D.P. Roberts
Conductor
First of all, your room attendant will not be the person who scans your ticket - you'll need to wait for the conductor (or assistant conductor) to scan your ticket. Make sure that this actually happens, or you could be in danger of losing any connecting trips (if they don't scan your ticket then they think you're not onboard, and assume you won't be showing up for your remaining legs of the trip).As I'm boarding the SWC (roomette) in Albuquerque around 4:30 PM, what do you think of my having written down my dinner order ahead of time, handing it to him and negotiating a time I'd like to eat, when he scans my ticket,? Then I could hand him my breakfast order when he puts my roomette into 'night mode'?Or am I over thinking the process?So what questions about dining on Amtrak are there?
Secondly, it would be nice if most trains actually carried the items from the menus online. From my experience on busy summer trains, they usually run out of one of the items shortly into the first meal, or are missing them altogether.
For example, on my trip last summer on the (Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, and Southwest Chief) I was onboard for 11-12 meals where dessert is served (lunches & dinners). I was really looking forward to my favorite dessert, which was listed on the menu for all 3 trains. I never had it even once. And my favorite dinner (which was supposed to be on the EB) wasn't there either.
Honestly, there are only 4-5 choices for each meal, and if they're out of stuff you're often reduced to 2-3 choices. It's one of the reasons I recommend an early seating for meals - you're much more likely to get what you want.