Back in March, major US airlines closed their airport lounges. This was both due to a lack of demand, as well as due to a need for updated procedures to keep guests safe.
We’ve now seen airlines slowly start to reopen airport lounges. Initially this was done with very little service, though that’s an area that has slowly improved. American Airlines has just announced some adjustments to its Admirals Club catering (see here for the best ways to access Admirals Clubs).
In this post:
American improving Admirals Club catering
American Airlines started reopening select Admirals Clubs as of late June, and the airline has been opening more lounges since then. However, catering has been very limited, with guests getting some sort of snack box when they enter the lounge, as well as access to drinks at the bar.
Fortunately it looks like American will be making some positive changes in that regard. These changes will complement the pre-packaged snacks and open bar that American is currently offering.
Hot food returns to Admirals Clubs
As of August 12, 2020, American Airlines will be bringing back complimentary hot food at select lounges. Timing and menus will vary by location.
As you’d expect, this food won’t be self-serve. Rather, gloved and masked employees will be preparing dishes behind protective acrylic screens at a safe distance, and then serve dishes in disposable containers to reduce touch points.
For breakfast, guests can expect:
- Oatmeal
- Scrambled eggs
Then for lunch, guests can expect:
- Mac & cheese
- Garden vegetable soup
- Southwest corn soup
- Tomato roasted portobello mushroom soup
- Butternut squash soup
It seems like options will initially only be for breakfast and lunch, as there are no menu items listed for dinner.
Admirals Clubs will once again have hot food
Food for purchase returns to Admirals Clubs
As of August 19, 2020, American Airlines will be bringing back food-for-sale menu items all day, and they’ll be accessible via QR codes.
The menu items will be regionalized, so they’ll vary by location. Possible menu items include the following:
- BBQ pork sandwich
- BBQ chicken sandwich
- Sliced brisket sandwich
- BBQ beef brisket sandwich
- Cuban sandwich
- Turkey club
- Mediterranean veggie sandwich
- Caesar salad
- Chicken bites
- Pretzels with beer cheese
- Southwest quesadilla
- Deep dish pizza
Personally I wouldn’t get too excited about this — I haven’t ordered one of these dishes in many years, as it’s essentially glorified microwave food, at best (or at least used to be).
Admirals Clubs will once again have food for purchase
Bottom line
American Admirals Clubs will once again have hot food available as of August 12. Unlike before, there won’t be a buffet, though — rather food will be served by a lounge attendant, similar to what we used to see with the guacamole and avocado toast stations.
Then as of August 19 we can expect food for purchase in Admirals Clubs.
Lax American lounge was still closed yesterday.
No possum?
Headline: Hot Food Returns, Meh! My Headline: Edible Food in Lounges .
None of the food offerings require specially trained / skilled staff, thus AA can continue exploiting their underpaid ground staff (which are probably hired by subcontractors). Cheap, cheap, cheap. Oh, and is no one going to talk about how quickly covid19 has vaporized all efforts to minimize single-used packaging? Guess it was all just virtue signaling after all.
Jesus, more cheese? Just how many diary farms does AA own?
And four soups? I get that they rotate them but none of them sound appealing to a mass market.
Their race to the bottom continues...
Mac & Cheese? Geez.
Eggs? Yuck. (I think I OD on them as a kid and now I can't stand them as a meal).
On to United with the worst offerings in lounges of the US3
I am so glad that Lufthansa has already brought back (self service) hot food in its Lounges. This Virus is so often used as an excuse for cost cutting measures. For example its virtually impossible to find an open executive lounge anywhere.
Four soups and a mac and cheese ... really? Do the accountants running the show think we're stupid... actually don't answer that.
Wait how are they doing outdoor dining? They know people breathing on each other is how we got into this mess right? It doesn't matter if the servers wear masks if the diners take off masks to eat!
Then why the hell can't AMEX do this? Nevermind, I think I know. "We're all in this together" yeah right.
@ Ben -- And the Level 4 travel advisory is being lifted. I guess COVID is over!? Yippee. The Trump administration did such a great job. He should get 3 more terms.
They had hot food before?!??