My first digital camera shot of airline food, from an ANA New York - Tokyo flight:
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Are you sure there was no Turkish Airlines First Class in 1996?
I like the sandwiches at the Rischart location at the Munich Airport. The airport food, even chain food, is so much better in Germanyâs airports compared to whatâs sold in Canadian airports, in my experience.
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We fly ex-SFO on the outbound. Our routine is to pickup a couple of orders to-go from the Priority Pass restaurants airside, Lark Creek, Mustards, etc⌠with our $27/pax PP credit. (in essence, free)
Like you, we normally hit a supermarket prior to the return flight. Especially in Japan! On our recent Osaka inbound, DW had carefully collected a bunch of Skewers, Sando, etc⌠and really looking forward to munching her way across the Pacific.
An hour before boarding, got a text that we had been upgraded to Polaris. Nice, right? DW was actually a tad disappointed, as she was really looking forward to eating her carryon goodies. Luckily(?), we were seated in the very last row of Polaris. By the time the FA took our dinner order, the only choices were Chicken or Tofu?!?! I opted for the chicken, and wife happily passed on the airline food. Happy as a clam to eat her supermarket delicacies. Happy wife, happy life! 
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Not sure what my present tense response has to do with 1996.
Anyway, TK did have first class, but it has generally been all about economy + business.
They had a quality Comfort Class years ago (a bona fide âEconomy Plusâ), but that too, went the way of the Chowhound forum.
I try to depart from Tokyo Narita specifically because of the supermarkets in Narita city. Stay there for a night, buy up as many snacks as possible at the AEON and other supermarkets, then have a leisurely <10 minute train ride to the terminals.
We are now judicious about carry-on backup plan after once unwrapping a Central Grocery muffuletta on an early afternoon flight from MSY with no meal service. Modern aircraft ventilation is very, very efficient, so within seconds you could hear seats rustling, heads turning, increasingly loud gasps of envy that the garlicky olive salad aroma had provoked as it shot through the cabin . . . lesson learned â donât unthinkingly stir up the neighborhood.
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The seemingly ubiquitous Panda Express evokes much the same reaction.
I used to fly a fair bit; never a million miler but most years had the minimum FF status on both Delta and American. As for the dessert cheeses, Delta normally did have a nice assortment and American normally did not. I liked the cheese with a glass of port. [ETA regarding the cheese plate - Iâve now seen some of the commentary about a given airline might use vendor A from one departing airport and vendor B from another departing airport. For the most part, I flew the same routes repetitively, which might explain me having a pretty consistent experience in this regard.]
In general I thought most of the B-class meals were pretty decent under the circumstances. Arenât the main courses all cooked ahead and then simply reheated?
Unfortunately my B-class permitted travel (8 hour minimum flight) was mostly flying overnights East to EU, and I had monster jet lag every time until I learned âthis one weird trickâ.
Even more unfortunately, âthis one weird trickâ was to drink only water and to eat nothing during the flight, and not sleep (Iâve never fallen asleep on an airplane anyway, so I didnât mind that part).
It works for me, and worked for a strong majority of participants in the research trial that Iâd read about. But I did miss all the free food and booze.
By far the best two meals Iâve had on a plane was Malaysia Airlines, both ways in and out of Panang.
This would drive me nuts, unless what you guys mean is widely separated 1-day trips. I had a case in the US district court in Santa Ana, and was there weekly for about 3 months before the case settled.
Shorter hops (2 hour flight or less), more widely separated werenât too bad.
I know I can be pedantic. I find that you are coming across as a little bit pedantic, finding food fluency.
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When was your last experience? Mine was 2019, it was spectacular, but Iâm told things have changed
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1996 
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Iâm glad the Turkish Airlines food was spectacular for you in 2019, and glad you got there before travel changed!
I think weâre often on the same wavelength for what we like!
I havenât been on a plane since Feb 2020, and it was Air Canada from Calgary. Domestic food on Air Canada has been pretty crappy since 2000. I buy good food before leaving Manhattan by taxi so I will have good food for LGA and the flight home.
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Not that you mentioned a class, but thatâs definitely TK business.
The configuration, and goofy concept of the âon-board chefâ are dead giveaways.
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I donât know what this means:
I wrote out what I meant:
It takes a bit of diplomacy and persuasion to convince DW to wait until meal service before diving into her bag of goodies and desseminating the lovely aromas of her food . Whatâs good smelling for her may not be quite appealing to our seatmates who are not yet indulging.
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I donât seem to have a picture, but I had good short ribs on a Delta business flight from Atlanta to Sacramento the weekend after Thanksgiving. I think braises of âfatty meatâ are a good choice. Canât recall what I had Sacramento to Atlanta the weekend prior, but I think thatâs just as well.
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Does anyone remember an airline called Midwest Express? They merged into Frontier about twenty Years ago. It was known for among other things having fresh baked cookies on every flight. I flew on it to EWR for a wedding. It was a good cookie.
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