Amtrak dining and cafe service

[Cal]

Communal dining is also returning (it’s at the bottom of the page)

I am very surprised that communal seating will be available starting this month. I'm sure it will cause some problems.

 

[drdumont]

I am very surprised that communal seating will be available starting this month. I'm sure it will cause some problems.

What problems? I eat in restaurants every day, both table and counter seating. I've had my shots, wear a mask entering and leaving (silly, but it stops the indignant stares from some), and am still as healthy as before.

Likely they will enforce seating separation as do most places nowadays.

Of course, this may cut down on all the seats now unusable as the crews use them for lounges and the attendants use them for storage. I've seen as many as a third of the tables and seats unusable for this reason.
Always annoying.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

If Eastern trains could be stocked with meals approaching pre-pandemic Acela quality would that satisfy most Eastern sleeper customers?

Probably. I think it’s wrong that Amtrak thinks those traveling on the east coast don’t want cooked to order eggs and a steak dinner but something that approached the quality of Acela first class meals, including presentation, would be a decent compromise.

 

[Cal]

What problems? I eat in restaurants every day, both table and counter seating. I've had my shots, wear a mask entering and leaving (silly, but it stops the indignant stares from some), and am still as healthy as before.

Likely they will enforce seating separation as do most places nowadays.

Of course, this may cut down on all the seats now unusable as the crews use them for lounges and the attendants use them for storage. I've seen as many as a third of the tables and seats unusable for this reason.
Always annoying.

Communal dining, to me, means separate parties at one table. I already know that quite a few travelers don't like eating with strangers, so eating with strangers during a pandemic? It does say that you will still be able to eat in your room, but I'm sure some will not realize that you will be seated with others and make a fuss.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

It would be great if communal dining became optional from here on.

If they aren’t going to use the dining car for coach passengers it seems they would have the space to allow for private booths.

 

[Cal]

It would be great if communal dining became optional from here on.

If they aren’t going to use the dining car for coach passengers it seems they would have the space to allow for private booths.

I wouldn't mind that, it would allow you to simply focus on the scenery.

 

[Sidney]

Years ago I rode one of he CHI-NY routes. I don't think it was the Cardinal. Left CHI around 2000-2200 hours, IIRC. the salient points I remember about the trip was that the lone sleeper was the first car behind the engine (You could look out the front door and look at the headlight), noisy as Hell. And the "food" service was really bad. You were individually called to the cafe car at a certain time, and were brought a pan of microwaved offal that bore a strong resemblance to the presently offered offal. I remember gathering up the soft drink and packaged brownie, then grabbed a couple of the Heberw National hotdogs and some chips. Denks Gott those hot dogs are still available today. Quite tasty.
and I STILL haven't figured out where they got the term "Flex Dining". The only thing flexible is the cheap plastic cutlery.

When flexible dining was announced,it meant you could eat anytime you wanted,no reservations needed. I have been on at least ten trains with flex dining over the last two years and I had to make a reservation to pick up the food or come to the diner. Who thought up that term..Anderson?

 

[Sidney]

It would be great if communal dining became optional from here on.

If they aren’t going to use the dining car for coach passengers it seems they would have the space to allow for private booths.

When communal dining returns I really hope they don't pack four strangers to a single table. Side by side is fine for people traveling together,not solo travelers.

 

[lordsigma]

Probably. I think it’s wrong that Amtrak thinks those traveling on the east coast don’t want cooked to order eggs and a steak dinner but something that approached the quality of Acela first class meals, including presentation, would be a decent compromise.

You mean the former Acela first class meals - the newly returned Acela meals are currently identical to flexible dining - same exact vendor - minus the tiny salad you get or you can get the covid snack box or a AmCafe burger/hot dog as an alternative. Breakfast is literally identical to flexible dining on the LD trains - the exact same omlette and jimmy dean sandwich. Hopefully they'll go back to better meals on Acela as part of whatever they do to fix the eastern LD meals.

Look farmiliar?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

When communal dining returns I really hope they don't pack four strangers to a single table. Side by side is fine for people traveling together,not solo travelers.

Agreed 100%. I don’t mind sitting across the table from strangers. I do mind sitting uncomfortably close to a stranger.

You mean the former Acela first class meals -

Yes. DA’s post I was quoting was extremely clear that he was talking about the former Acela First meals.

 

[lordsigma]

Agreed 100%. I don’t mind sitting across the table from strangers. I do mind sitting uncomfortably close to a stranger.



Yes. DA’s post I was quoting was extremely clear that he was talking about the former Acela First meals.

My bad I missed that. I see it now - sorry about that.

 

[Dustyroad]

Am I reading this correctly?? Or is it a misleading write-up on Amtrak's part?
THREE COURSE DINNER MENU
Served with a complimentary alcoholic beverage; soft beverages are complimentary for the duration of your journey.

Do we get a free glass of wine at dinner for the whole train trip? Sure sounds like it to me. I'll have a glass of white wine Please.

 

[Sidney]

The way it is worded is that you get a free alcholic beverage at every dinner. Wonder if that's right. With flex,you got one free beverage for the length of the trip

 

[Cal]

Am I reading this correctly?? Or is it a misleading write-up on Amtrak's part?
THREE COURSE DINNER MENU
Served with a complimentary alcoholic beverage; soft beverages are complimentary for the duration of your journey.

Do we get a free glass of wine at dinner for the whole train trip? Sure sounds like it to me. I'll have a glass of white wine Please.

I was surprised too. In my eyes, this means that Amtrak is going to put a little effort into LD service

 

[jis]

I was surprised too. In my eyes, this means that Amtrak is going to put a little effort into LD service

They have agreed that the "Experience" has a bit of importance in trains designated as "Experiential", i.e. the 5.5 trains they are working on doing so at present.

 

[Sidney]

It is so refreshing to hear positive comments. Once traditional dining is restored to every long distance train,the mission will be accomplished.

 

[Tlcooper93]

If Eastern trains could be stocked with meals approaching pre-pandemic Acela quality would that satisfy most Eastern sleeper customers?

Certainly would satisfy me.
Pre-flex/covid Acela first class meals were actually ok. Maybe the equivalent of some business class domestic legacy carriers in the air.

I would be very ok with this for Eastern LD trains as well as 65-67 breakfast for sleeper passengers.

 

[Way2Kewl]

While each to their own, I simply can’t find anything appetizing about the flex meals and after several trips trying them all I ended up skipping them all together on my last trip electing to purchases a few cold sandwiches in a small cooler. I found them all nasty. I was trying to stay optimistic that Traditional Dining would be back for my first of July Zephr EMY>CHI trip. I stay a few days at the Harrah’s in Joliet before taking the Eagle back home to Dallas. The posting of the new MENU is relieving for the Zephyr.

With regard to the Eagle 21, it’s scheduled into St Louis station around dinner.
Can anyone confirm if this station has a food court and if so, is it still open and any clue of the options?

 

[A.H. Rudd]

If memory serves, the stop in STL is long enough that you can easily have food delivered to the station. Think St. Louis style ribs from Pappy’s.

 

[Way2Kewl]

If memory serves, the stop in STL is long enough that you can easily have food delivered to the station. Think St. Louis style ribs from Pappy’s.

Where do you meet them? Will they bring it to your train car # outside the door? This sounds like a terrific alternative.

 

[Cal]

Where do you meet them? Will they bring it to your train car # outside the door? This sounds like a terrific alternative.

When I had food delivered (once at Albuquerque, once at Tucson) we met them at the front of the station at the drop-off area as they didn't wan to leave their vehicles.

 

[lordsigma]

My bad I missed that. I see it now - sorry about that.

I will say, and I apologize again Crescent Zephyr for my lazy quote earlier not reading far enough back, I can understand Amtrak’s move with Acela going to flex dining. While as a passenger and customer id be happy if they went back to the old Acela meals I can understand the change from a business perspective. The pre pandemic Acela product is a casualty of the pandemic. One of Amtrak’s biggest challenges getting back on its feet is going to be to reimagine the Acela product in a post pandemic world - business travel will never return to what it was - which means Acela must shift gears to leisure - which means lower fares including for first class.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I will say, and I apologize again Crescent Zephyr for my lazy quote earlier not reading far enough back,

No need to apologize - it’s another example of how confusing Amtrak dining is!

It will be interesting to see how business travel evolves in the air as well.

 

[IndyLions]

It would be great if communal dining became optional from here on.

If they aren’t going to use the dining car for coach passengers it seems they would have the space to allow for private booths.

I wouldn't mind that, it would allow you to simply focus on the scenery.

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Non-communal dining means that you could (in theory) have a party of 1 taking up a full booth. The capacity for the Dining Car would plummet, and the economics of the dining car would get even worse.

I understand some people may not be totally comfortable with it - but they need to put on their "big boy pants" and try it out. Most people (but not all) have a bigger problem with the "idea" of communal seating than the actual communal seating itself.

For those who just truly can't stomach communal dining - you can always eat in your room.

 

[lordsigma]

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Non-communal dining means that you could (in theory) have a party of 1 taking up a full booth. The capacity for the Dining Car would plummet, and the economics of the dining car would get even worse.

I understand some people may not be totally comfortable with it - but they need to put on their "big boy pants" and try it out. Most people (but not all) have a bigger problem with the "idea" of communal seating than the actual communal seating itself.

For those who just truly can't stomach communal dining - you can always eat in your room.

I like the communal seating - have met some interesting people.