KLM introduces Grand Café KLM: more food and drink choices on European flights
From November 2026, KLM is changing its economy class catering on European routes. Grand Café KLM combines a complimentary basic offering with meals that can be ordered prior to flight or purchased on board.
From November, KLM is introducing Grand Café KLM, a new service concept on European flights designed to give passengers more control over their food and beverage choices. The change follows multiple phases of testing the new catering model on various destinations.
For the airline, it is not merely a menu change. It is a shift towards a more flexible service model increasingly used by European full-service carriers—the core part of the experience remains included in the ticket, while additional choices can be personalised and paid for.
A meal can be ordered before departure
Before the flight, passengers will be able to order a more substantial meal, such as a poke bowl or Caesar salad. Those who wish to leave the decision until the flight will be able to buy products from the selection such as a salmon and egg wrap or yoghurt with fruit and seeds.
At the same time, KLM is not scrapping its complimentary service. Coffee, tea, water, orange juice and a Dutch stroopwafel will still be available at no extra charge. In doing so, the airline maintains the distinction between the classic low-cost model and the product expected from a network carrier.
Catering is becoming part of travel personalisation
From an industry perspective, the pre-trip ordering model is particularly interesting. In addition to a wider choice for the passenger, pre-ordering gives airlines a better picture of actual demand for specific products. Consequently, such an approach can facilitate catering planning and open up additional room for ancillary revenues.
Bas Gerressen, KLM’s Executive Vice President of Inflight Services, describes the new concept as a step towards a more flexible European travel experience where passengers decide for themselves whether to stick with the basic offering or choose an additional meal.
KLM is more broadly changing its product on European routes
Grand Café KLM is a continuation of the wider modernisation of the short-haul product. The fleet already features 16 Airbus A321neos and 25 Embraer 195-E2s with modern seats, USB ports and larger overhead lockers.
In early 2026, KLM began a phased rollout of free Wi-Fi on its European fleet, with plans to extend it to the A321neo, the Embraer 195-E2 and some Boeing 737-800s.
For travel agencies and business travellers, the change is yet another signal that competition on European flights is increasingly being driven by things other than just schedules and price. Digital services, flexibility and the ability to personalise products are becoming an ever more visible part of the overall value of an airline ticket.
