For years, Lufthansa’s business class hard product and soft product have rarely been mentioned in the same sentence as industry-leading. While the German flag carrier has long delivered a consistent and reliable premium cabin experience, the airline hasn’t exactly been known for pushing culinary boundaries.
On a recent Lufthansa Business Class flight from Munich (MUC) to Seattle (SEA) in July, I had the opportunity to experience the airline’s newly enhanced onboard dining concept firsthand. After years of hearing passengers describe Lufthansa’s business class catering as “fine” or “perfectly adequate,” I walked away genuinely impressed.
This wasn’t just a minor menu refresh. The entire service felt more thoughtful, more premium, and much better aligned with what travelers expect on a long-haul business class flight in 2026.
First Impressions: Elevated Before Takeoff
The experience started on a strong note with an expanded pre-departure offering and a well-presented menu highlighting regional ingredients and chef-inspired dishes. Going for a more restaurant style offering, I do believe that Lufthansa is delivering on their FOX concept.
While Lufthansa has often excelled at efficiency, this service felt like it was designed to create anticipation rather than simply move passengers through meal service as quickly as possible.
Presentation throughout the flight was noticeably improved. Dishes looked curated rather than mass-produced, and attention to detail extended from the plating to the accompaniments. I also found the flight attendants to be very proactive, refilling drinks and making sure that items were serve at each person’s individual pace
The Main Event: Much Better Than Expected
The biggest surprise was the quality of the meal itself. It was tasty for airplane food. In fact, everything I ate in the air, I would likely order on the ground too!
The appetizer course was fresh and flavorful, featuring ingredients that actually retained their texture and character, something that’s not always easy to achieve at 35,000 feet. The salad was crisp, the bread selection excellent, and the overall meal felt closer to a restaurant experience than traditional airline catering.
I would say, the germans are PUSHING the carbs. The bread basket was brought around several times and there are 3 different dips for break. Butter, Olive oil, or a cheese spread! The only thing that was missing was the traditional german pretzels.
I went for the Smoked Trout | Sour Cream | Apple & Onion | Chives
appetizer. My partner the other one smash potato. Both were very good
The main course delivered on both flavor and presentation. Portions were substantial without being excessive, and ingredients tasted noticeably fresher than what I’ve experienced on Lufthansa flights in previous years. I had ordered the veal meatball (Pre-order only) and it was delicious. I would highly recommend this option.
Perhaps most importantly, the meal felt distinctly European and distinctly Lufthansa. Rather than trying to imitate the dining programs of Gulf carriers or Asian airlines, Lufthansa seems to be emphasizing quality ingredients, regional influences, and refined simplicity. Overall I liked it.
Great service too!
Good catering can easily be undermined by rushed service. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case on my flight.
The crew struck a balance between efficiency and attentiveness. Courses arrived at an appropriate pace, wine refills were proactive, and the cabin crew appeared genuinely proud of the enhanced product. Our flight attendant was very young (under 30) and very excited for his job and to be working business class. He was very friendly, made jokes, and was attentive.
One thing Lufthansa has traditionally done well is professionalism. What stood out on this flight was a slightly warmer tone that complemented the upgraded dining experience. On the other asile, my partner’s flight attendant was also extra friendly.
The meal service felt intentional rather than transactional.
A Better Mid-Flight Experience
Long-haul business class isn’t just about the first meal after departure.
Lufthansa appears to have invested in improving the entire catering journey. Mid-flight snacks and refreshments felt more substantial than in the past, giving passengers options beyond the typical packaged snacks often found on transatlantic routes.
For travelers heading westbound from Munich to Seattle, that’s particularly important. The flight is long enough that passengers may want to snack, work, sleep, and eat again before arrival. It’s also a day time flight, so many people actually don’t sleep. Just pushing through until landing so they can sleep at home.
The improved catering program supported those varied travel styles much better than older versions of Lufthansa’s service with new Cake service and then open dining concept. Basically about 6 hours into the 10 hour flight afternoon cake was made available. We had the option between Fresh Fruit, Mascarpone Vanilla Cream, Black Forest Cake, and Butter Cake.
I went for the traditional Black Forest Cake made with Kirschwasser (Brandy). It was divine!
After Cake service, guests and choose their pre-departure meal at their liking. Which I really like. They did come through about 90 minutes before landing and offer meals to those who had not ordered already.
Options included:
- Curry Sausage | Pork Bratwurst | Curry Sauce
- Falafel Wrap | Beetroot Hummus | Cream Cheese | Bell Pepper
- Poke Bowl | Soy Mayonnaise | Edamame | Beetroot | Radish | Mango | Rice | optionally with Salmon
- Tapas Platter | Beef Ham | Sheep Cheese | Grilled Vegetables | Olives
- Macaron | Petit Choux | Berries (offered as dessert)
It was nice to have multiple options. I opted for the Poke Bowl with salmon.
Overall Thoughts
Having flown a variety of transatlantic business class products in recent years, I’d place Lufthansa’s new catering comfortably ahead of where the airline was even a few years ago.
Would I say it surpasses Air France’s renowned culinary program? Probably not. Does it rival the highly personalized dining offered by Singapore Airlines or Qatar Airways? Not yet either.
But that’s missing the point. The real story is how much Lufthansa has improved its own product but reimanging their menu and service.
For travelers flying between North America and Europe, Lufthansa now offers a business class dining experience that feels competitive rather than merely acceptable. Combined with the airline’s growing Allegris rollout and investments across the customer experience, it signals a carrier that recognizes premium travelers expect more than just a lie-flat seat.
