Amtrak dining and cafe service

[pennyk]

Penny, was it real ice tea or the bottled tea. And, was lemon slices provided?

The tea was not served in a bottle (as it was during the flex meal period), but I think it was bottled and poured into a plastic cup, as opposed to being brewed onboard. There were no lemon slices served, but I did not ask. However, a few months ago, I asked for lemon and was told they did not have any.

 

[TEREB]

The tea was not served in a bottle (as it was during the flex meal period), but I think it was bottled and poured into a plastic cup, as opposed to being brewed onboard. There were no lemon slices served, but I did not ask. However, a few months ago, I asked for lemon and was told they did not have any.

Thank you for your reply. I do enjoy the fresh brewed tea as apposed to that overly sweet bottled tea.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Thank you for your reply. I do enjoy the fresh brewed tea as apposed to that overly sweet bottled tea.

I wonder if bottled tea on Amtrak is available in an unsweetened version? I like a little lemon in my tea when I can get it, but unsweetened iced tea is (usually) far preferable to sweet tea for both my husband and me.

 

[PVD]

Decent unsweetened ice tea is readily available in 16.9 and 18.5 oz bottles as well as bottles as large as 64 oz. I buy the Pure Leaf all the time, Gold Peak also has it. I think the Gold Peak is a Coke product so that would not be hard to imagine.








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[MccfamschoolMom]

Decent unsweetened ice tea is readily available in 16.9 and 18.5 oz bottles as well as bottles as large as 64 oz. I buy the Pure Leaf all the time, Gold Peak also has it. I think the Gold Peak is a Coke product so that would not be hard to imagine.








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I can get both at the supermarket, but wasn't sure about their availability on Amtrak.

 

[crescent2]

Beating a dead horse, but the full dining cars were an important part of the Amtrak experience for me, as well as for everyone with whom I've traveled. I also think it was silly to buy them and then discontinue their use.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The SCA just came around to take lunch orders and reservations. The SCA took the orders of passengers even if they choose to eat in the dining car. That is new. It puts more work on the SCA, but since there is only one attendant in the dining car, this makes sense (and larger tip for SCA).

I was wondering if some crews would do this... a holdover from the flex dining. If you are only going to have 1 LSA working in the Diner this would certainly be a way to serve and turn tables quicker.

Were some of the tables open for "Sleeping Car Lounge" use?

 

[jis]

Beating a dead horse, but the full dining cars were an important part of the Amtrak experience for me, as well as for everyone with whom I've traveled. I also think it was silly to buy them and then discontinue their use.

We heard from Larry Chestler moments back at the RPA Meeting that these cars that were stored to reduce maintenance costs will al be restored by the end of FY24, i. e. Sept ‘24. That would include the V2 Diners and V1 Sleepers that are currently stored.

 

[dlagrua]

On our trip to AZ in May we will have the pleasure of full dining service on the SWC. But the trip to Chicago still has those awful flex meals on the Lake Shore, Cardinal and Capitol Ltd. Years back the Cardinal meals were not quite what they were on the western trains but not bad. I just wonder why Amtrak didn't stick with that formula. In the diner lite. There was only a single chef/server and he was able to heat the meals and keep up the service to the single sleeper passengers. While we really dislike those "flex" meals the food on the Cardinal wasn't bad back then. The CL had full service served in the the cafe/lounge and the food was good.
I would just say sleeper passengers that pay a premium price to travel deserve better on the Eastern trains.

 

[pennyk]

I was wondering if some crews would do this... a holdover from the flex dining. If you are only going to have 1 LSA working in the Diner this would certainly be a way to serve and turn tables quicker.

Were some of the tables open for "Sleeping Car Lounge" use?

All tables were set up for dining car use. I did not ask, but I think the sleeper lounge went away when traditional dining returned. I will be boarding 91 soon and may ask.

 

[pennyk]

Thank you for your reply. I do enjoy the fresh brewed tea as apposed to that overly sweet bottled tea.

The tea is unsweetened

 

[pennyk]

I just boarded 91 in ALX (and my SCA's name is Penny, who is brand new to Amtrak). She took my dinner order and reservation. I am choosing to eat in the dining car. She asked if she could get me anything now and I asked for ice tea. She brought me a cup of unsweetened tea and a cup of ice and a straw. Very nice. It is decent tea, in my opinion.

The same chef is on this train as was on my NB 92 and I ordered the same meal.

I will take a peak in the dining car prior to 5pm to see if any sleeper passengers are "lounging."

 

[Bob Dylan]

We heard from Larry Chestler moments back at the RPA Meeting that these cars that were stored to reduce maintenance costs will al be restored by the end of FY24, i. e. Sept ‘24. That would include the V2 Diners and V1 Sleepers that are currently stored.

Gee, that passes for the Speed of Light @ Amtrak, only 17 Months Away!

 

[pennyk]

I have learned the following from crew on 91:

1. With the return of traditional dining, the dining car is now a dining car and not a sleeper lounge. Sleeper passengers will no longer be able to hang out.
2. More passengers prefer to eat in their rooms than in the dining car (thus fewer tips for the LSA even though Amtrak reports a percentage of sales to the IRS)
3. New passengers do not tip at all.
4. The wine, that was previously served in a mini bottle, is now poured into a real glass.

My dinner was excellent. The LSA was someone I have known for years.

 

[joelkfla]

The tea was not served in a bottle (as it was during the flex meal period), but I think it was bottled and poured into a plastic cup, as opposed to being brewed onboard. There were no lemon slices served, but I did not ask. However, a few months ago, I asked for lemon and was told they did not have any.

I've gotten lemon more than once for the Flex salmon. The LSA got out a whole lemon and cut a quarter of it out for me.

 

[Rasputin]

Gee, that passes for the Speed of Light @ Amtrak, only 17 Months Away!

Give'em a break. They are working on getting the timetables back first.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

1. With the return of traditional dining, the dining car is now a dining car and not a sleeper lounge. Sleeper passengers will no longer be able to hang out.
2. More passengers prefer to eat in their rooms than in the dining car (thus fewer tips for the LSA even though Amtrak reports a percentage of sales to the IRS)

It seems unlikely that all of the tables are needed… it’s a shame they couldn’t hold a couple for Lounge use, that was a really nice perk. Of course, in an ideal world the entire dining car would be needed because coach passengers would be allowed to eat as well so…. Hoping for the future!

As for the tips… in the past LSA’s weren’t tipped were they? Or did the waiters share tips with the LSA? Guess it could have varied by crew.

 

[allanorn]

I have learned the following from crew on 91:

1. With the return of traditional dining, the dining car is now a dining car and not a sleeper lounge. Sleeper passengers will no longer be able to hang out.
2. More passengers prefer to eat in their rooms than in the dining car (thus fewer tips for the LSA even though Amtrak reports a percentage of sales to the IRS)
3. New passengers do not tip at all.
4. The wine, that was previously served in a mini bottle, is now poured into a real glass.

My dinner was excellent. The LSA was someone I have known for years.

Not terribly surprised about more passengers eating in their rooms. It's kind of a shame as I remember generally excellent conversations with fellow travelers over a meal.

Tipping has become strange post-pandemic in general so I'm not surprised about the lack of tips, but I also struggle with tipping appropriately as everything is already paid for. Might be an interesting post for someone to write up and pin for a "new to Amtrak" piece.

 

[TEREB]

The tea is unsweetened

I just looked at the pic of the ice tea bottle from one of our Flex dining pics. Yes. It is Gold Peak and it was unsweetened. I just remember that it did not taste as good as the fresh brewed ice tea.

 

[TEREB]

I wonder if bottled tea on Amtrak is available in an unsweetened version? I like a little lemon in my tea when I can get it, but unsweetened iced tea is (usually) far preferable to sweet tea for both my husband and me.

It is unsweetened. I think because there was no ice nor a lemon slice made me think it was sweetened.

 

[pennyk]

I just looked at the pic of the ice tea bottle from one of our Flex dining pics. Yes. It is Gold Peak and it was unsweetened. I just remember that it did not taste as good as the fresh brewed ice tea. View attachment 31855

I just asked the LSA if the tea was Gold Peak or fresh brewed. It is Arizona poured from a large jug.

 

[pennyk]

There are/were a decent number of passengers eating breakfast in the dining car. The wifi seems to be working in the cafe car and the dining car, but not in my sleeper (which is the first sleeper). I am sitting in the cafe car using Amtrak wifi and listening (unfortunately) to the conductor's scanner.

 

[Palmland]

@pennyk were you in a V2 sleeper and if so how was the noise in the bedroom? I think you had said on an earlier trip there was some loud noises. How was the food?

 

[jis]

I am on Acela 2106 (9am WAS - NYP) in FC. I am quite impressed with the quality of the French Omelette for Breakfast and the overall quality of OBS. Now if they could serve the Coffee in real cups instead of paper cups, that would make it perfect.

BTW FC is completely sold out. Not a single vacant seat.

 

[pennyk]

@pennyk were you in a V2 sleeper and if so how was the noise in the bedroom? I think you had said on an earlier trip there was some loud noises. How was the food?

I was in V2 on 92 and V1 on 91 in bedrooms.
Toilet flushing noise is better on V1, but sliding door noise is better on V2.
I thought the food was very good and nicely presented.