I flew Emirates First a couple of months ago and they welcomed me graciously, so I see no reason why TfW wouldn't want my custom
It's not so much the price of the meals, but more the fact that it used to be complimentary with a decent upgrade fare. It is no longer complimentary and the first class price is not particularly attractive.
So perhaps it is not a standalone rip off, but more of a rip off in comparison with what was offered previously.
And for the record, for any journey lasting over 90 minutes I book first class where available.