New Food Offerings In First Class
Alaska Airlines is taking a walk down memory lane by bringing back its most loved dishes starting this month through spring 2024, along with a selection of new seasonal chef-curated meals and a line-up of exciting beverages.
The ‘Greatest Hits’ menu is made up of beloved past entrees based on feedback from guests and crew. Of the 35 First Class entrees, two dozen are returning fan favorites, including the Jerk Chicken with coconut curry fried rice and Kalbi Beef in a Korean BBQ sauce.
Alaska is also launching new dishes made of fresh ingredients that are sure to become popular hits among guests, including the Steak & Shrimp and Mediterranean Lentils, available in First Class.
Celebrity favorite — Alaska’s Sesame Chicken and Rice — will continue to be served to our First Class guests through the winter! Actor and comedian Dax Shepard recently posted on social media he “was still reeling” over two servings of the roasted chicken with sesame teriyaki glaze on an Alaska Airlines flight from Burbank to Portland.
“Alaska puts in a lot of effort to cultivate a comfortable and rewarding guest experience and part of that includes its inflight food and beverages,” said Alaska Airlines MVP Gold 100K member Sterling Pearson who is excited about the return of Alaska’s Kalbi Beef First Class entrée.
“It was absolutely delicious and one of my personal favorites. It has well-paired flavors, between the sauce and the meat. The presentation was also top-notch. I think the fact that Alaska is putting in the effort to bring back past menu items shows their dedication to giving passengers what they enjoy the most and is also an example of how Alaska cares about the guest experience.”
Food Upgrades For Economy
Alaska Airlines features Buy On Board (BOB) for passengers flying in economy. The airline has gone to a cashless cabin. Food can be ordered online from two weeks, up to 20 hours prior to departure. If you pay for your food order with your Alaska Airlines visa credit card, you will receive a 20% rebate on your credit card statement.
In the Main Cabin, guests will once again have the option to pre-order the Chicken Curry Wrap and the popular Beets So Fly Salad made with a medley of flavors including pickled beets, mixed greens, feta cheese and chicken breast in a Dijon balsamic dressing.
“Part of redesigning our menu every few months means trying new entrees and saying goodbye to old ones. But there is always a meal that guests can’t wait to eat again and don’t want to see go. We looked back at what entrees guests and our crews loved the most over the years and built a menu around our top favorite Alaska dishes,” said Todd Traynor-Corey, managing director of guest products at Alaska Airlines.
Alaska is also excited to announce a line-up of new beverages, which will be available on flights starting Dec. 1, including freshly brewed Stumptown Coffee, that will pair perfectly with Alaska’s new oat milk creamer and Portland-based Stash Tea’s English Breakfast, Super Mint and Premium Green flavors.
Is Alaska Trying To Up Their Game?
While other airlines have gotten their food and beverage offerings back up to par after COVID-19, Alaska has been lagging behind. Take this first class lunch offering on a recent four-hour flight in first class, the Tillamook Burger.
This lunch of a burger and fries on a 2,000-mile flight was disappointing to begin with. The top bun had some kind of painted-on, orange substance that could not pass for Tillamook cheddar cheese. There were no condiments (mustard, ketchup, mayo) so it was served dry. Fries can not be reheated without tasting bland and being soggy.
While other airlines like American have brought back hot towels and true pre-departure beverages, Alaska still lags behind. Just for reference, hot towels cost 15 cents per passenger or $2.40 per flight for 16 passengers.
I am flying from PDX to SAN to HNL on December 10th. Here are the food offerings in first class:
I have ordered the breakfast sandwich for the flight to San Diego as the least objectionable choice. I know Alaska can do better like an omelet with sausage, fruit and a pastry. For lunch to Hawaii, I ordered the Kalbi beef. We’ll see how it goes.
Final Thoughts
Alaska Airlines has been lagging behind its competitors in the food and beverage offerings. I hope that these new menu items will up their game and provide a satisfying food and beverage experience, especially in first class. Time will tell and I am hoping for the best.
