At Sunny Scampton in the late '70s, we had a certain allowance for catering dependent upon the assumed flight time. It was then up to individual crew members to decide how much to 'eat' pre-flight and how much during flight. Have a slap up pre-flight meal and you might be lucky to qualify for a packet of Polos in-flight, for example. It was the co-pilot's lot to carry the aluminium ration box out to the aircraft once the crew's order had been assembled. But if the trip was scrubbed, you had to return the rations...
You could always tell which crews would guess that their trip was going to be scrubbed as they tucked into steak, eggs and chips...
Although one Flt Cdr was rather less than impressed one day. After briefing he decided that he hadn't got time to have a pre-flight meal with his crew - his office work being so
very important. "Just order me something for in-flight and I'll see you at the crew bus", he said. So they did - something like 6 x cheese and pickle sandwiches (which they knew he loathed!)....
