Sleeper Meals Info??

[Shanghai]

Is there any place on the Amtrak Website that outlines what meals are offered by Train?

I'm interested in knowing what meals are offered on the Capitol Limited from Chicago to Washington DC

and the Texas Eagle from St Louis to Chicago.

Any information would be appreciated.

 

[alanh]

Here's the sample menus.

 

[CHANGEATJAMAICA]

The system time table gives the boiler plate info about meals served at appropriate times of day, etc. but I find no info on specific trains. As for the CAP, on our trips CHI/WAS, dinner was served out of CHI and breakfast the next morning. Unless we were running late into WAS I don't recall lunch being served; and that was a one call for all event

Though we've yet to ride the Eagle looks like breakfast for sure and I would guess lunch depends on how company minded the dining car staff is. That is; do they want to take their time shutting down and cleaning up the car, or are they willing to provide at least one sitting before getting ready to go off duty.

Best regards,

Rodger...of course you could ask Amtrak, but I'm sure you'd get a number of answers commensurate with the number of folks you spoke with.

 

[daveyb99]

Is there any place on the Amtrak Website that outlines what meals are offered by Train?
and the Texas Eagle from St Louis to Chicago.

You just have to interpolate the train times with general meal times, there is not a published schedule as I know of.

On the Eagle northbound, you might be lucky to get breakfast out of STL, and certainly lunch before CHI.

 

[jmbgeg]

Is there any place on the Amtrak Website that outlines what meals are offered by Train?
I'm interested in knowing what meals are offered on the Capitol Limited from Chicago to Washington DC

and the Texas Eagle from St Louis to Chicago.

Any information would be appreciated.

The specials are often better than the pblished menu.

 

[Guest]

I've always gotten breakfast on the TE north but never lunch. So maybe wait until the last breakfast call, and then plan on lunch or early dinner after getting into Chicago (or getting a snack in the lounge if the cafe isn't already out of sandwiches).

 

[Bob Dylan]

I've always gotten breakfast on the TE north but never lunch. So maybe wait until the last breakfast call, and then plan on lunch or early dinner after getting into Chicago (or getting a snack in the lounge if the cafe isn't already out of sandwiches).

TE: Breakfast is served until the train leaves STL, early lunch starts in SPI,one setting only. If the train is running late lunch might start before SPI but lately this train has a good OTP so you should be OK.

CL: You will get a dinner time in the Metro Lounge, if for some reason you dont ask your SCA when you board. Breakfast is actually a brunch served as a regular breakfast and shortened lunch menu, you are entitled to order two meals, service usually stops about 11AM if the train is running on time which it usually does!

As the_traveler says, you can order breakfast twice, you can order a burger for breakfast and eggs for lunch or vice versa! :blink: :lol:

 

[the_traveler]

I've always gotten breakfast on the TE north but never lunch. So maybe wait until the last breakfast call, and then plan on lunch or early dinner after getting into Chicago (or getting a snack in the lounge if the cafe isn't already out of sandwiches).

TE: Breakfast is served until the train leaves STL, early lunch starts in SPI,one setting only. If the train is running late lunch might start before SPI but lately this train has a good OTP so you should be OK.

CL: You will get a dinner time in the Metro Lounge, if for some reason you dont ask your SCA when you board. Breakfast is actually a brunch served as a regular breakfast and shortened lunch menu, you are entitled to order two meals, service usually stops about 11AM if the train is running on time which it usually does!

As the_traveler says, you can order breakfast twice, you can order a burger for breakfast and eggs for lunch or vice versa! :blink: :lol:

See this thread about meals on the CL.

And the meals on both the TE and CL use the same menu as almost all other trains. The only difference is the "specials".

 

[Shanghai]

Thanks for the info. I recall eating breakfast while we were stopped in STL when traveling from Dallas to Chicago.

If I board at STL. are sleeper passengers able to board in time for breakfast?

 

[Guest]

Here's the sample menus.

Where are there specific by train menus on that webpage?

 

[the_traveler]

Here's the sample menus.

Where are there specific by train menus on that webpage?

ALL trains use the same menus! The menu that you will find on the table on the CL (for instance) is the same one you'll find on your table on the SWC. The only difference will be the specials - and they will announce those on the train.

The 2 menus that are different are on the CS IN THE PPC and on the Auto train. (On the CS in the diner, it will be the same mmenu as any other train.)

 

[Misty.]

I totally agree with Shanghai. It'd be nice to know it I have to get something to eat on the way to the station or if I can wait until I'm more awake and in a mood to eat (planning on grabbing a room when it drops into "get these things sold!" mode a day or two out from my trip but I still have coach booked in case I can't grab a last minute room.

 

[TVRM610]

Here's the sample menus.

Where are there specific by train menus on that webpage?

ALL trains use the same menus! The menu that you will find on the table on the CL (for instance) is the same one you'll find on your table on the SWC. The only difference will be the specials - and they will announce those on the train.

The 2 menus that are different are on the CS IN THE PPC and on the Auto train. (On the CS in the diner, it will be the same mmenu as any other train.)

Guest... you obviously did not click on the link... if you click on that link it will take you to the Amtrak Website where you can click on Menus for...

"Cardinal, City of New Orleans, Crescent, Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited, Texas Eagle, and National Menu" If the train is not listed and it carries a full service dining car (i.e. the Capitol, Southwest Chief, Coast Starlight, California Zephyr, Silver Trains, Sunset Limited) then it uses the "National Menu."

The exception would be the Coast Starlight which offers a second menu to Sleeper Class Passengers who choose to dine inside the Parlour Car.

I'm also not sure about the current status of the Auto Train... they may use the National Menu, or they may have their own.

 

[MJL]

Just out of curiousity, what sorts of menu "specials" have you experts eaten or noticed in your travels?

 

[Ispolkom]

Here's the sample menus.

Where are there specific by train menus on that webpage?

ALL trains use the same menus! The menu that you will find on the table on the CL (for instance) is the same one you'll find on your table on the SWC. The only difference will be the specials - and they will announce those on the train.

The 2 menus that are different are on the CS IN THE PPC and on the Auto train. (On the CS in the diner, it will be the same mmenu as any other train.)

Don't forget the Empire Builder, which also has a slightly different menu (pancakes and eggs to order for breakfast, for instance, and they always have a grilled steak). And allegedly they have the legendary buffaloaf as a special, but I've never actually encountered that on the EB.

 

[jmbgeg]

Here's the sample menus.

Where are there specific by train menus on that webpage?

None posted to my knowledge.

 

[TVRM610]

Just out of curiousity, what sorts of menu "specials" have you experts eaten or noticed in your travels?

I've seen the same basic dish served on a variety of trains under different names as the special. Its basically stewed chicken served over rice, which is how it has been described to me. It has also been described as:

Thai Chicken (with thai sauce)

Mushroom Chicken (with mushroom gravy)

Jambalaya (with some small shrimp and a cajun sauce).

It's always been passable, the Jambalaya being my favorite version.

Couple Years ago the "chicken fried steak" was the special, it was terrible. Most likely the worst thing I've been served on a dining car ever.

Other specials don't jump to mind but I'm sure they exist....

 

[Bob Dylan]

Just out of curiousity, what sorts of menu "specials" have you experts eaten or noticed in your travels?

Several versions of "Chicken 0ver rice"with different sauces on various trains,also different chicken,one is roasted/baked/on the Southern trains it is "fried",crab cakes which are OK, the Buffalo Meatloaf on the EB (now on the CS they say), on the TE they have a breakfast burrito (its not very good!) and brisket sandwich and "ribs"; the EB has pancakes for breakfast instead of the French Toast, some of the deserts are specials (Bourbon Pecan Pie is pretty good on the Southern trains, bread pudding pie not so much so!) I cant speak to most of the Eastern trains, havent ridden many of them, them but Im sure they all have @ least one "special" that is exclusive to that train! Hope that helps! **and as to steaks, last year we had a War and Peace thread on them (the flat iron train kill vs. real steak! :lol: )but the real steaks have returned to most trains! (they are called different names on different trains? :blink: )

 

[BigBlueBuddha]

Just out of curiousity, what sorts of menu "specials" have you experts eaten or noticed in your travels?

I had the crab cakes special for dinner on the Capitol Limited about a year and a half ago and they were excellent!

 

[RRrich]

Just out of curiousity, what sorts of menu "specials" have you experts eaten or noticed in your travels?

I had the crab cakes special for dinner on the Capitol Limited about a year and a half ago and they were excellent!

I oorder the crab cakes whenever I can. I am hoping that they bring back the Lamb Shank on the EB and CS.

Since we have a food thread going, I'm going to try highjacking it -

What I order - safe and tasty

Breakfast - omelet

Lunch - Hamburger - maybe beef maybe veggie

Dinner - Chicken half

Depending on the specials I will diviate from the above but those are safe and tasty