I'm from the old school and prefer "proper" inflight meals and catering. Surprisingly, when there's a fine choice between carriers (because time of departure/return is king to me) I find I always tend to the carrier with the better catering.
An 08.00 departure means often getting up at 04.30, and not a moment for anything to eat (especially at airports where half the early security shift have not turned up for work), whereas you are guaranteed an hour or so in the aircraft to have something pleasant. Same with hot food and a drink coming home in the evening, which I'll reach long after Mrs WHBM
has eaten (ever notice that on routes with two end-of-day departures it's the civil servants who are coming home nicely on time, on the 16.15 and us poor commercial world lot who fill the 19.30 ?).
I too get annoyed with BA serving all Indian food on London-Chennai. After a week of the stuff over there and being cheered, as ever, by the sight of the BA tailfin colours at the gate, it's a real downer to be offered "Chicken curry" or "Vegetable curry". It's bad enough getting the same on the outbound.
I regularly take Rossiya, a smaller Russian carrier, between London and St Petersburg. From the 737 galley they manage to come up wth full meals, starters, hot main courses, little desserts, cold beer, wines (alas not Georgian any longer !), coffee with chocolates, etc. All for half the Y-class fare BA charge, but what I really like about them is their service. Oh, always on time as well.