dinner on CL

[blackpup]

CL departs out of CHI at 6:40 pm. Does that mean we will miss out on dinner? That would such since we paid for a sleeper, it would kind of suck to not get our free dinner.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Nope, you get dinner. In fact, when you check into the Metro lounge, they'll take your dinner reservation. If you take the first seating, you may be in the diner beore you even depart.

 

[the_traveler]

No, dinner is served. When you check in to the ML, they make your dinner reservations. Thus, the earlier you check in to the ML, the better your chances are of getting your desired time.

Also note that your reservation time is taken on Central Time. However, shortly after you depart you enter the Eastern Time zone. Thus if you chose (say) 8 pm, you will not go to the DC until 9 pm local time.

 

[blackpup]

We are coming into Chicago via Amtrak a day early. This way I won't miss my train for the next day and can shell out money and stay at a fancy expensive hotel for one night, and bum around Chicago a bit. Can you make your reservations a day early?

 

[the_traveler]

I don't believe so, but you can make it early in the day (like 8 am)!

 

[Sauve850]

Cant make day before I don't believe. No matter what time your dinner res is for it will be fairly late when you eat so have a late lunch perhaps. When I take this train I usually pick up sandwich and some dessert in the station and eat in my bedroom.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I don't believe so, but you can make it early in the day (like 8 am)!

I did this on the Sunday of our Gathering weekend in Chicago. Stopped in the ML to drop off my bag then headed to church. Though, I didn't have time to find out from a fellow AUer what time she wanted to eat, I had to wait till I returned to the ML about an hour later.

 

[the_traveler]

Cant make day before I don't believe. No matter what time your dinner res is for it will be fairly late when you eat so have a late lunch perhaps. When I take this train I usually pick up sandwich and some dessert in the station and eat in my bedroom.

If you make it for say 6:30 (or whatever the 1st sitting is), it is possible that you will be in the DC before the CL even leaves the platform. I do not consider that "eating late"!

 

[pennyk]

The last time I was on the Capitol Limited (a couple of months ago), the earliest dinner reservation was 7pm. That time slot filled up pretty quickly. However, I have been on that train in the past when they had seating times prior to departure time.

 

[Sauve850]

I have been riding the CL for many years and haven't been offered a 6:30 seating. I would take that one. 7pm is earliest and that's a sell-out right away. I'm in a sleeper and rarely get offered that one. My point is a 7pm seating becomes 8pm soon with time change and by the time dinner finally arrives its getting a bit late. I'm always traveling west coast to east coast so trying to adjust to losing time.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

I am on the CL right now. Today the options were 7:00 and 7:30 but they ended up combining them into one time. We sat down just before crossing the border into Indiana. Only half the diner was full, the train is considered sold out but the SWC missed the connection today.

 

[glomor]

On my recent trip on the SW Chief, it was scheduled to leave Fullerton, CA at 6:45 pm. There was a service disruption and we were bussed to San Bernardino where we boarded the train. I am not sure of the exact time, but it was probably after 9:00 pm. As soon as we boarded, an announcement was made to come to the diner if we wanted dinner. I was very happy to hear that as I was getting hungry! The staff was working pretty late that night!