlimited wagyu,’ I think it’s lost all meaning…
Gary,
As a person who first enjoyed hamburgers when flying Eastern, I would pass in today’s world.
But I do have to ask you a question Gary. You lost all that weight. I am proud of you. No doubt your wife is too, considering you will longer.
You just said before this flight you had a great salmon at the Cap 1 In D. C. Why in God’s name did you get on the plane and attempt to eat a burger?
@1990 @Mike Hunt – Kangaroo is definitely on my list, never tried. I too am a huge fan of bison meat, one of my go tos whenever I’m around their native lands.
Leave it to Golden Corral to sully Wagyus good name. Agree, the term has been thrown around a lot inaccurately which is a shame.
Yum! Time for lunch I daresay.
Gary, this is a great report — happy to read it from Paris far far away from what you just experienced.
@AlanZ — I donno what (or if) Gary’s gonna say, but, I’d imagine he did it for the review, obviously; he’s gotta share his ‘thoughts’ with us, after all!
Maybe he’s part-Hobbit. Gotta have second-breakfast. And don’t forget elevensies!
@L737 — It’s pretty cool to see them (bison) in the wild, too. Like, that was a highlight for visiting Yellowstone to me. Just gotta watch out, because they’re known to ‘gore’ unsuspecting tourists. Yikes!
I think all airlines have issues with hamburgers. I got the Shake Shack burger on Delta last week and for the first time ever, she gave me the bun still in the plastic wrapper. I have to say that in some ways it was good as the bun is it or missed when cooked together. I think it’s a problem with the consistency of training and of meal preparation in the kitchen.
@Mike Hunt – Don’t do that! It’s a crime! Anyone who grinds a piece of wagyu beef to make a hamburger deserves the worst punishments in hell.
@1990 — For sure, gotta watch out for that tail wag warning sign. We’ve talked about road tripping through South Dakota before — that was my favorite place to see them roaming around with no crowds and just pure natural habitat.
@Rion — It’s hard to prepare burgers with the resources at 30,000 feet. If only we could have an on-board air fryer!
@L737 — Yes! I recall. At some point, I need to attempt Theodore Roosevelt National Park in ND, because they supposedly have a ton there, too; while I’ve been to Fargo before, that park is opposite side of the state, 5 hours drive (9.5 hours from Denver). It’s a big country… I feel for the folks visiting from Europe who are used to shorter distances; they come here, for like just a week, and are like, ‘oh, I’m going to see the whole country… NYC, DC, Disney World, the Grand Canyon, LA, SF, and Yosemite… driving.’ *gulp*
I also had a less than appetizing experience with the sliders. The same happened to me it was totally dried out and the cheese had fused into the bun. On my return I preordered the salmon. It arrived uncooked, just pink with absolutely no grill marks or glaze and cold. It totally grossed me out. American doesn’t even seem like they’re trying. If I just wanted a big seat Spirit is a way more affordable option
‘Oh, and if we add an extra day, can we see Alaska and Hawaii, too??’
(I mean, technically, yes, you can see just their airports… ANC and HNL are… ‘lovely.’)
@ Gary — Remind me, again, why do you bother staying at Marriott? When in DC, stay at the Willard. It may be inconvenient for your purposes, but it is THE place to stay. I wouldn’t stay anywhere else (except the Park Hyatt as a backup option if the Willard is sold out).
@Gene — St. Regis is best with Marriott (it was on the ‘BLM’ street… before they removed it this year); the Willard is classic, great location; Park Hyatt is good, too; the Waldorf is a decent domestic use of a free night certificate (though, it did used to be you-know-who’s hotel…); Four Seasons is dated and expensive. However, believe it or not, I prefer the newish InterContinental at the Wharf (if sticking with IHG, points or certificates), and the Pendry nearby (if paying cash), especially if it’s springtime, because it’s close to all the cherry blossoms.
@ 1990 — Again, why stay with Marriott??? The Willard was just completely renovated for the second time in a decade. It was already best, now it is more bestest.
Those burgers look better than anything I’ve been served on British Air in Upper and Business Class flights over the last 10 years. I started bringing my own food and ignoring the BA trash.
Bottom line is the FA overcooked that burger. Probably didn’t read the instructions that came with it.
@Gene — ‘Bestest’?! Alright. I’m sold! *hops onto the Acela*
This is a reason why I strongly prefer American Eagle flights long enough to have a meal served. You can’t mess up food that does not need to be cooked! Listen, I am not impressed by cooked food at 30k feet. I usually preorder the AA cheese plate when so there are no mess ups.
I had some nonsense dish this last year on the AA transcon and it was inedible. I can eat bad but it was like not registering as a food product. All I have to say is this: Lower your standard and welcome onboard this American Eagle flight!
@Joseph — Not a bad idea (the cheese-plate) for the short haul, regional jets with AA (or any carrier, where offered). I recall they had those ‘weak’ turkey/pastrami sandwiches during the restart of meals following the pandemic (those were not great). Even on the relatively ‘short’ redeye eastbound on AA’s a321T, I still get ‘excited’ for their sundae; that’s a treat!
@1990 — Thought I responded to this, guess it didn’t go through. But yeah, me too! Theo Roosevelt has been near the top of my list, just have to plan some time to go. Bet they have some great bison burgers there. And we Americans have the opposite problem, surprising how close everything is in Europe, ha
@L737 — Just have to be careful when flying into Minot, ND (MOT)… that’s a callback to Gary’s recent post about that near-miss between the Delta CRJ and the B-52.
We can assume this was a relatively short flight, under four hours. Who can’t go that long without eating? Why do people insist on stuffing their faces with whatever slop is placed in front of them? Oh, yeah, because it’s “free”.
@Gene – when I was an Intercontinental Royal Ambassador, I thought the Willard was great! I sometimes prefer to stay within 1 mile of my office though.
@1990 — Good callback, scary stuff hope those root causes got addressed. Wonder if there have been similar close calls at RAP with Ellsworth AFB…
“High-end hotel” can’t be bothered to spell-check something they give to every person who checks in? Writing “in-room dinning” tells you just how much the management there cares about attention to detail. A McDonald’s wouldn’t do this.
@Mike P – Not sure that’s completely fair. If you find yourself on an evening flight there might not be great options at the departure airport where it might be too early to eat, and depending on a time difference, you may not have many options besides a convenience store at your destination. In such instances, an inflight meal can be pretty useful as a practical option.
@Mike P — Importantly, it’s not ‘free,’ so much as it is ‘included,’ because we’ve already paid, one way or another, via cost of the ticket, credit card annual fees (lounges, etc.)
@ Mike — One could also skip eating. The average obese American would be better off for it!