Thanks Ditzyboy for the good gen. You would think that they would follow the former EW policy of boxed meals (as now) and tea or coffee as required, with the standard coffee cup in the box. It worked well on the F28, and no one got excited about it, prefering the service to either QF or AN's full service.
Reading your reply makes me think of the direction of the former Impulse owner was el cheapo.
Re the good HBA doc, he was a Business class man from way back and the reason he changed from AN to QF was that QF still had that class and promised him all sorts of goodies so that they got his business after AN intorduced the ine class CRJ's.
Such is life in the industry - next short trip I will buy a take away coffee in traveller mug.