I know this has been discussed before, but I just wanted to make sure of the current regulations. Sleeper passengers must take their "free" meals in the diner instead of the cafe car, correct?
jb
jb
Sleeper Meals in the Cafe?
- Thread starter John Bobinyec
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SubwayNut
Conductor
That is completely correct unless your riding the Cardinal (a single cafe car) or the Boston section of the Lake Shore Limited east of Albany after it slits from the New York Section or the final morning of the Portland-bound Empire Builder. (Leaving Portland the sleeping car attendant gives you your cold, boxed dinner).
These are the three portions of LD trains that lack dining cars.
These are the three portions of LD trains that lack dining cars.
If you are on one of those trains that lacks a dining car, you'll be served separately in the cafe car by your SCA, and given a menu that contains a couple of choices that are better than normal cafe choices (when I was on the Boston sleeper, it was a choice of salad with feta cheese, cranberries and nuts, or a hot meal). If you DON'T like the choices on the abbreviated menu, you can choose anything from the cafe car menu (as one of my tablemates did, he chose the pizza). To my knowledge, that's the only time that as a sleeper passenger, you can choose a meal from the cafe car menu. Even then, your SCA must be the one to obtain it from the cafe attendant.
Personally, I would never choose to eat from the cafe menu unless nothing else was available.
Personally, I would never choose to eat from the cafe menu unless nothing else was available.
crescent2
Conductor
Linda, what menu items have you tried, and which were good? Thanks!
the_traveler
Engineer
If for example for lunch, you want a burger, chips and soda. If you get it from the Dining Car, it's free. If you get the same items from the café, you must pay for them.
I'm not Linda but on the Cardinal the " French Toast Sticks" are Terrible! They do make good sandwiches and salads for Lunch, the LSA makes then in front of you! For Dinner I thought the Fish ( Salmon) was pretty good for a Convection Oven meal!
Avoid the table with no window when youre in the diner/lounge lite combo!
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Years ago, I was on the CZ and the dining car had some sort of electrical problem and was unable to serve lunch. The sleeper passengers were instructed to go to the cafe and get lunch. I believe we were given a certain amount we could spend. I think I got a turkey sandwich and chips. I recall going up to the SSL and attempting to eat my lunch. I ate the chips and gave the sandwich to a coach passenger who had no money for food.
the_traveler
Engineer
That was very nice of you Penny! 
As Dave said, nice!, but did you give them a free yoga lesson too! LOL
Thanks, but I really was not that generous. It was either that or throw it away. I thought the sandwich was inedible. There was a "family" in the SSL, a mother, dad and infant/toddler. They were feeding the kid cheetos, and did not have any money for food for themselves. They were on their way to CA to stay with relatives for a while. A few of us in the sleepers donated our lunch to mom and dad.That was very nice of you Penny!
Jim, no yoga in SSL, but there was some yoga in Denver Union Station before boarding.
June the Coach Rider
OBS Chief
If you are disabled and in the handicapped sleeper, you can make arrangements to have your meals either brought to your room or you can arrange to transfer from your car to the cafe car for your meals. It is in their disabled passenger page.
the_traveler
Engineer
Any passenger can choose to have their meals delivered to their room by your SCA. Those meals still come from Dining Car, not the Café. The reason on a Superliner that handicapped passengers can be transferred to the Sightseer Lounge is that the entire lower level of the Dining Car is the kitchen. The lower level of the Lounge Car has tables.
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crescent2
Conductor
Thanks, Jim, for the food info. I think I recall someone else saying the french toast sticks were bad. Sad, because I always liked the Crescent's regular french toast.
Anyone had the short ribs? Salmon is always iffy for me because sometimes it is too strongly flavored, sometimes not.
Anyone had the short ribs? Salmon is always iffy for me because sometimes it is too strongly flavored, sometimes not.
My boyfriend had the short ribs on the SWC. He said they were really good. I tried a bite, and they were tender, but they were a bit too hot for me.
(Take that with a grain of salt. I think red peppers are spicy.)
crescent2
Conductor
Some like it hot.
Thanks, Sarah!
Thanks, Sarah!
Sarah's right about the ribs but they are too spicy for some tastes! The Chicken is usually a go to staple on most LD Trains! I like the healthy choice item also but the amount of food is usually meager!
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June the Coach Rider
OBS Chief
Right, but I was talking about handicapped passengers specifically, but yes, everyone can request it delivered to their rooms.
fillyjonk
OBS Chief
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I was once on the TE where they "bad ordered" the diner after dinner (I actually ate dinner with the inspector who shut it down, but didn't figure that out until later).
They sent us to the lounge car to get breakfast; we were to show our ticket stubs (this was before e-tickets). I got a cup of that instant oatmeal and a little carton of milk. It was fine, no complaints.
I presume they did similar for lunch but I had got off the train by then.
Not sure whether they'd let you sub a lounge car "meal" for a dining car meal if the dining car was operating, though. Probably not, I could see people getting 2 free meals that way.
They sent us to the lounge car to get breakfast; we were to show our ticket stubs (this was before e-tickets). I got a cup of that instant oatmeal and a little carton of milk. It was fine, no complaints.
I presume they did similar for lunch but I had got off the train by then.
Not sure whether they'd let you sub a lounge car "meal" for a dining car meal if the dining car was operating, though. Probably not, I could see people getting 2 free meals that way.
dart330
OBS Chief
We boarded the TE northbound out of STL which was running a little late. Walked into the diner asking for breakfast, they said they were out of food then asked if we were in a sleeper. Said yes and they told us to go to the cafe, tell them we were in a sleeper and they would comp us on whatever we wanted to eat. Got some oatmeal and other snacks, plenty to hold us over until lunch. The attendant just wrote down everything we got and we were good to go.
Bierboy
OBS Chief
Loved the roast chicken I had a few years ago on the SWC.
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