RUMOR: United Polaris Lounge To Begin Restaurant-Style Dining Tomorrow

It's not a rumor; the date has been known for a while. Eventually it will be possible to reserve a table ahead of time. 45 minute slots will be available.

Any info available yet about the food options and menu? If they're opening tomorrow, I'd guess they already have plans for those details...

@June - Yeah, they will offer 3 different types of packaged cheeses and trail mix flatbread.

I heard they're going to have a fantastic 41 cheese lasagna on offer

I'm out of the loop on this one - is it only in Chicago, or are they introducing this elsewhere as well?

I really, really want to like Polaris. I have to make a connection for most of my flights on Delta so changing to United and connecting through Chicago wouldn't be that big of deal.

What disappoints me, however, is the way United decided to unveil Polaris. It was, in my opinion, an epic fail to release the new product -- backed by so much hype and spin -- without a single aircraft featuring the new releases. Moreover, they should have waited until at least one of the much-hyped Polaris lounges with sit-down, menu dining was operational. The fact is that United's Polaris business-class won't be fleet-wide until 2021, which means there will be a great deal of uncertainty for anyone flying long-haul for the next several years.

@FNT Delta Diamond:

I'm the same way. I really want to like it but UA screwed it up so much that I have zero hope for it. Not only was it an abysmal failure marketing-wise given it's not even industry-leading and the schedule couldn't have been worse, it's still ultimately lipstick on an anti-passenger pig from a soft-product perspective.

I'm hearing (from a close friend who's a UA purser) that the new hard product is finally instilling a modicum of pride in wearing the UA uniform, but that we're still left with bitter crews who ultimately dislike passengers and see customer service as something to be done quickly and perfunctorily so they can get back to reading and gossiping in the galley. My friend is one of the few FAs I've met that actually loves his job, best I can tell, but he probably has some of the worst things to say about UA employees of anyone I know - pax and crew alike.

Who cares. United is such a despicable airline. The launch of Polaris shows how awful they are and that picture is funny. With the beer taps, it looks like the bartender is wearing a bear costume

I was there December 30 enroute to London. The place was pretty empty. The cold food offerings were abysmal and picked over while the coffee was lukewarm, apparently not having been refreshed in hours. No one offered a shower so I requested one. Cowshed amenities were excellent, like London. Day beds went unused, I took a look. The roving concierge (formerly employed as a Visa Signature concierge) couldn't answer basic questions about Fast Track immigration and the Arrivals Lounge in London, although she was pleasant. Other staff smiled by seemed out of their element. The bar was the center of the limited activity, and the bartender did mix a good Manhattan, while apologizing for this and that.

I very recently had the opportunity to experience the POLARIS Lounge at ORD and the Saks Fifth Ave premium cabin bedding. It is great stuff. Anyone who says otherwise just because it is "the same ol' United" or because "the same ol' United botched the launch" is either a born naysayer who has to be ignored or is clueless and should also be ignored.

See my experience with the POLARIS Lounge at ORD here: https://goo.gl/hnVTjH ; and the POLARIS GlobalFirst "theme" here: https://goo.gl/XDV6eH

So funny to hear people complaining about an airline clearly improving. The ORD Polaris lounge is actually quite nice, easily in par with the best domestic lounges and better then 90% of what other domestic airlines offer.

The onboard soft product is objectively nicer than what the other domestics offer. Yes, disappointing to see such a slow roll out of the hard product and UA deserves some criticism for the timing but to complain about positive moves and vastly upgraded product is not only ridiculous but also a bit sad.

Nico: Eventually there will be a Polaris Lounge at most of the hubs, but the first one (and for now only) is in Chicago.

You need to be flying in First or Business to have access.

@Brian LOVED the bear comment. Couldn't stop cackling for nearly a minute. LOVED IT.

In the Polaris ORD lounge now and about to enjoy the a la carte lunch/dinner service. Menu is the same for both lunch and dinner. Link here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/27744635-post261.html