My Video Review of the JetBlue Snack Boxes

Hours after I wrote my scathing review of the new JetBlue snack boxes last week, I just happened to be at an event with the local JetBlue crew here in Long Beach. The station manager invited me to come on out to the airport and he would set me up with each of the five boxes so I could do a taste test. Did you think there was any way I’d turn that down? Nope. I taped it and condensed it down to under eight minutes with clever (read:awful) editing. (Brownie points for anyone who knows where that music is from.)

Yep, there were some decent things in there, but honestly, anything I tasted after that sugary pretzel dip was written in a haze.

Was I too harsh on JetBlue last week? If they weren’t JetBlue yes, but since they are JetBlue, no. I think most of us have come to expect more from the airline and this offering is more worthy of one of the other guys that everyone likes to beat up. I had my hopes up that they would come up with something better when they finally started offering grub. Maybe they’ll get there eventually.

Maybe I should blame humanity rather than JetBlue. After all, people are buying this crap, and if they weren’t, JetBlue wouldn’t be selling it. Regardless, I really hope that JetBlue comes up with something better.

They can keep that pretzel dip though.

Brett

30 responses to “My Video Review of the JetBlue Snack Boxes”

Michael

Jun 30, 2010

Hawaii 5-O theme. Aloha.

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1. CF
  
  Jun 30, 2010
  
  Michael and JM are right. It’s the beginning of the original Hawai’i 5-O theme. The new one is coming out in the Fall, and I think the theme hasn’t changed much. Sorry, Troy.
  
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JM

Jun 30, 2010

5-O’s Steve McGarrett, Chin Ho Kelly, and Danny Williams would have had real meal service aboard a United DC-8, though.

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steve

Jun 30, 2010

It should be noted that some of those products appeared to be organic or all-natural. Which, if true, is a big step for the airline industry

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1. CF
  
  Jun 30, 2010
  
  There are some organic products in there and some not-so-organic. That’s nothing new for JetBlue. They’ve had some of these organic products for awhile.
  
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Jason H

Jun 30, 2010

My goodness. I think I’d need my stomach pumped, or at least a long nap, after eating some of that. In fairness it is another differentiator for JetBlue, but if I’m flying coach I’d bring my own. Now the breakfast in first class on Delta and United is pretty good, but for the vast majority at least this is something.

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1. CF
  
  Jun 30, 2010
  
  I don’t think it is a differentiator. Nearly every other airline offers buy-on-board on longer flights already, and many of them use the same food providers. So this is really just JetBlue catching up to the rest instead of trying to leapfrog them.
  
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David SFeastbay

Jun 30, 2010

I thought the boxes were cute, but didn’t care how that cheese thing at the end is served. That looks like they picked some up at the grocery store and resold them to people.

Except for the one with chocolate milk, everything else just looked like snack food and not anything filling for a nonstop transcon flight.

Are they all served on the flights that have them or is the ‘breakfast’ one only available in the morning?

What was served would have a ‘shelf’ life, so is that outside of the boxes marked so you can see if it’s a current date before you open it?

It looked like some of those items may be hard to open for some people, did they take that in mind when buying the products?

So now that you have tried them, which if any would you buy for $6 and what price do you think they are worth?

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1. CF
  
  Jun 30, 2010
  
  I believe there were expiration dates on there, but it wasn’t for a long, long time. These things can last for awhile.
  
  I would probably not buy these things. I’d either pick something up that was better in the terminal or I’d just eat the snacks.
  
  Not sure if they offer them on all flights or not or if they’re set by time of day.
  
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Allan

Jun 30, 2010

No, you were not too harsh. Their offerings is garbage, on par with the abominations that are the United snack packs. These appear to be very similar. I had one of the United choices on the way back from Cabo last September and was sick barfing and had explosive diarrhea for a week.

I dodged Montezuma’s Revenge but was felled by the United Snack Pack!

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Stephen Dutton

Jun 30, 2010

It all looked Cranky like the the food put in the Apollo Capsules when they went to the moon, except theirs tasted like food, Ugggh, I’d rather starve.
On my last flight YSSL – YBCG I was on Jetstar and passanerger next to me eat his way through 6 boxes of sushi!!, that he carried on board…. Ugghh, I still feel sick as a parrot.

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Troy

Jun 30, 2010

Cool review. Reminds me of the SQ menu tastings they had at EWR and JFK, but SQ used chefs that made real meals for the 18+ hour long-hauls.
There were a couple guesses on the music of Hawaii 5-0, but I think the music sounds like it may be from a Coen Bros. film. Not sure though.

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Ken

Jun 30, 2010

I think you should do a full review of the buy on board offerings for each airline. Some are pretty good, some are not.

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FrogMan

Jun 30, 2010

I still think you should do your version on ‘supersize me’ and eat nothing but buy on board snack paks for a month. I’d love to know what that would do to your blood chemistry!

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Benji

Jul 2, 2010

$6 for those boxes is a rip… I just flew Delta and paid $5 to get chips, dried fruit, beef jerky, crackers, cheese, cookies, chocolate, and mints… plus getting my free pretzels/peanuts/gingersnaps… you’re right… I’d expect JetBlue to have provided better quality, a better price, or better portions, at least…

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frank

Jul 3, 2010

Whine, whine, whine………..you want “whine” with that cheese? It seems that everyone forgets that in the 80’s and 90’s many airlines out there served food. It also was the bane of midnight jokes. And, finally, after 9-11, food disappeared from the skies (in coach) to CUT costs.
It’s SIX DOLLARS, people! That’s competitive with other airline (food for purchase) meals out there. Jetblue’s COSTS have to stay competitive with other carriers. Yet, you whine about the quality, portions and price???????
There’s MANY AIRLINES who offered premium/superior meals and snacks through the years and they were complimentary!! They’re no longer in business.
Sooo, next time you’re at JFK, line up at Dunkin Donuts and see how far $6.00 bucks will get ya.

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1. CF
  
  Jul 3, 2010
  
  You are way too angry, frank. Seems like you might need a break from this industry. JetBlue has always presented an image of being a premium low cost carrier. This offering does not fit with that image. I don’t care about the price at all. I care about the offering.
  
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frank

Jul 3, 2010

Angry? NOT AT ALL. I’m REALISTIC. You view this offering as a passenger, I view it as an employee within the industry. Of course, we’re not going to see eye to eye on all issues. I dont need a break from anything! Maybe YOU need to boarden your perspective!
Also, I have 31 years in this industry, possibly about the same time you were born, by the looks of you in that video. And, you’re how old?

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1. CF
  
  Jul 4, 2010
  
  Ok, Frank. If you’re not angry, then I’d suggest not using all caps. In the world of the internet, caps means you’re yelling. But you’ve been in the airline industry for a hundred million years, and I’m a child, so I’m sure you already know that, right?
  
  As FrogMan said, the “I’m old” argument doesn’t fly here. What is a strong argument against your case is that you use broad, sweeping comparisons that really don’t apply here to JetBlue.
  
  So from your argument, you suggest that being innovative has no place in this industry at all. Forget about the fact that JetBlue has been successful after 10 years in service with that strategy, I suppose? Comparing JetBlue to MGM Grand Air is a joke. The two could not be further apart. Your desire to lump any airline that does something innovative into the same category of failure is laughable.
  
  JetBlue has built itself up by doing things better. This food isn’t better. Does that mean they need to install onboard ovens or serve fresh food? No. It just means that there are other things that they can do, as has been discussed in previous comment threads, which would be more in line with their brand.
  
  Reply
  1. frank
    
    Jul 4, 2010
    
    Written by CF on July 4, 2010. Reply Ok, Frank. If you’re not angry, then I’d suggest not using all caps.
    ———————————————————–
    
    Nice try. That’s the way I type. Always have.
    ———————————————————–
    
    So from your argument, you suggest that being innovative has no place in this industry at all. Forget about the fact that JetBlue has been successful after 10 years in service with that strategy, I suppose? Comparing JetBlue to MGM Grand Air is a joke. The two could not be further apart. Your desire to lump any airline that does something innovative into the same category of failure is laughable.
    ==============================================
    
    Oh, the “Sales Rep” is putting words in my mouth. The KEY WORD here is innovative. ALL THOSE AIRLINES WERE INNOVATIVE with their “inflight services”..but no longer exist.
    Tell me, OOOO wise one. Compete with a six dollar snack box from other carriers. Upgrade the contents, and guess what, usually the PRICE will GO UP. Then you get comments like, well, I thought Jetblue was REASONABLE, these COST MORE then XYZ airlines.
    There’s a GOOD REASON why McDonalds, Sabarro’s and Burger King dominate airport food courts. They sell CHEAP “junk food” that passengers are willing to buy. Ooo, but for some reason, when you’re ON A PLANE, apparently your culinary tastes are that of a CHEF. Now that’s laughable.
    
    Reply
    1. CF
      
      Jul 4, 2010
      
      Who cares if that’s the way you always type? In the world of the internet, all-caps is yelling. You can type that way if you want, but people will interpret it as yelling. It doesn’t matter if you’ve always done it that way.
      
      I can see this is going absolutely nowhere, so this will be my last response. You’re welcome to continue ranting as long as you’d like.
      
      You insist that offering anything different than what other airlines offer will make the cost go up. That just shows a lack of creativity. If you can’t offer anything better, than you aren’t trying hard enough. That being said, I think that JetBlue could charge more for something that’s better, especially since unlike the legacy carriers, they still offer ample free snacks.
      
      I’m so glad you brought up McDonalds, Sbarro, and Burger King. You know what they have in common? None of them are in JetBlue’s Terminal 5 in New York. Over there, JetBlue and their concessionaire have been far more creative with their food options, but they have failed to do that on the airplane itself. They can do better, despite what you may think.
      
      Reply
      1. frank
        
        Jul 5, 2010
        
        That being said, I think that JetBlue could charge more for something that’s better, especially since unlike the legacy carriers, they still offer ample free snacks.
        ==================================================
        
        So, You can get a great value on ticket prices at Jetblue, but not their inflight food? (passengers know the industry standard on snack prices) That goes against their brand….value. Passengers ALREADY :::opps, there I go again, Capitalizing words, I do that to emphasis my remarks. Many posters do that::::they already turn their noses up at the selling of food onboard, let alone the “price”. The internet is littered with nasty comments on how the airlines nickle and dime the “customer”. That snack price better be competitive. Those concessionaires at T5 you say, well, they have kitchens, ovens, freezers and the ability to prepare items there. Now, take those creative options out of the equation and let us all know how Jetblue can be competitive with it’s snack prices and options.
        You called my comments, ranting!! That someone doesnt agree with your article makes it a rant? Seriously, HOW UNPROFESSIONAL. Now you figure out if that was yelling or not.
        
        Reply
      2. frank
        
        Jul 5, 2010
        
        I’m so glad you brought up McDonalds, Sbarro, and Burger King. You know what they have in common?
        
        yeah, Just like this article: http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/6/2/63644/65407/travel/The+Five+Best+Airports+for+Filling+Up+on+Fancy+Fast+Food
        
        We took a look around and found the Five Best Airports across the country to get your Fast Food Fix.
        Burgers, Hot dogs, chicken and pizza. Imagine that, FIVE BEST AIRPORTS. (I dont see JFK)
        
        Reply
FrogMan

Jul 3, 2010

Nothing like the “how old are you” argument. I’m now convinced! Perhaps next we’ll hear such compelling rebuttals as: “you’re ugly” or “you smell funny” (which he likely does sweating out all the crap in those snack boxes).

Frank, you haven’t dealt with the fundamentals of the argument. JetBlue has been an innovative airline since it began. That innovativeness is a key component to its brand and why people choose to fly them. These snack boxes — regardless of their economic viability — do not further that brand, rather they are in conflict with it. They are without a doubt classic “me too” offerings that you could get on any of the other tired, old, unappealing legacy carriers. That is what is so surprising and disappointing.

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frank

Jul 3, 2010

Nothing like the “how old are you” argument. I’m now convinced! Perhaps next we’ll hear such compelling rebuttals as: “you’re ugly” or “you smell funny” (which he likely does sweating out all the crap in those snack boxes).
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Hey, I WASNT THE ONE who made it personal.

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Frank, you haven’t dealt with the fundamentals of the argument. JetBlue has been an innovative airline since it began.

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I thought I did. Jetblue is a LOW…..COST……CARRIER. Get the concept?

innovative, you say? So was MGM Grand Air, Midway, Air Atlanta, New York Air, blah, blah, blah.

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cstclair

Nov 17, 2010

Keeping up with everyone else and saving cost with near zero weight on the product – but .. the waste and the packaging – I thought JetBlue would have thought a bit more about the planet on this one. Really, if you are smart enough to plan a trip and find the airport, you aught to be smart enough to ration your time to buy a decent sandwich at the deli counter by the gate before they call your flight.

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