Has anyone ever flew through American Airlines? If so how does eating work?

Online it says "Travelers should note that while seat assignments are indeed complimentary for American Airlines passengers in select fare classes, those flying basic economy must pay extra to select their seats in advance (or they will be assigned a seat when they check in)."

When they say check in do they mean when you print your ticket at the kiosk or when your boarding the plane scanning your ticket? Because I checked in on the kiosk but it still didn't give me a seat and on my ticket it says unable to assign seat at this moment so will I have to pay for a seat?

They mean when you walk up to the desk and present your ticket.
Eat before you go.

It sounds like they're going to assign you a seat, however their written rules sound like you should get a seat assignment when you arrive at the airport and check in to get the boarding pass, at which time you could make a request.

It means if you don't prepay, then you get a seat assigned to you when you check in. Some seats are always an extra cost, such as an exit row seat as they usually have more legroom.

You don't have to wait until you get to the airport to do this, you can do it online up to 24 hours before your scheduled departure time. The longer you wait, the less likely a seat will be available especially for a busy and/or overbooked flight.

You get your seat assignment when you check in. When you check in on line or at the kiosk, a computer somewhere in the depths of American Airlines will assign you a seat. When you check in at the check in counter the agent will select your seat.

A year or two ago some consumer groups accused airlines of deliberately splitting up passengers traveling in groups to push them into buying the more expensive tickets that allow seat selection at the time of purchase. I don't know if this practice continues but if you are traveling with someone, it may be a good idea to check in at the counter. This way you can ask the agent to be seated together.

Flown. Has anyone ever FLOWN with American Airlines?

If you checked-in at the kiosk, that means you are at the airport. If you are at the airport then you are just feet away from an actual human who could give you the actual answer.

By the time you read these responses you will probably have found out the answer. Which would have been no you don't have to pay for a seat at that time, but you also may have been bumped or assigned one at the gate.