Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

Real pilots get day old food off the airplane. The pecking order is as follows:

1. Flight Attendants
2. First Class Passengers
3. Flight Attendants (meal #2, #3, or "to go" meal)
4. Dead heading Flight Attendants and non rev friends in back
5. Flight Attendants' Cats (or if outbound on an international leg, their "friends" at the outstation)
6. Gate Agents they are friendly with
7. Rampers they are friendly with
8. Captain
9. First Officer

Being so low on the food chain, there are several strategies which must be employed to score free food. Generally, the busier you can keep the flight attendants, the less time they have to graze (or give away) your food. Good airman-ship and diplomacy worthy of Henry Kissinger is key. Find smooth air, fly smoothly, encourage the Captain to keep the seat belt sign off. Make PA's which encourage passengers to "let us know if there is anything we can do to make your flight more comfortable." You must do this in a way that does not alert the FA's of your intention to keep them in the aisles.

A regional airline is a good place to hone your second strategy ... a non discriminating palate. Think of this as the logical expansion of the "ten second rule." Every moldy sandwich has a good end. Food in plastic wrappers is not going to be contaminated by a little garbage which is placed adjacent to it. Banana's are edible in almost any condition.

Your third strategy (and the potential home run move) is to help the flight attendants with their bags. When the two first class meals they have saved fall out from their hiding places, just flash your best grin and begin running while yelling over your shoulder in the jetway "Wow! You packed this up for the Captain and I! You're so nice. It was great working with you hope we get to fly together again soon. ... say hey to your cats. ..."

The potential downfall of the third strategy is getting busted with a bottle of Company booze. I'm guessing that's a firing offense. So, if while performing the grip n grab jog to hog I hear a clink, I give up the goods rather than risk getting caught. Also note, some of the Flight Attendants are deceptively fast and can nearly match your pace up the jetway.