Amtrak dining and cafe service

[Bob Dylan]

Hmm, that doesn't seem to be the case in my neck of the woods.

The fact that the bar area is restricted to 21+ by state law in my state might have something to do with the having ample bar seating. No kids drinking cokes at the bars. Families with underage kids have to sit in the restaurant section, no exceptions.

In Texas Parents can buy their under age Children Alcohol while seated in Places that serve it, whether a Bar or Cafe, so no problem sitting in the Bar area while eating!

 

[crescent-zephyr]

They turned the tables at least three times, the food was outstanding too. Amtrak is unable how to get full use of their Dining Cars to serve the maximum number of passengers possible which will lower the red ink as well.

Amtrak can still turn tables 3 times. And the food on amtrak traditional dining cars can be outstanding as well. I have no complaints about the current amtrak traditional dining car menus. (Though if they brought back the Mahi Mahi, Lamb Shank, and Crab cakes I wouldn't complain!

"Lowering the red ink" gets a bit tricky because adding staff adds considerable expenses that wouldn't be paid by a few more coach meals. The best way to lower red ink is to use the existing staff more effectively. This means
1 - offering room service so sleeping car passengers know it is available - the more sleeping car passengers choose room service the more room for coach passengers to pay and eat in the diner.
2- offering at-seat meals from the dining car delivered to coach passengers.

After 1 & 2 if Coach passengers are still being turned away from the dining car, consider adding dining car staff to accommodate them but with the current train consists I don't think that would be the case.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

In Texas Parents can buy their under age Children Alcohol while seated in Places that serve it, whether a Bar or Cafe, so no problem sitting in the Bar area while eating!

Just because there is no legal issue does not mean it has to be restaurant policy to use bar stools to seat children while sending adults packing.


This exception seems to catch a lot of people by surprise but the way it was explained to me is that it's better for parent's to introduce alcohol as a teachable moment rather than the first experience to come from other kids at a house party. When I was a kid I asked for a cigarette. This was back when things were different and so I was given one and allowed to smoke it. Knowing what it was like took the thrill of trying it away and I soon lost interest. So maybe it works.

 

[eackly]

On my last ride (silver meteor) I was across from a couple who had never ridden or considered riding Amtrak. Their sole reason for riding is their flight home (from southeast to Midwest) was canceled - and they found they could take the train up to Newark and get a flight home the next day. A roomette was all that was open. They were pleasantly surprised that they slept and they even complimented the fact that we got food and thought it was good. When I told them how some trains have better traditionally prepared food they basically said it’s a lot better than the nothing they get on flights. Interesting perspective from people who didn’t have dining car experience to compare to (and otherwise didn’t know what they were missing.) I suspect Amtrak knew they’d tick off long time riders with flex dining but figured your average customer who may not be a long time rider or a rail enthusiast would live with it and new riders wouldn’t know the difference. Perhaps the fact they’re rolling back on some routes means that it negatively affected CSI more than they thought. I think they’re also not saving as much money as they thought particularly on routes with multiple meals (as the flex meal commissary costs per passenger multiply with each meal.)

While I highly doubt that was my wife and I you wrote about, we had never ridden the train prior to my wife having surgery and the surgeon instructing her to not fly for a month after the surgery.

We were both pleasantly surprised by the entire experience, my wife really appreciated the ability to get a good night's rest and then a shower before heading into the office the next day after our train ride.

Added to that the food both coming and going was pretty good, it was better than the slop UNITED is serving in First Class right now.

I am still impressed that AMTRAK nailed the temp of both my wife and my steak perfectly, something land based restaurants sadly struggle with sometimes

 

[toddinde]

Yep. The Eagle is on my "do not ride" list. And you don't get a much more dedicated train rider than I am.

That’s too bad because I like the Eagle. It’s a nice ride.

 

[Bob Dylan]

That’s too bad because I like the Eagle. It’s a nice ride.

It used to be before the Poor OTP,the Flex Food, the Elimination of the Sightseer Lounge and Transdorm,the cuts in the OBS, and the Huge increase in Room Rates due to having only 1 Sleeper which means most days the Sleepers are SOLD OUT.

A 33HR+ LD Train really needs all of the above.

Since the Eaglette is my home Train, and I probably have ridden it more times than anyone, Im sad that the Flyboys FIred Tempo and turned this Train ( along with the Cap and the CONO) into an Orphan.

I'll ride the Eaglette in Coach on Day Trips( I'm going Austin to Temple Thursday) but no overnight trips until the Eaglette is returned to its Pre-COVID Status.

 

[Rasputin]

I'll ride the Eaglette in Coach on Day Trips( I'm going Austin to Temple Thursday) but no overnight trips until the Eaglette is returned to its Pre-COVID Status.

I think it is a matter of perspective. I think some people who are riding the Texas Eagle for the first time are enjoying the novelty of the train but of course they don't know what they are missing. Some of us who have ridden the train in the past do know what is missing and we don't like it one bit. We have seen Paris (maybe Paris, Texas) and there is no going back until better service is restored.

 

[west point]

Amtrak does not need more dining staff until -------- The trains need more capacity to call for more needing meals. But, That means the trains will need more catering locations. Man of the longer trains in total scheduled time will need more than one intermediate. With intermediate catering might mean as many as 5 - 7 seatings.

If a LD train had 400+ passengers traveling 8 or more hours it might have 150 wanting to dine?

 

[Willbridge]

Now we clamor to hear more about that "adventure," Willbridge. C'mon, you're the best raconteur on AU.

It's kind of long-winded, so I'll just put a link thread in the international forum to my website. The interesting thing about the trip is that every time I thought that it would settle down, something else happened.

Relevant to this thread, part of the 1971 story would not have happened if RENFE had kept 2nd class passengers out of the diner on the Madrid>Zaragoza Talgo, and/or if they had not practiced community seating.

 

[Trollopian]

It's kind of long-winded, so I'll just put a link thread in the international forum to my website. The interesting thing about the trip is that every time I thought that it would settle down, something else happened.

I surfed over to the international forum (AU fans: the post is Snow and Cognac in 1971), followed the links, and read every word. It's truly evocative of time and place, parts of which endure (the Basque country remains poor and sparse), some of which such as Fascist Spain and divided Berlin have mercifully vanished. You're a travel writer in a league with Patrick Leigh Fermor and Eric Newby and Paul Theroux. (Actually, scratch the last because I don't care for Theroux. Everyone lob brickbats.)

 

[Willbridge]

I surfed over to the international forum (AU fans: the post is Snow and Cognac in 1971), followed the links, and read every word. It's truly evocative of time and place, parts of which endure (the Basque country remains poor and sparse), some of which such as Fascist Spain and divided Berlin have mercifully vanished. You're a travel writer in a league with Patrick Leigh Fermor and Eric Newby and Paul Theroux. (Actually, scratch the last because I don't care for Theroux. Everyone lob brickbats.)

{Blushing} I've read some of Theroux, but long before that I read most of Richard Halliburton's travel books. In relation to this thread, you can understand why I'm among those who have been outraged by mishandling of the long distance trains and the mistreatment of hungry coach passengers.

When we were cooking up Oregon's rail program in 1974, I was riding the Coast Starlight from Salem to Klamath Falls and looking at the fields of all kinds of crops that thrive in the Willamette Valley -- and then noticing that in the dining car packaged items came from far away. The idea occurred to me that a Cascadian regional service ought to have some regional foods and beverages, even if there was an extra expense. The regional train project was dynamited by a change in governors [sound familiar?], but the food idea has carried on into the present.

Of course, the private railways did that, and Amtrak used to attempt regional specialties, but at the National Railroad Passenger Co. there has been little continuity. What doesn't seem to have been done is to work with the state agricultural marketing boards and indigenous agriculturalists to find priceworthy items and carry out joint promotions. This would have political value as well as marketing value. After all, the chair of Oregon's Transportation Commission when I left was from our Basque sheep raising county. Lamb stew in the Amcafe? Lamb chops in the diner?

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

I’ll be on the Star in a roomette in a couple of days, but I will only be on it for lunch.

My mind wandered to dessert (as it often does ), and I wondered if those new desserts on the menu are just for dinner?

I seem to recall someone posting that they received the butter cake/brownie choice that had been on the flex menu for lunch even with the traditional menu, but I can’t remember what train that was.

Has anyone been on the Star for a traditional dining lunch recently? Any idea what the desserts for lunch are?

I realize this is not one of life’s most important questions, but I’m just curious. Thanks.

 

[lordsigma]

When I rode the lunch dessert Choices were the butter cake and brownie (same as flex dining.) the 3 cakes are served at dinner time.

 

[pennyk]

I was on the Silver Star for one lunch and I had a brownie, which I prefer to the butter cake. I do not recall if I was offered butter cake, but I jumped at the brownie choice.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I was on the Silver Star for one lunch and I had a brownie, which I prefer to the butter cake. I do not recall if I was offered butter cake, but I jumped at the brownie choice.

That brownie is as rich as the choc "cake" I had for dinner.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Thanks to all of you—I’ll probably get the brownie then. I like the butter cake but it’s a lot to eat at one time.

The new desserts will have to be a treat to look forward to on a longer trip when I’m there for dinner.

 

[drdumont]

Thanks to all of you—I’ll probably get the brownie then. I like the butter cake but it’s a lot to eat at one time.

The new desserts will have to be a treat to look forward to on a longer trip when I’m there for dinner.

The "brownie", which is more like a bitter dry piece of roofing material from a 2nd rate chocolate factory has never appealed to me. The "Buttercakes" are pretty good. Alas, last week I brought home a couple of the "Buttercakes", but my cats found them and devoured them. Good thing I am exceedingly fond of the kitties.
Oh well, more reason to ride the Sunset. (As if I needed more reasons).

That’s too bad because I like the Eagle. It’s a nice ride.

It's the onliest one we have in Dallas. We ride to Chicago 3 or 4 times a year, mostly for the ride, partly for the Chicago food. It has gotten so hard to get reservations nowadays with just the one sleeper.
There is no way I will believe their excuses. There's a nefarious plot afoot, just has to be.

 

[lordsigma]

Did anyone have the flex dining meals they briefly had on Acela? During the early part of the pandemic Amtrak cut the first class meal service and replaced it with cold snack boxes similar to cuts some airlines made at the time. When they first brought hot meals back they were from the same vendor as flex dining and presented the same way though the specific meals were unique and weren’t served on any of the flex dining routes. (in the plastic container on one of those tray things they were supposed to use but only sometimes used in reality.) later on Amtrak brought back the traditional Acela first food service format including the traditional presentation where the meals are plated.

 

[IAlam]

Did anyone have the flex dining meals they briefly had on Acela? During the early part of the pandemic Amtrak cut the first class meal service and replaced it with cold snack boxes similar to cuts some airlines made at the time. When they first brought hot meals back they were from the same vendor as flex dining and presented the same way though the specific meals were unique and weren’t served on any of the flex dining routes. (in the plastic container on one of those tray things they were supposed to use but only sometimes used in reality.) later on Amtrak brought back the traditional Acela first food service format including the traditional presentation where the meals are plated.

The first time I rode FC on Acela it was a flex meal they used that weird black plastic try thingy that they. I don’t remember the exact meals since they were on a constant rotation. But they more or less matched the presentation on their website for flex dining

Edit: I’m actually not sure if the rotation was before or after the plates came back. I only could find one video I saved with the short ribs.

Source: Amtrak Flexible Dining

 

[amtrakp42]

Amtrak can still turn tables 3 times. And the food on amtrak traditional dining cars can be outstanding as well. I have no complaints about the current amtrak traditional dining car menus. (Though if they brought back the Mahi Mahi, Lamb Shank, and Crab cakes I wouldn't complain!

"Lowering the red ink" gets a bit tricky because adding staff adds considerable expenses that wouldn't be paid by a few more coach meals. The best way to lower red ink is to use the existing staff more effectively. This means
1 - offering room service so sleeping car passengers know it is available - the more sleeping car passengers choose room service the more room for coach passengers to pay and eat in the diner.
2- offering at-seat meals from the dining car delivered to coach passengers.

After 1 & 2 if Coach passengers are still being turned away from the dining car, consider adding dining car staff to accommodate them but with the current train consists I don't think that would be the case.

I believe most sleeper passengers one reason for taking Amtrak is for the diner car and meeting people from all over the world as I have. During first part of covid I could only sit by myself in a booth for 4 (hated that). It did take longer to feed all the sleeper passengers AND more did eat in their rooms.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I believe most sleeper passengers one reason for taking Amtrak is for the diner car and meeting people from all over the world as I have. During first part of covid I could only sit by myself in a booth for 4 (hated that). It did take longer to feed all the sleeper passengers AND more did eat in their rooms.

And I suspect most sleeper pax choose sleepers for lay flat sleeping and/or for privacy, not for community dining.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I believe most sleeper passengers one reason for taking Amtrak is for the diner car and meeting people from all over the world as I have. During first part of covid I could only sit by myself in a booth for 4 (hated that). It did take longer to feed all the sleeper passengers AND more did eat in their rooms.

While I don't agree with your assessment I do know for a fact that a decent number of sleeping car passengers would prefer to eat in their room. Many don't know it's an option or don't want to ask because they don't know if the Sleeping Car Attendant will feel bothered by the extra work. If room service is offered as an option, the dining car is able to seat more guests.

My suggestion that room service is offered would not affect those who want the dining car experience at all, since they would still have the option to eat in the diner. What it does provide is the opportunity for Amtrak to reduce the amount of staff in the diner and/or provide more options for coach passengers to eat in the diner.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

On my trip on the Star yesterday, the SCA offered us a choice of eating in the dining car or in the room, and he had the menu with him for us to look at.

I chose the room because me trying to walk to the dining car on a moving train while using a cane is just an accident waiting to happen.

I like eating in the room for lunch but would probably enjoy breakfast and dinner more in the dining car.

I saw the SCA delivering quite a few bags at lunch, and only saw one couple going to the dining car when lunchtime was called.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

Greetings from Silver Star (91-4/30). My SCA informed me that Amtrak no longer offers dessert at lunchtime - dinner only
The angus burger was sans lettuce and tomato. Why? As per the SCA this equipment was very late into NYP last night. The commissary did not properly stock the diner. They are supposed to remedy this when we get to WAS. We shall see.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Greetings from Silver Star (91-4/30). My SCA informed me that Amtrak no longer offers dessert at lunchtime - dinner only

Your SCA is wrong about dessert, unless he or she meant they don’t offer the dinner desserts at lunch.

They are offering a brownie or butter cake as dessert at lunch—same as the flex menu, and my guess is they’ve got a warehouse full of them to get rid of and are happily offering them.

Keep us posted on the rest of your trip—it will be interesting to see if you got stuck with one of those SCAs that makes up rules as they go, although I sincerely hope not.

I was very lucky on my trip yesterday—the SCA was an extremely helpful man who is a longtime SCA —I remember him being on another trip I took years ago.