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It seems that the Amtrak management team that decides on the menu changes is only considering financial savings based on their thinking all passengers have NO allergy or other food sensitivity or restrictions.
Amtrak Half Roasted Chicken Replaced
- Thread starter seat38a
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seat38a
Engineer
Do you think the riders on the Silver Star, are complaining about special meals and diets 
The only realistic response from Amtrak will probably be: "Too many people can't eat our food blah blah blah. So we decided to remove the dining cars and make the sleepers cheaper."
The only realistic response from Amtrak will probably be: "Too many people can't eat our food blah blah blah. So we decided to remove the dining cars and make the sleepers cheaper."
Seaboard92
Engineer
A lot depends on the vendor and the amount of money put into it. I know Deutsche Bahn in Germany their good is ok. It's a better quality then amtrak. But the cake on it which I really like actually is prepackaged completely. And one time they forgot to take the wrapper off of it so now I can order it by itself without riding. If your lucky they warm it up
The legit medical conditions that make gluten free diets necessary can result in very severe conditions if not managed properly. That being said, the number of real situations versus the people who don't even know what gluten is but think they need to avoid it is staggering. Anyone who has or knows someone with Celiac conditions knows how serious this really is. The fad diet people make it worse, because people don't take it as seriously as they should.
Thirdrail7
Engineer
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What is supposed to be in that bag, DA?
Devil's Advocate
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Not entirely sure to be honest. It looked like ice cream but tasted like CoolWhip. It reminded me of those oddball desserts you receive in coach when flying out of locations like Moscow or Manila. From what I understand many countries don't have formal rules or regulations on what precisely constitutes "ice cream" so they are able to manufacture and sell products that look like conventional ice cream but come with a weird taste and and texture. That's not to say that alternative products such as CoolWhip are "bad" per se, but I would prefer they be up front about what you're consuming rather than trying to make it look like something else.
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crescent-zephyr
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Between the plastic sealed blankets and vaccum sealed ice cream, Amtrak is reinventing the term "classy."
Devil's Advocate
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I have no specific knowledge or special connection with anything that's going on but I cannot help but wonder what the endgame is for all of this. I like the idea of having at-seat meals in coach but it's terribly unfortunate that they have to be generic precooked heat and eat meals like you get on an aircraft. Taking the train allows for plenty of time to properly prepare and cook a good meal but instead that benefit is being wasted on cost cutting. How far must it go before it can hope to break even and how far can it go before it ceases to be a worthwhile service in the minds of the majority of passengers? In the end I often find myself thinking that if today's Mica Meals become a permanent mainstay then I'd probably rather just go without entirely. I'll either bring my own food or schedule stopovers where I can find a good meal or I'll simply cease taking Amtrak on anything longer than a day trip. Which I presume is the long term goal of people like Mica and Shuster. I don't want to be falling into their trap but I'm seriously disappointed with the current options and I seem to end up eating less and less on each trip.Do you think the riders on the Silver Star, are complaining about special meals and diets
Cho Cho Charlie
Engineer
I guess I have been an Amtrak passenger for too long. When I look at those pictures, my eye ignores the food and looks at the plates. Are those real Amtrak plates I see?
No real plates. Those are the Corelle plastic disposables that have been in use for awhile...
According to the Spring/Summer Dining car update, the dessert is a new brand of single serve Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.
Also, it is a Pork Shank served for lunch with the BBQ sauce, and a "Thyme scented chicken breast" served with a spiced sweet potato sauce is the dinner item.
Also, it is a Pork Shank served for lunch with the BBQ sauce, and a "Thyme scented chicken breast" served with a spiced sweet potato sauce is the dinner item.
keelhauled
OBS Chief
seat38a
Engineer
According to Amtrak Food Facts, it looks like its "Blue Bunny Brand prescooped ice cream ball" They have it in fine print when you click on the Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. That probably explains the terrible taste people are reporting. I've thrown away Blue Bunny ice cream when I first bought it.
seat38a
Engineer
Haagan-Dazs keeps coming back. It was replaced with the other Chao brand for a while and then made a comeback.
OlympianHiawatha
Engineer
Blue Bunny is outright NASTY!
As for the Half Chicken, I consider myself to be a Warrior Eater usually leaving nothing on the plate for the Kitchen Cat, but when I've had the Chicken I've often gotten up from the Diner Table with decent meat still on the bone. I just didn't want to get any more foundered than I already was-and after 2-3 days on train, that is easy to do
Manny T
OBS Chief
For me dessert is both a treat and a reward. That's the way I was raised. You have to eat your meal, and you have to clean your plate, but in the end there will some tempting home-baked treat for dessert, so it's worth making the effort.
I look at the pictures posted here and my stomach turns. To be trapped with this choice of garbage or that is not my idea of the way to end a meal.
I know this is a First World Problem. But we live in the First World of consumer choices. I agree with DA on this one. Almost time to opt out I think.
I look at the pictures posted here and my stomach turns. To be trapped with this choice of garbage or that is not my idea of the way to end a meal.
I know this is a First World Problem. But we live in the First World of consumer choices. I agree with DA on this one. Almost time to opt out I think.
I certainly hope those with an outspoken disdain for Amtrak food refrain from doing so verbally at the table. I dread the thought of trying to enjoy a meal in the diner with a tablemate whining about this or that.
And while I suppose it's great comfort to commiserate and otherwise slobber all over each other about how awful the food is, I'd like to think all those displeasures are passed on to Amtrak in writing. Hate to think we're the only ones who have to suffer through it.
Just my 2¢ worth.
And while I suppose it's great comfort to commiserate and otherwise slobber all over each other about how awful the food is, I'd like to think all those displeasures are passed on to Amtrak in writing. Hate to think we're the only ones who have to suffer through it.
Just my 2¢ worth.
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D.P. Roberts
Conductor
There's a typo in there somewhere - either the menu is wrong (it says Haagen-Dazs), or the food link is wrong (it says Blue Bunny). I think - and hope - it's very possible that the menu is correct, and they just put a link to the wrong item.
*EDIT: well, shoot. It looks like the new menus are already online (dated 4/16), and they specifically state Blue Bunny ice cream.
In looking at the new menus online, it bothers me that several of the "core entrees" are simply listed as "specials" on the menu, even though they're well-defined as staples on Amtrak Food Facts. In my experience, many of the dining car attendants don't know what the specials are, call things by the wrong name, or simply make something up if I ask them. It makes me wonder if the cooks are even making the specials at all.
I find it frustrating because two of the "special" items on the new menu - the chicken sliders and the salisbury steak - are things I'd like to try. I strongly suspect that they won't be available, but I'm curious to know whether anyone has seen either of them yet.
*EDIT: well, shoot. It looks like the new menus are already online (dated 4/16), and they specifically state Blue Bunny ice cream.
In looking at the new menus online, it bothers me that several of the "core entrees" are simply listed as "specials" on the menu, even though they're well-defined as staples on Amtrak Food Facts. In my experience, many of the dining car attendants don't know what the specials are, call things by the wrong name, or simply make something up if I ask them. It makes me wonder if the cooks are even making the specials at all.
I find it frustrating because two of the "special" items on the new menu - the chicken sliders and the salisbury steak - are things I'd like to try. I strongly suspect that they won't be available, but I'm curious to know whether anyone has seen either of them yet.
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Cho Cho Charlie
Engineer
I have always enjoyed their Haagan-Dazs. Yea, I am a plain and simple person, and high quality, good tasting, vanilla ice cream is my favorite.
Blue Bunny is "Bottom of the Barrel" Ice Cream which is featured as the sale deserts at lots of low end grocery stores.
Sort of looks like Ice Cream but definitely doesn't taste like the better ones.
Sort of looks like Ice Cream but definitely doesn't taste like the better ones.
seat38a
Engineer
They sell this brand at Walmart. I bought it once and have been buying Haagan Daz or Breyers or anything else than Blue Bunny. Seriously the only time I've thrown out ice cream.
MikefromCrete
Engineer
Congressman Mica doesn't care about food allergies, only the bottom line.
Tennessee Traveler
Conductor
Not sure when you guys are talking about but I rode Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, and California Zephyr in April and all featured and served Haagan Daz vanilla ice cream. I got it at every lunch and dinner while on this trains.
As for Blue Bunny Ice Cream, I have bought and enjoyed Blue Bunny no sugar added vanilla ice cream at Walmart. Maybe I'm just weird, I like Denny's too.
As for Blue Bunny Ice Cream, I have bought and enjoyed Blue Bunny no sugar added vanilla ice cream at Walmart. Maybe I'm just weird, I like Denny's too.
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