Lufthansa has announced changes to its business class catering on short and medium haul flights. These updates are probably mostly positive, though we’ll have to wait until they’re fully rolled out to be sure.
In this post:
Lufthansa’s new meals on short and medium haul flights
As of February 26, 2025, Lufthansa will be introducing new meals in business class on short and medium haul flights. With this, we’re going to see a few changes:
- The new meals are being created in partnership with “celebrity chef” Johann Lafter, and combine “local cuisine and European influences”
- On routes of two hours or more, passengers will be able to choose from a “wider range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian cold dishes”
- On flights of three hours or more, passengers will be able to choose between three hot dishes, compared to the current two options
- Meal pre-ordering will start to be available on short and medium haul flights of at least two hours, and options will include up to nine different hot dishes (meal pre-ordering is already available on long haul flights)
- Lufthansa also states that meal pre-ordering will allow “optimizing planning, which promotes a more sustainable use of food,” and that “the more targeted loading reduces overstocking and thus the disposal of food”
Below are some pictures that Lufthansa has shared of the new meals.
These changes are probably positive… I think?
If you ask me, the biggest positive change here is that we’ll see the option to pre-order meals, including from an expanded selection. I like that, since it’s nice to be able to select from nine different options, rather than the existing two options.
Now, while I appreciate the idea behind Lufthansa wanting to reduce waste, it’s also pretty clear to me that if you don’t pre-order meals, you may very well end up not getting your first choice, as fewer extra dishes will be loaded.
It’s interesting to see how Lufthansa is emphasizing how it’s focusing on regional cuisine, given that this was the same idea with the “Tasting Heimat” concept that Lufthansa used for some time, which wasn’t exactly a hit with many passengers.
Though honestly, whatever new catering Lufthansa comes up with, it can’t be worse than the whole Tasting Heimat concept, so color me a fan. I mean, somehow that lead to the airline handing out apples before landing, so one wonders…
Bottom line
Lufthansa is making some changes to its business class catering on short and medium haul flights. The most significant change is that we’ll see more meal options on more flights, including the ability to pre-order from a larger selection of meals.
Lufthansa’s short and medium haul catering isn’t typically much to get excited about, so I’d say this change is probably positive. I’m looking forward to experiencing it firsthand.
What do you make of Lufthansa’s catering changes?
Say what you like about LH, but at least they are serving a meal on short haul. AA doesn't.
"rather than the existing two options" - Huh? On vast majority of routes, Lufthansa only has one option, not two (okay, take it or leave it are technically two options, but...). Currently they only offer choice of meals on routes with high competition, e.g. Greece, London etc.
Not 'Greece', Athens. The seasonal SKG only gets 'take it or leave it'.
But even Athens isn't 3 hours from FRA. I think it's only 3-4 destinations that fall into that category, even TUN and CMN are blocked at less than 3hrs.
I see this as an improvement as well, but let’s see. Also I don’t understand the hate against the Heimat Apple, I liked it to at least eat something healthy instead of chocolate after a flight. (Though I never saw others selecting the apple so I might be alone..)
It is not hate against an apple, but how it is promoted and served. The original article from 2021 explains it.
Johann Lafer is an Austrian Chef who had two Michelin stars (1987-2009). Nowadays, he is a TV chef.
Not that it has any relevance to the catering I still would like to mention: In 2016, Johann Lafer received a penalty order for tax evasion and withholding and embezzlement of wages, in which a suspended prison sentence of one year and a fine of 360 daily rates were imposed.
It is a step in the next direction.
But it is 2025 and most of their narrowbodies does not have an simple ancient USB-A or even a powerport to charge a phone/ tablet / laptop.
A phone / tablet holder would also be a must.
LH new A321NEO: does not have WiFi because that would’ve been to heavy. No power outlets either.
Dear Lufthansa, if you read this, please either print a menu on a small piece of paper or at least instruct FA's to mention to the passengers what is it they are getting. It is tiring to constantly ask what is the often unidentifiable mass on the plate we are getting. And even scarier when the FA's are not really sure...
Ben, hilarious photo of the "Heimat" Apple, thanks! It says it all.