Amtrak dining and cafe service

[Nick Farr]

Are you saying dirty dishes would remain fermenting on the train until the next time that trainset passed through the same station? That sounds pretty unsanitary, and the insides of those warming boxes would get mighty skanky.

As you do in any catering operation, anything left on the plates gets scraped off and thrown into composting/trash. That is serviced as any other trash/recycling on the train. The plates with some things left on them get thrown back in the box, which itself is cleaned between jobs.

Whether or not you have one vendor servicing contained segments is another matter for the tender.

 

[Cal]

It's much more of a land cruise than transportation.

I'm not sure if I would use this to describe it, however I'm honestly not sure what words I would use so.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I'm not sure if I would use this to describe it, however I'm honestly not sure what words I would use so.

Perhaps a rail ferry? Haha. The only thing in North America that I would describe as a rail cruise is the Rocky Mountaineer.

 

[Dakota 400]

Perhaps a rail ferry? Haha. The only thing in North America that I would describe as a rail cruise is the Rocky Mountaineer.

Others in other Forums have called the Rocky Mountaineer a "rail cruise".

My opinion: the Auto Train is not comparable to a cruise. The Auto Train is a convenient mode of transportation for my car and me when I choose not to drive the distance involved. I appreciated the opportunity to use it and would do so again in the future.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Others in other Forums have called the Rocky Mountaineer a "rail cruise".

My opinion: the Auto Train is not comparable to a cruise. The Auto Train is a convenient mode of transportation for my car and me when I choose not to drive the distance involved. I appreciated the opportunity to use it and would do so again in the future.

Yeah I agree on the Mountaineer.

The reason I said “rail ferry” is a ferry is another form of transportation where you can sometimes take your car with you.

 

[zephyr17]

The Canadian has a lot of cruise like aspects, at least in normal times.

Not the least being only operating twice weekly drastically impairs its utility as a practical transportation option.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The Canadian has a lot of cruise like aspects, at least in normal times.

Not the least being only operating twice weekly drastically impairs its utility as a practical transportation option.

I don’t consider it a land cruise at all. Many Canadians I met were using it for transportation.

 

[joelkfla]

I don’t consider it a land cruise at all. Many Canadians I met were using it for transportation.

Many Canadians may use it for transportation, but with rotating menus of delicious food (including regional specialties), dome cars, the Park lounge, and traveling artist entertainment, it's also much more than that. Of course, I'm talking about the pre-pandemic incarnation.

 

[Triley]

As you do in any catering operation, anything left on the plates gets scraped off and thrown into composting/trash. That is serviced as any other trash/recycling on the train. The plates with some things left on them get thrown back in the box, which itself is cleaned between jobs.

Whether or not you have one vendor servicing contained segments is another matter for the tender.

I guess what joelkfla was trying to ask is....are those dishes staying on the train to go back to the same vendor in NWK? If the dishes are striped in Boston ABC WAS on many trainsets, how do the get back to NWK?

I get it, you're trying to be creative. But as an insider, there are just way too many things that can go wrong. If there's 2 Acela in NWK at the same time, that business now needs two people to drop off food. I used the example of someone buying a ticket in NYP heading south, and that vendor now has to drop their primary operation to cook a single meal, and have it done in 20 minutes, for pickup in NWK. Tough, but it's doable.

But what about the opposite direction? Someone walks up in NYP and buys it upgrades their ticket going east. The next stop is NHV, an hour and a half downline. How do you accommodate them? What if they're getting off at NHV?

There's also FDA standards and consistency that need to be met, and as such, Amtrak prefers to pick national/major companies to do business with when it comes to food purchases.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I guess what joelkfla was trying to ask is....are those dishes staying on the train to go back to the same vendor in NWK? If the dishes are striped in Boston ABC WAS on many trainsets, how do the get back to NWK?

I get it, you're trying to be creative. But as an insider, there are just way too many things that can go wrong. If there's 2 Acela in NWK at the same time, that business now needs two people to drop off food. I used the example of someone buying a ticket in NYP heading south, and that vendor now has to drop their primary operation to cook a single meal, and have it done in 20 minutes, for pickup in NWK. Tough, but it's doable.

But what about the opposite direction? Someone walks up in NYP and buys it upgrades their ticket going east. The next stop is NHV, an hour and a half downline. How do you accommodate them? What if they're getting off at NHV?

There's also FDA standards and consistency that need to be met, and as such, Amtrak prefers to pick national/major companies to do business with when it comes to food purchases.

I’m not sure how this makes sense financially either. You still have to staff the train. Having multiple food delivery operations can’t possibly be cheaper than operating a central commissary that loads all of the trains.

 

[Railspike]

Are meals still being served in the diners or are they serving meals in rooms only?

 

[Nick Farr]

I’m not sure how this makes sense financially either. You still have to staff the train. Having multiple food delivery operations can’t possibly be cheaper than operating a central commissary that loads all of the trains.

A central commissary has overhead costs, along with the overhead of keeping food on the trains, freshness and ingredient sourcing, etc.

The idea is hiring catering vendors, who have other business like weddings and corporate parties, to also provide for the Acela trains.

The idea is to provide more and fresher options.

 

[Nick Farr]

Are meals still being served in the diners or are they serving meals in rooms only?

I was on the CZ a few days ago and the diners were always full. A lot of sleeping car passengers were also taking meals to go, there were SCAs ferrying meals every time we were in the diner.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I was on the CZ a few days ago and the diners were always full. A lot of sleeping car passengers were also taking meals to go, there were SCAs ferrying meals every time we were in the diner.

Yes - a few days ago I photographed the Chief in New Mexico and there were people seated in the dining car having lunch.

 

[Sidney]

I'm on day two of my $299 rail pass on the SW Chief. Left LA yesterday on the way to Las Vegas,NM for my first stop. I brought some danish with me and purchased a microwaved bagel and cream cheese and coffee and ate it in the Sightseer Car. Been here since 5AM to enjoy a beautiful Arizona sunrise.

Somebody posted a picture of the french toast from the diner on the same train I am on a few minutes ago. I was trying so hard not to think about the great food I am missing by being in coach and not being able to purchase any of it! Hopefully in Albuquerque there will be enough time to grab something off the train. Staying at the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas tonight. I m sure dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow will be fine.

Back on the Chief to Kansas City tomorrow a night in KC,the Missouri River Runner to St Louis Sunday,then a thruway bus to Carbondale and the City of New Orleans to NO. Boarding the CONO at 1:30AM by design to avoid a full overnight in coach.

 

[Cal]

Somebody posted a picture of the french toast from the diner on the same train I am on a few minutes ago

On AU? Curious if you let them know you're on the train

 

[Sidney]

On AU? Curious if you let them know you're on the train

No. Facebook. Just thought it was coincidental it popped up just as I was eating my microwaved bagel and I was thinking about the great breakfast next door in the dining car.

 

[Nick Farr]

No. Facebook. Just thought it was coincidental it popped up just as I was eating my microwaved bagel and I was thinking about the great breakfast next door in the dining car.

Based on my experience on the CZ, it seems like they simply don't have enough OBS to serve everyone on the train.

Whereas I recall there being two dining car attendants in addition to an LSA, there appeared to be only one exceptional LSA and one unremarkable dining car attendant. There were meals were the LSA was by themselves with the assistance of a SCA.

What I'm saying is that it appears they're using the excuse of being unable to do communal seating to mask a staffing and logistics issue more than anything else.

 

[lordsigma]

Based on my experience on the CZ, it seems like they simply don't have enough OBS to serve everyone on the train.

Whereas I recall there being two dining car attendants in addition to an LSA, there appeared to be only one exceptional LSA and one unremarkable dining car attendant. There were meals were the LSA was by themselves with the assistance of a SCA.

What I'm saying is that it appears they're using the excuse of being unable to do communal seating to mask a staffing and logistics issue more than anything else.

You are correct -they appear to have reduced the service crew on the superliner diners to just the LSA and one SA by not having coach passengers and going cashless. Basically when they went back to traditional dining they just brought back the chef - the rest of the crew is the same as it was when they were serving flex. They probably could serve coach with the current crew if they do it as a first class meal upgrade and handle the transactions in Arrow. That way the LSA still wouldn't have to handle cash and the only transactions they would have are lunchtime alcoholic beverages or subsequent beverages at dinner (the first drink at all dinners is on Amtrak) which allows the LSA to do more direct serving.

 

[Nick Farr]

You are correct -they appear to have reduced the service crew on the superliner diners to just the LSA and one SA by not having coach passengers and going cashless. Basically when they went back to traditional dining they just brought back the chef - the rest of the crew is the same as it was when they were serving flex.

Well, given how far out they do crew schedules, this makes a lot of sense.

They probably could serve coach with the current crew if they do it as a first class meal upgrade and handle the transactions in Arrow.

The cafe car attendant could just sell vouchers with specific reservation times. That handles the cash handling aspect of it. Presumably, the POS system could be upgraded for it--that may be easier than trying to have the dining car folks handle cash.

However, the other problem is simply seating--it's always packed in there and they can't seat different sets of people together because of understandable COVID restrictions.

 

[joelkfla]

Presumably, the POS system could be upgraded for it--that may be easier than trying to have the dining car folks handle cash.

Not if it has to be done by Amtrak IT.

 

[lordsigma]

Some rumblings on a Facebook group about the dining upgrades coming - one person stated they heard some OBS hiring is occurring and that the silver meteor will be the first train to receive upgraded F&B. I still predict that only the Silver Meteor, Silver Star, and Lake Shore will receive the full table service dining format that the western trains received with a chef and full table service and separate dining and cafe car. I believe the other trains will get something more akin to simplified dining/diner lite or the original cross country cafe concept - possibly a smaller version of the same menu (minus steak and fresh eggs - stuff that requires the chef.)

 

[Anthony V]

Some rumblings on a Facebook group about the dining upgrades coming - one person stated they heard some OBS hiring is occurring and that the silver meteor will be the first train to receive upgraded F&B. I still predict that only the Silver Meteor, Silver Star, and Lake Shore will receive the full table service dining format that the western trains received with a chef and full table service and separate dining and cafe car. I believe the other trains will get something more akin to simplified dining/diner lite or the original cross country cafe concept - possibly a smaller version of the same menu (minus steak and fresh eggs - stuff that requires the chef.)

I hope you're right. All of these dining service models are better than flex dining. Although it would be better if every LD train, both west and east of the Mississippi, got full service dining, I can see the routes with shorter average passenger trips, like the CL, CONO and Cardinal, not having it due to the shorter trip time or the fewer number of passengers taking longer trips involving more meal periods.

 

[neroden]

Some rumblings on a Facebook group about the dining upgrades coming - one person stated they heard some OBS hiring is occurring and that the silver meteor will be the first train to receive upgraded F&B. I still predict that only the Silver Meteor, Silver Star, and Lake Shore will receive the full table service dining format that the western trains received with a chef and full table service and separate dining and cafe car. I believe the other trains will get something more akin to simplified dining/diner lite or the original cross country cafe concept - possibly a smaller version of the same menu (minus steak and fresh eggs - stuff that requires the chef.)

If it was like the Acela First Class meals it would be OK. (As long as they had ingredients lists.)

LSL was selling the most meals to coach passengers before the first round of downgrades, so Amtrak really should figure out how to do that on the LSL.

 

[neroden]

The cafe car attendant could just sell vouchers with specific reservation times. That handles the cash handling aspect of it. Presumably, the POS system could be upgraded for it--that may be easier than trying to have the dining car folks handle cash.

Could even pre-sell them -- if you want meals on board, you have to order them with your ticket. I know some people don't like to plan in advance, but it would be fine for a lot of people. I've done that sort of thing for festivals and events.

Again requires Amtrak IT to be a lot more together than they currently are, though.