Thank You United For Bringing Back My Favorite Treat!
After nearly a year-long hiatus, United Airlines has brought back the beloved stroopwafel to its lineup of free snacks on onboard.
Stroopwafel Returns To United Airlines
Last week I wrote about United dropping hints about a big announcement. This was the clue:
As I suspected, it turns out the big news (in addition to new craft cocktails onboard, upgraded meals on longer Hawaiian flights, and a new premium nut mix) was the return of stroopwafels.
It would have been bad optics to reveal news the day after the crash of AA5342 and there still is no official announcement, but United now allows you to pull up the menu for your flight in advance and you can see that the stroopwafel has returned:
I can’t help but to think the resumption and removal of the stroopwafel is more of a PR stunt than anything else, like the annual return of the McRib sandwich at McDonald’s.
The American Airlines crash may have messed things up, but the post below is one of the most “viral” ever featured on Live And Let’s Fly…people love their cookies and publicity over this good news is free…
I do enjoy these and look forward to sampling one on my future United flight.
History has a way of repeating itself. Here’s a story I wrote on the same topic in 2019 after stroopwafels disappeared for several months and then returned.
United is bringing back the stroopwafel on morning flights. It’s about time!
Via Twitter, United indicated this much-loved treat will return to economy class this month.
We’re starting 2019 on a sweet note – the stroopwafel will be back in the snack rotation starting in January! pic.twitter.com/b2gmyGslY7
— United Airlines (@united) December 28, 2018
The stroopwafel was introduced as a free snack in 2015 on morning flights departing before 9:30 A.M. Rather abruptly, United stopped serving them last June, shifting to maple cookies by Byrd Cookie Company. At the time, United only vaguely indicated the stroopwafel would return:
The Stroopwafel will be available again in the future as the airline rotates between morning snack options. The Stroopwafel will remain on flights departing Europe prior to 9:30 a.m.
It appears six months was the magic number.
Speaking of magic, there’s nothing magical about stroopwafels, they are just a tasty snack full of sugar and carbs. I see that. Others see it. But some calories are just worthwhile, even in the new year. This, at least in my opinion, is one such case.
Some people like to warm their stroopwafels over their coffee. United even made a video demonstrating how to do it:
Although the caramel center tastes great warmed up, I do not place mine over coffee or tea because it tends to make the waffle soggy.
CONCLUSION
It’s nice to see the stroopwafel back. Ultimately, it is just an unnecessary snack to help pass time on a flight. Even so, it is something I look forward to and associate with United like Rhapsody in Blue. That’s a marketing win.