United Airlines, a pioneer in the industry was the only airline to serve meals on trays from the beginning of commercial aviation.
While other airlines had copilots passing out sandwiches to passengers United employed uniform stewardess to serve cold chicken.
Many airplane travelers in the early days of the aviation industry’s food service complained of how often chicken was served; American Airlines was even nicknamed “the fried chicken airline.”
Passengers derided chicken as a cheap food option; industry professionals found that chicken’s versatility responded well to the demands of in-flight food service.
By 1936 American Airline stewardesses were filling service trays with food from very large thermoses containing hot food prepared in advance usually by the airport café and offering real dishware and flatware to boot.
Food would stay hot in the containers for about one to two hours, with no need for reheating.
The thermos approach was succeeded by a system of using large casseroles, which provided the advantage of loading meals, already plated and hot.
Food often stayed heated for many hours with this system, however and food quality suffered along with menu choices.
Then around 1945 Pan American worked together with Clarence Birdseye and the Maxson Company to create the convection oven, which would allow frozen foods to be heated on board the aircraft.
Soon afterward the microwave oven was developed; it has since become the industry standards in aircraft food service preparation.
As the twentieth century progressed, two elements affected the continuing development of airplane food.
America became more tolerant of a diversity of a eating habits, and a greater diversity of people began using airplanes as a means of travels.
To respond to these trends airlines began offering a greater variety of types of meals that responded to religious, ethnic or health requirements with respect to food.
Food in Airplane
