Google scientist slams US airline for serving food he needed 'a chainsaw to cut': 'Bowl of sadness'

In-flight meal shared by a Google scientist (Image: @docmilanfar/x)

A Google scientist’s reaction to a first-class airline meal has sparked a major online discussion about the quality of airline food. The scientist’s post on social media quickly turned into a viral moment, with millions of people reacting to what he called as a “bowl of sadness”.

Peyman Milanfar, a distinguished scientist at Google as per his bio on X, shared his experience after flying more than five hours in first class on a United Airlines flight. Expecting a proper dinner, he was shocked by what was placed in front of him. Milanfar posted a photo of the meal on X, showing a plastic tray filled with salad leaves, cubes of cheese and meat, seeds and a whole tomato.

Along with the image, Milanfar wrote, “Hey @united is this a joke? I just flew 5+ hours in First Class and this bowl of sadness is what you serve me for dinner.”

Hey @united is this a joke? I just flew 5+ hours in First Class and this bowl of sadness is what you serve me for dinner.

Between the 3D-printed mystery meat, the cafeteria cheese cubes, and the whole tomato I need a chainsaw to cut, this is genuinely unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/UOauCoqLAH — Peyman Milanfar (@docmilanfar) January 4, 2026

Milanfar did not stop there. He went on to describe the meal in even stronger terms, calling it a strange mix of items that felt more like a school cafeteria dish than a premium airline dinner. He said the plate included “3D-printed mystery meat, cafeteria cheese cubes,” and a whole tomato that “needed a chainsaw” to cut. Milanfar added that the entire experience was "genuinely unbelievable."

The post, shared on Sunday, spread rapidly across social media. It has now gained over 13 million views. Many people said the image perfectly showed what they felt was a steady drop in airline food quality, even for passengers paying extra for first-class seats. Others joked about the tomato and the unclear meat, while some said they had experienced similar disappointments while flying.

One user wrote, “I’d really like to know what that ‘meat’ is?? And I guess they figured to keep you busy on the semi long flight, you can cut your own tomato.” Another commented, “Throwing a whole tomato into the bowl is insane.” A third added, “the cheese is too cubed up that I literally thought that was a mango for a second.”

Throwing a whole tomato into the bowl is insane — Max Spero (@max_spero_) January 4, 2026

The post also caught the attention of United Airlines itself. The airline responded publicly, offering an apology and asking for more details. United Airlines wrote, “We’re sorry the meal didn’t meet your expectations, Peyman. This is not the experience we want for you.

After the attention grew and United Airlines responded, Milanfar returned to X with an update. Instead of pushing for personal compensation alone, he suggested turning the situation into a proposal.

He wrote, “Hey @united, let’s turn this culinary disaster into a humanitarian win: You refund my ticket. I donate 100% of it to @WCKitchen. We take the budget from my "bowl of sadness" and give it to @chefjoseandres, who knows how to feed people with dignity. Ball's in your court.”

The airline is yet to respond to his suggestion.