“Imported Dog Food” Now on First-Class Airline Menus!

“Should they change the carrier’s name to Airbud? Passengers on a China Eastern Airlines flight were in for a bizarre surprise last week when their in-flight menu seemed to feature an unconventional dish—’dog food’—as one of the dinner options, raising eyebrows and sparking a flurry of online discussions. The incident took place in the Business Class section of the flight to an undisclosed destination, leaving diners both puzzled and intrigued by this culinary oddity.

The menu, captured in a photo by a passenger named Conrad Wu and subsequently shared on social media platforms like Facebook, revealed the peculiar choice alongside more conventional options like ‘vanilla shrimp’ and ‘smoked pepper beef.’ An accompanying image of the alleged dish depicted slices of cured meat artfully arranged over a bed of vegetables.

However, before you start picturing passengers feasting on Kibbles & Bits, it’s worth noting that most observers were quick to dismiss the idea of actual dog food being on the menu. Instead, they speculated that a translation error was responsible for the culinary mishap. As one Redditor put it, “Most likely the translation has gone wrong. Besides, how bad could dog food be?”

Some even lightened the situation with humor, suggesting that economy class passengers might receive a different kind of ‘domestic dog food.’ One passionate traveler came to the airline’s defense, sharing their positive experience with China Eastern Airlines, praising both the flight crew and the food.

This incident adds to the list of comical English translation mishaps, often humorously referred to as ‘Chinglish,’ that have graced Chinese menus over the years. Among the memorable examples are dishes like ‘roasted husband,’ the perplexing ‘wang had to burn’ hotpot, and the infamous ‘f—k the duck until exploded.’

It’s worth noting that such translation blunders aren’t exclusive to Chinese menus. In a somewhat similar vein, Facebook had to issue an apology in 2020 when a ‘technical issue’ led to Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s name being translated as ‘Mr. S–thole’ from Burmese to English on the platform.

While this culinary tale may raise eyebrows and chuckles, it’s yet another reminder of the quirky surprises one can encounter while traveling, proving that the world of aviation is always full of unexpected adventures.”