Amtrak RR French Toast Quality Declining

[Devil's Advocate]

Count me in with the Waffle House tribe!

Seems like a good fit for a tiny kitchen crew making quick work of fast meals made to order.

It's honestly fun to watch 'em go, although on a Superliner we'd need a video feed or something.

Maybe we should sic Guy Ramsey onto Amtrak? Let him critique the "new" French toast, with the camera zoomed in as Guy "paws" at it with his fork.

So what's the deal with Guy Ramsey. Is he a thoughtful and entertaining critic or is he just some sort of loud mouthed jerk? I keep seeing him on my streaming accounts but never dove in.

Both. Public persona for the bucks.

I used to think celebrity chefs were just a bunch of hot air. That is until I tried the Mesa Grill. I'd have to say that Bobby Flay's crew is the real deal in my book. Our meal was truly stupendous, from cocktails and appetizers to entrees and desserts, the whole experience was worth every penny. It's been months since I was there and I still think about it.

 

[tonys96]

Count me in with the Waffle House tribe!

Seems like a good fit for a tiny kitchen crew making quick work of fast meals made to order.

It's honestly fun to watch 'em go, although on a Superliner we'd need a video feed or something.

Maybe we should sic Guy Ramsey onto Amtrak? Let him critique the "new" French toast, with the camera zoomed in as Guy "paws" at it with his fork.

So what's the deal with Guy Ramsey. Is he a thoughtful and entertaining critic or is he just some sort of loud mouthed jerk? I keep seeing him on my streaming accounts but never dove in.

Both. Public persona for the bucks.

He's a jerk...according to a friend of mine who works at a restaurant in Tarrant County, Texas where they taped a D D &D segment. She saud when the camera was off he was just a total jackass.......

Count me in as a fan of Waffle House! Love to have breakfast there any time of the day. Beats the heck outta Denny's. IMHO.

 

[TVRM610]

I think we are confusing Gordon Ramsay of "Hell's Kitchen" and Guy Ferrari of "Diners Drive Ins and Dives".

Gordon is a true Chef.

Guy would be lucky to get hired on as an Amtrak food prep.

They both seem like sort of jerks to me though.

 

[Ryan]

Fieri.

Ferrari is the gar guy.

 

[amamba]

I have never been to a Waffle (we don't have them up here), but the IHOP in PVD is open 24/7/365.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Hey, I have an idea (which someone on this forum will destroy for a pretty good reason that's currently eluding me)...

If Waffle House can be open 24/7, why can't the dining car? Most restaurants aren't open 24/7, but most restaurants probably don't have passengers entraining & detraining 24 hours a day, like Amtrak does.

First objection: "There's not enough staff!" Certainly true, as a whole. However, 3-4 of those are servers. If the diner was open the whole time the train was running, you wouldn't need 3-4 servers; you could probably get by with 1 or 2. Same thing with cooks.

Second objection: "They need to close to prep for the next meal!" Yet somehow, places like Waffle House manage to be open 24/7. And, considering how few things are "prepped" onboard, how much prep time can they possibly need? Most of their current difficulty in prepwork is probably space-related: figuring out how to prepare meals for 200 in the space the size of a shoebox. If they could spread the meals out, they wouldn't need to prep so much.

Benefit #1: They could probably create more made-to-order dishes if they didn't have to prep so many meals at once.

Benefit #2: More revenue from diners who didn't happen to be onboard during the prescribed mealtime, greater chances for PAYING coach pax to secure a reservation.

Benefit #3: with less demand for tables, people could sit with whomever you want. If you want community seating, then go during the busier meal times. If you'd like a nice, quiet meal with your traveling companion(s), go during an off hour.

I'm sure someone will explain why this can't work, but I really like this idea.

 

[roomette]

Good luck! They can't even keep the Cafe open 24 hours.

 

[Nathanael]

Gordon Ramsay is a perfectionist who doesn't tolerate incompetence. He can actually be very helpful to restauranteurs (see "Kitchen Nightmares") but he's not going to pull his punches.

He'd be scathing to Amtrak food service. And I think Amtrak food service is OK. But he would chew them out for all the things we chew them out for, only with cursing and yelling.

 

[benjibear]

I like the idea of 24 hours. I really think they can merge the diner and cafe car operations therefore eliminating some staff that can be spread out over the 24 hours.

I have said, Amtrak can do a better job by changing the way they do things with food. The food service should be a money maker and not a drain on the rest of the operation. They should look at some successful restaurants like subway, boston market, and panera bread, and conveniance stores, and do a modified/scaled down version of what they are doing. Amtrak needs to think outside the box with.

 

[VentureForth]

Hey, I have an idea (which someone on this forum will destroy for a pretty good reason that's currently eluding me)...
If Waffle House can be open 24/7, why can't the dining car? Most restaurants aren't open 24/7, but most restaurants probably don't have passengers entraining & detraining 24 hours a day, like Amtrak does.

First objection: "There's not enough staff!" Certainly true, as a whole. However, 3-4 of those are servers. If the diner was open the whole time the train was running, you wouldn't need 3-4 servers; you could probably get by with 1 or 2. Same thing with cooks.

Second objection: "They need to close to prep for the next meal!" Yet somehow, places like Waffle House manage to be open 24/7. And, considering how few things are "prepped" onboard, how much prep time can they possibly need? Most of their current difficulty in prepwork is probably space-related: figuring out how to prepare meals for 200 in the space the size of a shoebox. If they could spread the meals out, they wouldn't need to prep so much.

Benefit #1: They could probably create more made-to-order dishes if they didn't have to prep so many meals at once.

Benefit #2: More revenue from diners who didn't happen to be onboard during the prescribed mealtime, greater chances for PAYING coach pax to secure a reservation.

Benefit #3: with less demand for tables, people could sit with whomever you want. If you want community seating, then go during the busier meal times. If you'd like a nice, quiet meal with your traveling companion(s), go during an off hour.

I'm sure someone will explain why this can't work, but I really like this idea.

There's this guy, Bruce Richardson....

OK - now that the laughing has stopped and we can get back to business...

Bruce is an idealist - a conservative leaning business man who truly wants to see passenger rail succeed. He understands the waste, both in product and man power. MANY here disagree with his approach. To some, he's about as reliable as the Department of Justice investigating itself. But in a recent article regarding the 24-hour food service experiment in the 90's, he claims:

"Back at the end of the 1990s on the Sunset Limited a number of tests of running a 24-hour dining car were successfully completed. The passengers liked it, the employees liked it, the unions agreed to the tests. Revenues were up, employees were less stressed because passengers came into the dining car in a natural progression instead of a rigid reservations system, and employee tips were up because of passenger satisfaction. After management changes, the experiments died simply because of the new managers saying, ‘not invented here.’"

I personally think that there are occasions where shift crews can do a terrific job. You don't need 4 SA's serving between 1 and 4 AM. You do need a chef. The Cafe car COULD be open 24 hours if they had another attendant. But right now on some routes, they have trouble even keeping full stock of product on busy routes. I talked to a cafe attendant a couple weeks ago who said he is awake from 11 PM to get up, get ready, commute to NYP, ride to the yard, "buy" his product, and stock the train before the 6:15 AM departure of the Palmetto. He has to anticipate for his return trip, too.

Amtrak is woefully understaffed. But they spend more money on human resources and retirement than even operations. It's takes money to make money; it takes people to make money. It would be interesting to see a REAL comparison of dining car revenues vs expenses from 1992 and compare to 2012.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Gordon Ramsay is a perfectionist who doesn't tolerate incompetence. He can actually be very helpful to restauranteurs (see "Kitchen Nightmares") but he's not going to pull his punches.

Ramsey has also been labeled the #1 bully on TV. While other shows might have several, and together they exceed Ramsey, no one-to-one can equal his sharp abuse or intimidation of others.

I have watched Ramsey's various TV shows, and IMHO, he (or his crew) stage a lot of the problems he uncovers for dramatic effect.

 

[VentureForth]

I have recently become addicted to these various shows, ie: Kitchen Nightmares, Restaurant Impossible, Restaurant Stakeout, etc. ALL are the "COPS" of food restaurants. Of course they show the most drama. That's what makes viewers tune in. Gordon Ramsay is a brilliant chef. He is also a loose cannon. Robert Irvine is also a perfectionist who is a bit more rationally tempered, and William "Jack" Degel is easy going but direct.

These are all shows. Testimonies from restaurants and customers indicate that nothing is staged, but they do in fact air the most dramatic features from the shows.

One thing that I think ALL would be inclined to agree with is that the food on Amtrak is deplorable for the cost. It's not always the Chef's fault, but there has GOT to be room for improvement.

Honestly, I don't think that ANY of the hosts from ANY of those shows would be allowed to film on Amtrak given the tight unions that the crew belong to.

 

[crescent2]

An Amtrak kitchen is such a tiny one compared to a regular restaurant's kitchen that I'm not sure a fair comparison could be done. There is of course room for improvement (an additional cook and fewer pre-made items?), but considering the conditions, some of the choices are pretty good. I'm speaking only of our many experiences in the Crescent's dining car. The breakfasts (but we never had that Bob Evans thing!!) and desserts were good, as were the baked chicken and steaks. Even the lunch Angus burger was OK.

Considering Amtrak's financial woes, and thinking of airline food, I'm surprised Amtrak food has not deteriorated to frozen microwaved dinners by now.

We always enjoyed our dining car experiences. The food itself is only a part of that experience. The dining car is just so wonderfully "train"!!

 

[leemell]

An Amtrak kitchen is such a tiny one compared to a regular restaurant's kitchen that I'm not sure a fair comparison could be done. There is of course room for improvement (an additional cook and fewer pre-made items?), but considering the conditions, some of the choices are pretty good. I'm speaking only of our many experiences in the Crescent's dining car. The breakfasts (but we never had that Bob Evans thing!!) and desserts were good, as were the baked chicken and steaks. Even the lunch Angus burger was OK.
Considering Amtrak's financial woes, and thinking of airline food, I'm surprised Amtrak food has not deteriorated to frozen microwaved dinners by now.

We always enjoyed our dining car experiences. The food itself is only a part of that experience. The dining car is just so wonderfully "train"!!

Amen!

 

[aidancheddar]

Say it ain't so!! We always loved the French toast on the Crescent.

I didn't even know the Crescent had French toast! Then again my trips on that train usually last one night.

 

[the other mike]

I would rather eat soggy Amtrak french toast instead of greezy Waffle House hash browns with the "Great Unwashed" anyday.

( yea, I could sign in, but I like putting the picture puzzle together )

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

There is so much talk about the French Toast I will actually have to try it on my LD trips this July/August. And I've never ordered the French Toast nor pancakes. Of course, I fix frozen waffles at home so will not be complaining about frozen french toast.

 

[crescent2]

I don't know if the Crescent still has the French toast. Our last trip on it was in 2011.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

There is so much talk about the French Toast I will actually have to try it on my LD trips this July/August. And I've never ordered the French Toast nor pancakes. Of course, I fix frozen waffles at home so will not be complaining about frozen french toast.

I have also found that the French Toast can vary in quality, but my main complaint is the lack of actual maple syrup, instead of bland sugar syrup. Some companies like Cracker Barrel have used real maple syrup in disposable containers, I wish Amtrak would as well. However, for budgetary reasons I'm sure they won't.

 

[crescent2]

I'm weird and don't put syrup or anything else on my French toast or pancakes. The Cracker Barrel here serves real maple syrup in little glass bottles. Hubby loved it.

 

[leemell]

Real maple syrup costs about $10. per 8 oz retail. Might be a tad expensive for Amtrak.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

I'm weird and don't put syrup or anything else on my French toast or pancakes. The Cracker Barrel here serves real maple syrup in little glass bottles. Hubby loved it.

Real maple syrup costs about $10. per 8 oz retail. Might be a tad expensive for Amtrak.

From what I've heard, Cracker Barrel is actually one of the few restaurants to actually serve real maple syrup instead of maple-flavored corn syrup. Many high-end restaurants don't even use real maple syrup.

I am seriously contemplating a stop at the nearest Cracker Barrel to pick up some of their 1-ounce bottles of maple syrup to bring with me on my next trip.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I'm weird and don't put syrup or anything else on my French toast or pancakes. The Cracker Barrel here serves real maple syrup in little glass bottles. Hubby loved it.

I am the same way too regarding Syrup as good Pancakes or French Toast should stand on their own without having to use something to kill the taste. Now I do enjoy the dusting of Powdered Sugar on the Amtrak French Toast, although I am usually an Omelet person.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I'm weird and don't put syrup or anything else on my French toast or pancakes. The Cracker Barrel here serves real maple syrup in little glass bottles. Hubby loved it.

Real maple syrup costs about $10. per 8 oz retail. Might be a tad expensive for Amtrak.

From what I've heard, Cracker Barrel is actually one of the few restaurants to actually serve real maple syrup instead of maple-flavored corn syrup. Many high-end restaurants don't even use real maple syrup.

I am seriously contemplating a stop at the nearest Cracker Barrel to pick up some of their 1-ounce bottles of maple syrup to bring with me on my next trip.

Why not Order the Real thing via the Internet (AGR Shopping Partner IF Available) from Canada or New England Sources! Good stuff, my Canadian In-Laws send me some every Christmas and when I visit Canada I Load Up on this Ambrosa! :wub:

 

[dlagrua]

When we order RR French Toast, we always bring our own small bottle of REAL maple syrup with us. I cannot stomach that caustic corn syrup chemical mixture that restaurants and Amtrak serves as "pancake syrup". That stuff is disgusting. We'll probably give the RR French toast one more try on our next trip to see if its the toast or the chef. It tasted lousy,on the CL this past week but perhaps the chef didn't toast it right.