Amtrak dining and cafe service

[MARC Rider]

More times than not, when we venture out of our sleeper to the cafe car, I hear coach passengers complaining about the cost of a microwave hotdog or cheeseburger.

Everybody complains about the coast of everything these days, yet they're still buying the stuff.

A lot of times the complains are based on prices from decades earlier. One should use an inflation calculator before complaining about whether the price is out of line. Most times one will find that they aren't much different than they were 30 years ago.

Average price of gasoline per gallon (including taxes) in 1978: $0.65
Average price of gasoline in 2023: $3.34/gallon

If adjusted for inflation, that's $3.71 (Gasoline Prices Adjusted for Inflation | US Inflation Calculator)

Somebody needs to find an Amtrak cafe car menu from 1978, and then do an inflation calculation on the prices.

 

[TheVig]

Everybody complains about the coast of everything these days, yet they're still buying the stuff.

A lot of times the complains are based on prices from decades earlier. One should use an inflation calculator before complaining about whether the price is out of line. Most times one will find that they aren't much different than they were 30 years ago.

Average price of gasoline per gallon (including taxes) in 1978: $0.65
Average price of gasoline in 2023: $3.34/gallon

If adjusted for inflation, that's $3.71 (Gasoline Prices Adjusted for Inflation | US Inflation Calculator)

Somebody needs to find an Amtrak cafe car menu from 1978, and then do an inflation calculation on the prices.

Some coach riders could just do what I do when the situation allows for it —— Bring your own gourmet food.

I’ve slumed it in coach a few times from CLT to NYP. I live about 10 minutes from the station. A couple of times I threw a steak on the grill. Nothing like a nice porterhouse wafting through the coach car on the Crescent at 530am in CLT, while everyone else enjoys their Jimmy Dean for breakfast. The evil looks I’ve gotten.

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

I have no issues with the prices except the kids meals. $20 for all kids meals. So a family with 2-3 kids pays $40-60 bucks. Our 3 and 5 year old nibble at most meals unfortunately. Thankfully we're able to be in the sleepers so it doesn't apply to us.

That being said I think the ability for kids to be able to eat in the diner is a great educational experience and a chance for Amtrak to get younger travelers excited about rail travel. I know our kids are, they can't wait for our next trip. $10 for kids meals is more in line with norms and probably allows the same mark up as the adult entrees. We're talking a hot dog and chips or mac and cheese with apple juice. The kids menu is generally basic. Funny fact our oldest daughter wishes Amtrak would go back to very basic Kraft mac and cheese (the $1 box stuff you can buy with the yellow cheese substance) instead of the white mac and cheese with crispy bread crumbs they serve now.

 

[AmtrakFlyer]

Looks like Amtrak is keeping flexible dining on Silvers at least for now.

“As for the possible expansion of traditional dining to the single level New York-Miami Silver Star and Silver Meteor or other trains that still offer only “flexible” meals to sleeping-car passengers, Woods says, “We’ll let you know about changes to dining on the Silver Service should we have something to announce.”

Amtrak coach passengers now can buy meals on western 'traditional dining' trains - Trains

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has begun offering coach passengers on the Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, Coast Starlight, and Sunset Limited the opportunity to buy meals in those trains’ dining cars, a practice that began March 1. Since mid-2021, these are the only long-distance trains...

www.trains.com

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Switching for a minute to First Class Acela, if someone boards at NYC around 8:00 p.m. and detrains at Philly, is a meal served? Not a big deal, since there’s lots of food in the New York lounge and food again in Philly, but I have a friend doing this and said I would ask. Thanks.

 

[MARC Rider]

Switching for a minute to First Class Acela, if someone boards at NYC around 8:00 p.m. and detrains at Philly, is a meal served? Not a big deal, since there’s lots of food in the New York lounge and food again in Philly, but I have a friend doing this and said I would ask. Thanks.

I have boarded First class Acela in Washington, headed for Baltimore (a 30 minute scheduled ride) and have been served dinner. You may want to alert the attendant that you're a short-term passenger.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Thanks—that’s an excellent suggestion to tell the attendant it’s a short ride —I’ll mention that to my friend.

 

[Tlcooper93]

Comparing day to two day long train trips to hours long sporting events or concerts is dubious.

Not that I do understand the issue at hand, but they are apples and oranges.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Regarding the price of food and drink? Log onto any site dedicated to a pro sports team and you'll find people moaning about the high prices: "$14 dollars for a beer? Really??" " $20 bucks for supermarket-grade sushi! What a ripoff!!" Personally, I find complaining (even in my head) about high prices is the equivalent of swearing after stubbing my toe--it does make me feel marginally better!

Also, maybe another difference is that you’re not allowed to bring in your own food or drinks to sporting events? I don’t go to them (not good with crowds) so don’t know if it’s still true. But I think at one time you couldn’t even bring in your own water bottle. Doesn’t seem right to charge people for water or make them wander around in the heat looking for a drinking fountain.

Coach passengers do at least have the choice of bringing their own food.

 

[railiner]

Perhaps they should sell dining tickets in advance, when booking tickets.

Oh, wait ... we're talking about Arrow.

I like it!
For those passengers traveling long distances by coach, perhaps they could even offer packages including all meals while they’re on board?
IIRC, the Santa Fe had something like that, and perhaps some others…

 

[Amtrak709]

I have boarded First class Acela in Washington, headed for Baltimore (a 30 minute scheduled ride) and have been served dinner. You may want to alert the attendant that you're a short-term passenger.

Switching for a minute to First Class Acela, if someone boards at NYC around 8:00 p.m. and detrains at Philly, is a meal served? Not a big deal, since there’s lots of food in the New York lounge and food again in Philly, but I have a friend doing this and said I would ask. Thanks.

I have, on several occasions at varying times of day , boarded Acela First Class at NYP headed to just PHL Spoke to the attendant upon boarding and have been served meals with time to spare--every time!!

 

[lordsigma]

Looks like Amtrak is keeping flexible dining on Silvers at least for now.

All I would conclude from that is he has no comment or announcement to make at this time.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I have, on several occasions at varying times of day , boarded Acela First Class at NYP headed to just PHL Spoke to the attendant upon boarding and have been served meals with time to spare--every time!!

Thank you—that’s good to know. I did it once, but it was a standard mealtime and they served me right away. I wasn’t sure if 8:00 was too late for a meal.

 

[Acela150]

Switching for a minute to First Class Acela, if someone boards at NYC around 8:00 p.m. and detrains at Philly, is a meal served? Not a big deal, since there’s lots of food in the New York lounge and food again in Philly, but I have a friend doing this and said I would ask. Thanks.

Yes. Good LSA's will serve based on destination. I was on 2259 on President's day and they served me dinner out of NYP.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Yes. Good LSA's will serve based on destination. I was on 2259 on President's day and they served me dinner out of NYP.

Wonderful—thanks!

 

[Sidney]

Looks like Amtrak is keeping flexible dining on Silvers at least for now.

“As for the possible expansion of traditional dining to the single level New York-Miami Silver Star and Silver Meteor or other trains that still offer only “flexible” meals to sleeping-car passengers, Woods says, “We’ll let you know about changes to dining on the Silver Service should we have something to announce.”

Amtrak coach passengers now can buy meals on western 'traditional dining' trains - Trains

WASHINGTON — Amtrak has begun offering coach passengers on the Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, Coast Starlight, and Sunset Limited the opportunity to buy meals in those trains’ dining cars, a practice that began March 1. Since mid-2021, these are the only long-distance trains...

www.trains.com

So much for the rumors of real food returning this month. What’s the holdup? Finding chefs? Had a feeling traditional dining wouldn’t return to the Silvers anytime soon. Flex “dining” is still as bland as ever having many of them. Biggest gripe is the price of sleepers had not reflected the obvious food downgrade. Traditional dining is something to look forward to. Flex is just keeping passengers fed.

I always said a cooked to order meal on an Amtrak journey is one of the great thrills of riding and differentiates itself from air or bus travel. Thanks Mica and Anderson for eliminating one of Amtraks greatest assets. Thank goodness the five Western trains have traditional. It makes all the difference in the world.

One more note. The term flexible meant you can eat anytime. On my recent Texas Eagle trip you had to have lunch at 12 and dinner at 5. One attendant feeding the sleeper pax and manning the snack bar. Pathetic

 

[fillyjonk]

I feel like it's that Flex is cheaper and so far people are tolerating it (at any rate; you still have to book fairly far out for a sleeper so yay, like many other things in society, we get to experience lower quality for the same price.

I don't think real dining is coming back on the "Eaglette." I put up with it because it's 2 meals (3 at the most) and I get the sleeper for the privacy/being able to lie down/relative quiet.

 

[billosborn]

Over the years, I have taken numerous trips on western LD trains, with either one or two nights in coach. I welcome the return of traditional dining for coach passengers. Saving money on coach always gave me enough in my budget to "splurge" for a meal or two in the dining car. As for the price, since its a one-time expense and not like an inflationary surge in a monthly food budget, the price would never get in the way between me and the "Amtrak Signature Sirloin Steak" dinner. The rest of the meals would either be stuff from home or the snack bar.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Somebody needs to find an Amtrak cafe car menu from 1978, and then do an inflation calculation on the prices.

I graduated from college in 1978, and I don't remember ever having to pay more than $10 for lunch as a coach passenger on the Empire Builder then. I would love to see an actual menu with prices from back then, though, to correct my slightly-vague memories.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Old menu prices

Northwestern Archive Library

UNLV Archives

NY Times article with some menu prices

 

[MARC Rider]

Old menu prices

Northwestern Archive Library

UNLV Archives

NY Times article with some menu prices

From the New York Times article, written in 1975, it seems that the dinner items ranged from about $2 to $7. This is in line with my experience eating on the Merchant's Limited that summer. Adjusted for inflation, they would be $11 (for the fish) to $40 (for the steak). These also didn't include drinks, appetizers and desserts. The range in price between the entrees (the most expensive costs 3 and a half times that of the least expensive) seems greater than is typical of most restaurants today, and Amtrak is charging the same price whatever you order.) I wonder if that is because the cost of food relative to labor, real estate, energy, etc. has declined over the past 50 years.

By the way, the article also mentions 2 food-poisoning incidents on Amtrak during 1974. That's one thing I don't hear too many complaints about here on AU.

 

[MARC Rider]

I have, on several occasions at varying times of day , boarded Acela First Class at NYP headed to just PHL Spoke to the attendant upon boarding and have been served meals with time to spare--every time!!

On the other hand, I was once traveling from NYP to BAL and didn't get served dinner until we arrived in PHL. But that's about the only time I've ever had slow service. I suspect that if I were traveling to Philly and asked the attendant, I would have been served more quickly.

 

[west point]

Amtrak might try this on only one route. Select carefully the route as more sleeper rooms will be need for extra OBS. may require extra sleeper. Sell meal tickets to all coach passengers for as many as wanted. Have a cut off about 24 hours before initial departure. Assign enough OBS persons to be able to serve as many meals as were ordered. Anyone who cancels trip less than 24 hours does not get meal refund. Then offer meals to sell to other coach passengers for any meals that are left over at a last sitting. 24/7 service if warranted.

 

[HammerJack]

It’s nice to see coach passengers in the diner again, but I hope the current situation is just a rollout introduction.

Why can’t pricing be based on the menu item? I recall spending $10ish on the continental breakfast that more than filled me up. Now we’re laying down $20 regardless if I get cereal or an omelette? Pathetic.

Also, flex dining remains in the east and on the joke of the Texas Eagle. Pathetic.

Get it together Amtrak

 

[fdaley]

With the fixed pricing, I'd guess the coach passengers are going to be much more likely to choose what they perceive as the higher-value meals -- e.g., the steak dinner or breakfast omelette -- to justify the expense.

The bigger question to me is how individual crews are going enforce the limit of 16 coach passengers per mealtime. If I'm going in coach, I'd like to know for certain whether I'm going to be able to buy dinner en route or not, and this sounds like it will basically be a coin toss on many trips.