….. carrier is moving to preorder-only for United Economy food options.

By Zach Vasile

Passengers flying in United’s economy class can now order in-flight food before they ever step foot on an airplane.

The carrier said Wednesday that United Economy meal options like burgers, sandwiches, and snack boxes can be ordered in advance through its website, united.com, and its mobile app.

The preorder option is available on flights over 1,190 miles within the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Starting March 1, online meal preorders will replace in-flight orders for all United Economy passengers, the airline said, though snack boxes, packaged snacks, and beverages will still be available for purchase on board.

United officials said the move to preorders will make United’s food and beverage operation more efficient and reduce waste.

“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,” Aaron McMillan, United’s managing director of hospitality programs, said in a news release.

Passengers can place their order beginning five days and up to 24 hours before departure.

United said it plans to add meal choices to the preorder menu this summer, including salads, gourmet sandwiches, and wraps. Preorder for “exclusive premium beverage options” is expected to start later this year.

United first introduced preorder in its mobile app for premium cabins in 2021.