I am sure that after receiving this message a few folks got sudden tummy aches and quickly retained counsel.
Amtrak dining and cafe service
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When she's done singing they can bring me some pancakes on 48 in a couple of weeks.
But remember, they'll be Flex Cakes!
Not flexcakes, PANcakes. LOL. I am demanding full dining car service even though I know that is unrealistic. LOL.But remember, they'll be Flex Cakes!
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I actually find the flexible dining pancakes one of the better options - but that's just me.
Great. I rode the Vermonter and an Acela on the 24th. I got two of these emails. Fortunately all I had from the cafe car on the Vermonter was a coffee and a packaged coffee cake, and I ate nothing on the Acela. But the fruit cup is one of my go-to items when having a cafe catr breakfast. I'm glad I had my breakfast at home that morning.
Even in traditional dining, both the pancakes and French toast are packaged, reheated products.
Not true about Pancakes...
Winecliff Station
Service Attendant
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No pancakes on traditional dining. With a number of traditional dining meals various meal components are pre cooked at the commissary and sealed in packaging - French toast being an example. Not exactly the same as flexible dining which is a fully prepared ready to serve packaged meal.
crescent-zephyr
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i just took the coast starlight southbound in coach and had an excellent Greek salad from the cafe car. I also got a marshmallow dream bar (big rice Krispy treat) and a Pallegrino.
Better than flex I’ll tell you that but I still would have eaten in the diner if it was an option.
Had a great trip with a fantastic crew though!
Better than flex I’ll tell you that but I still would have eaten in the diner if it was an option.
Had a great trip with a fantastic crew though!
crescent-zephyr
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The dining cars do have a grill. I can’t say for certain that pancakes from traditional dining were made on the grill, but they tasted like they were.You mean there’s an actual griddle with pancakes made from scratch?Yummy!
They already have traditional dinning on all routes west of San Anotniono and Chicago except a tiny portion of the Empire Builder, and the Auto train also has traditional dinning. The rest of the train still have flexible but I heard for a youtube site that will change eventually to traditional dinning.
The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority made a wise choice 21 years ago by contracting out food service on the Downeaster and Amtrak should take notes.
I was spoiled as my first long-distance train was traveling from Boston to Miami in 1967 on Seaboard just before the merger. My Mom refused to fly so we took the New Haven to NYC ( parlor car ) stayed in NY overnight and then to Miami. It remains a wonderful memory.
My Mom was inspired by this
As others have mentioned in this thread Amtrak should investigate something like this as a long-distance dining option.
The meals are not microwaved
https://www.tovala.com/menu
I used Tovala as an example and they are based in Chicago.
I was spoiled as my first long-distance train was traveling from Boston to Miami in 1967 on Seaboard just before the merger. My Mom refused to fly so we took the New Haven to NYC ( parlor car ) stayed in NY overnight and then to Miami. It remains a wonderful memory.
My Mom was inspired by this
As others have mentioned in this thread Amtrak should investigate something like this as a long-distance dining option.
The meals are not microwaved
https://www.tovala.com/menu
I used Tovala as an example and they are based in Chicago.
jis
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Now only if we could realize that train 92 is actually the Silver Star, not the Silver Meteor
joelkfla
Engineer
Not good enough! I want it to return on March 7!
Is there any consensus regarding Coach passengers on the Coast Starlight having paid access to the diner in the same many that appeared to be the case for Business Class passengers when that service was available. I hate having it as a toss up as it will determine what food I buy in advance. Thanks.
trimetbusfan
OBS Chief
I was on 14(16) yesterday and dinner on day 2 was restricted to sleepers only. (Made very clear by announcements). There was also a sign on the door to the dining car that said ‘sleeping car passengers only’ past this point.
(This crew was only running with one LSA and one service attendant).
I will be on 11 in a few days in will report back if the situation has changed.
Thank you. I will be riding before then so will report back myself. I think the safe bet is to take food and see what happens.
What are the odds of The Eagle or the Cardinal getting traditional dining by April 9th? lol
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Zero. Amtrak is returning traditional dining to the silvers and coach passengers to the diner on the western trains “sometime” in 2023. I wouldn’t expect anything too crazy beyond that before FY2024.
Traditional dining on the cardinal would be quite notable - it hasn’t had what we now call traditional dining for a number of years.
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Poor,neglected Texas Eagle. Only Western train to not return to traditional dining and STILL no Sightseer Car. I’ll be on the Sunset/Eagle tomorrow from LA to Chicago. In San Antonio the change is akin from going to a third world country from a first world country. I had the soggiest breakfast sandwich on the Lake Shore coming in. At least the cereal was good.
I rode the Starlight most recently from Los Angeles to Oakland in September 2022. At the time, the Dining Car was available to Sleepers (included, of course) and Business Class (paid separately) -- but there was no option for standard Coach passengers.
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