United Customers Can Now Order Fresh, United Economy Meals Before Their Flight
Rhea-AI Summary
United (NYSE:UAL) is letting customers preorder fresh United Economy meals on united.com and the mobile app for flights over 1,190 miles across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Beginning March 1, 2026, preordering will be the only way to purchase fresh entrees in Economy; snack boxes, packaged snacks and beverages remain available onboard.
Preorders open from five days to 24 hours before departure. United says the program improves catering efficiency and is expected to keep more than 100,000 pounds of unused food out of landfills each year, with additional meal and beverage options planned later in 2026.
Positive
- Preorders available on flights over 1,190 miles
- March 1, 2026: preorders become sole method for fresh entrees
- Expected to keep 100,000+ pounds of food out of landfills annually
- Preorder window of five days to 24 hours before departure
- Previous premium-cabin preorder raised satisfaction by ~40%
Negative
- Fresh entrees will no longer be purchasable onboard after March 1, 2026
- Customers booking within 24 hours of departure may be unable to preorder
- Preordered meals may not be available under certain circumstances
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, UAL declined 3.20%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
UAL slipped 0.76% while key peers were mixed: DAL up 1.81%, ALK up 0.10%, LUV down 0.23%, AAL down 1.79%, CPA down 0.56%. No clear sector-wide move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 05 | Earnings webcast notice | Neutral | +1.7% | Scheduled release and webcast of Q4 and full-year 2025 results. |
| Dec 16 | App feature upgrades | Positive | +4.4% | New mobile app tools for boarding, clubs, real-time bag tracking and navigation. |
| Dec 02 | Retailing partnership | Positive | +3.2% | Multi-year Travelport agreement to accelerate modern airline retailing capabilities. |
| Nov 11 | CEO employee letter | Neutral | -1.2% | CEO note praising staff for handling FAA-mandated cuts during shutdown. |
| Nov 05 | Shutdown operations update | Negative | -1.0% | Schedule reductions across 40 airports and flexible rebooking/refund policies. |
Recent operational and technology updates (app features, retailing partnerships) have often coincided with positive next-day price reactions.
Over the last few months, UAL news has centered on operations, technology and customer experience. A webcast notice for Q4 and full-year 2025 results on Jan 20–21, 2026 saw shares rise 1.66%. Mobile app enhancements reported on Dec 16, 2025 coincided with a 4.44% gain, and a Travelport retailing partnership on Dec 2, 2025 with a 3.22% rise. Government-shutdown operational updates on Nov 5 and a CEO message on Nov 11, 2025 saw modest declines of 0.96% and 1.24%, respectively. Today’s meal preorder news fits the theme of customer-experience focused initiatives.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement expands United’s digital retailing strategy by enabling Economy customers on flights over 1,190 miles to preorder fresh meals, with preorder becoming the only way to buy fresh entrees from March 1. The company highlights expected reductions of more than 100,000 pounds of food waste annually and notes prior preorder use boosted satisfaction by almost 40% in premium cabins. Investors may track uptake rates, menu expansion, and operational efficiency metrics to gauge impact.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Burgers, sandwiches, snack boxes and more available for purchase on united.com and the mobile app
United Economy® meal preorders available on flights over 1,190 miles across
United Economy meal preorders are available on flights over 1,190 miles within the
In addition to ensuring customers get the meals they want and improving catering efficiency, enabling customers to preorder meals is expected to help United's food-waste reduction efforts by helping minimize unconsumed fresh retail items. This approach is anticipated to keep more than 100,000 pounds of unused food out of landfills each year.
United expects to add additional fresh meal choices to the preorder menu this summer that include elevated salads, gourmet sandwiches and wraps, with expanded preorder exclusive premium beverage options planned for later this year.
United first introduced preorder in the United app for premium cabins in 2021 and saw customer satisfaction scores for domestic flights increase by almost
"We're continuing to invest in meaningful improvements to our onboard food and beverage program, with a focus on quality, consistency and customer choice," said Aaron McMillan, Managing Director of Hospitality Programs at United. "Preordering is a win for everyone – customers board the plane knowing they'll get the meal they want*, our catering partners know exactly how much food to prepare for each flight and it helps our operation run even more smoothly and reduce food waste."
Customers can preorder both fresh Bistro on Board and retail items in advance through the mobile app or on united.com, beginning five days and up to 24 hours before departure. Customers can browse the available options within the online Trips section, and United app users will receive a notification when preordering opens for their flight. In addition to signature snack boxes, the January menu includes a variety of fresh and flavorful options including the Steakhouse Burger, Tacos Al Pastor, Fresh Cheese & Fruit Tray, Everything Bagel Dots and more. For more information, visit united.com.
*Preordered meals may not be available under certain circumstances
About United
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SOURCE United Airlines
FAQ
When does United (UAL) require preorders for fresh Economy entrees?
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Will United (UAL) still sell snacks onboard after the preorder change?
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