You could have had oatmeal (and not the instant kind) and yogurt on any amtrak dining car if you chose to. I personally prefer a slightly larger breakfast but since you were satisfied all the customers should be satisfied?
Would you ever go to a restaurant and order a kids spaghetti and meatball plate? I know I wouldn't order a frozen shrimp and sausage rice bowl but I would and have ordered Salmon and Mashed potatoes, Grilled Chicken Breast and baked potato, etc. in a restaurant. I think that's my biggest complaint... this is not even close to food that I would usually order.
Whoa, calm down my man! First, I never said if I was satisfied, all th customers should be too. I said I was satisfied. Frankly, I don’t care if you are, or if you are not. I do care if I am, as I am the one paying for it. You can make your own determination. And from the pages and pages of moaning wailing and gnashing of teeth, it doesn’t seem like most on this forum will be. That’s a shame, really. I was prepared to not be. But surprisingly it wasn’t that bad, and frankly I think like you said, the service model is an improvement overall.
Second, the “kids” pasta is a full size meal. Honestly not sure why they even label it as a kids meal, at all. It actually was better than many of the dinner meals I’ve had on board in the past. So would I order pasta in a restaraunt? Of course.
Third, I haven’t had the shrimp thing yet. Maybe tonight. But everyone I spoke to recommended it. Maybe it doesn’t suck! I am picky about seafood, and that “seafood cake” thing they used to hav was atrocious. So I’m shy about seafood on a train, like you said, especially from a frozen dinner thing.....but I remember when they had fried catfish 5-6 years ago. Was afraid of it, but after so many steak and chicken meals during a busy travel month, I gave it a shot. And man, THAT was actually great! Then they dropped it. Go figure lol.
It’s not the golden age of streamliners anymore. And that is never coming back, that I can see anyway. I get it, many people, especially on this fan page, save up for months, and go for the experience and like the nostalgia. I’m a business traveler. I travel 4-6 trips a year on average by train, to break up my ndless flights nearly every week. Some years more, some years less, but usually every few months I do an overnight trip. Generally between BHM or CHI and DC/NYC, and out West sometimes too. I also kinda dig the nostalgia, in the old stations, etc, but really am here to travel, and work, not take a land cruise.
I kinda dig the move to modernize the service model for convenience. Honestly, I see this as a generally good thing now. Especially on these short one night trips, I can eat well before, or after the trip. On board, I just need a place to work, and sleep. Hell I usually brought my own food on board and skipped the diner anyway. A nice charcuterie, and wine, or a decent sandwich n my room had become my norm. Probably will continue to be. Diner food was so mediocre, I rarely bothered with it over the last 2-3 years anyway.
In short, so far I’m surprisingly fine with the changes, and can’t wait for the improved bedding for the sleepers, that was WAY overdue! I get not everyone is. But I hope this is just the beginning of making rail travel much more contemporary.
