Airplane food at a Hollywood awards show? Critics' Choice Awards "embarrassing" food menu gets roasted online

The 31st Critics’ Choice Awards had no shortage of buzz this Sunday. Between Timothée Chalamet’s sweet on-stage nod to Kylie Jenner and the usual red-carpet chatter, one unexpected detail ended up stealing attention online, the food. Or rather, the lack of it.


Instead of the kind of lavish spread you’d expect at a major Hollywood awards night, guests were handed what many described as a bare-bones grazing plate. American journalist Kyle Buchanan was among those who shared a glimpse on X, and his post quickly took off, racking up over 3.6 million views.


The plate itself looked more like a light snack than a proper meal. Think a few grapes, some crackers, two small pieces of cheese, a dollop of hummus, a bit of bruschetta, caprese skewers, one lonely spanakopita and a handful of dried apricots. That was it.



Naturally, the internet had thoughts. Plenty of them. Many users weren’t impressed, with several comparing the spread to airline food. Even inside the venue, the menu became comedy material. Actor Janelle James poked fun at it while accepting her award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. “The best thing about being nominated four times,” she joked, “is finally realising they’re never going to feed us. It’s grapes and ice cream every year - but hey, this makes up for it!”


Online reactions were far less forgiving. “This is embarrassing for everyone involved,” one person wrote, while another quipped, “Looks like a United Airlines meal, not an awards show dinner.”


Some comparisons were even harsher. A user likened the grazing plate to the infamous Fyre Festival cheese sandwiches, calling it “very Fyre Festival energy.” Others took a wider swipe at the industry itself. “The industry is really struggling, wow,” one comment read. Another joked, “Everyone’s on Ozempic. They didn’t want to waste steak or fish.”


And this isn’t the Critics’ Choice Awards’ first food-related controversy. Last year, the ceremony went viral for serving individually wrapped pizza slices, another moment that left the internet wondering how one of Hollywood’s biggest nights keeps fumbling something as basic as feeding its guests.