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Looks like the menu in the PPC has changed as well. Dinner on both nights are NOT having the exact same thing as before. I'll be on it on the 16th. I'm glad the menu has changed before my trip.
 
Awesome! I have been wondering if they would ever change again.

I don't know if this would merit is own thread, but I have always wondered, do they ever actually rotate the options with stars by them? I have seen news items and promotional videos which show dishes that are never on the menu, and the menu indicates they will have substitutions sometimes. However, whenever I ride, it is always the national menu.

Has anyone ever gotten a substitution? Do they exist at all? Do I have to luck out and rid on a day a news crew is onboard? Or have I just been unlucky.
 
OBS said:
The special is on the menu to be used as an occasional item, to clean out the freezers/warehouse I think...
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What is there to clean out if the same menu is used on all trains? They wouldn't order something that isn't on the menu...
 
The prices are not even slightly competitive. Apparently Amtrak wants to chase away coach customers?

This still seems to me like a plan to eliminate the dining cars. Which is frankly stupid, given that they aren't replacing them with anything; it'll just be a ridership and revenue killer. They might not notice given the overall upward trend in ridership and revenue, though.
 
I like the chicken lunch option and all the dinner ones. And, darn it, I probably won't be able to take any long-distance train trips til the fall or winter. How often do they switch up the menu? I'm assuming I might still see this one, considering how long it took to get a new one this time!
 
Regretfully, I don't consider the dining cars these days a high class restaurant and would not likely pay those prices in a conventional restaurant.
 
jphjaxfl said:
I don't think the Dining Car prices are too high compared to most of the better Restaurants in Jacksonville, Fl where I live.
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Applebee's food @ Upscale prices is comparing apples to oranges.
I agree with Eric, I wouldn't pay those prices if riding in Coach, or if Amtrak once again goes back to the age old practice of having the food in the Diners be a la carte, pay as you go!

If they truly want to charge those prices for food and drink, then the quality and the ambience needs to be improved to First Class standards! The nickel and dime cuts need to be gone and the bean counters that dreamed them up should be assigned to other departments or let go!!
 
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I happened to be on board the Capitol this week and really enjoyed the new salmon entree. Way better than the tilapia. The new strawberry cheesecake is Interesting, the cheesecake itself is strawberry flavored... A little on the sweet side but I still ate it all up.

Of other note, the CCC car was being used as both diner and cafe, the sightseer car was totally unstaffed.
 
Just like how the $7 beers and hot dogs and burgers at a ballpark/arena are all superb first class experiences... Ha!
 
If/when meals are no longer included with sleepers I'll be brown bagging it...

...except for breakfast, unless Boardman manages to screw it up too...

... in the name of 'saving' the diners. :wacko:
 
The foodfacts site has also been updated, and provides info on the "specials", which are an entree salad with either salmon, or the flat iron steak for dinner, and a sandwich

special at lunch.

That site also has a listing for "Dining Car Express Service" whatever that is supposed to be.

http://www.amtrakfoodfacts.com/

Ken
 
Well, the plan seems to be to raise prices to drive coach passengers away, and cut quality to drive sleeper passengers away. The only real question is how much damage this will do to Amtrak's overall ridership and revenue. There is such a huge underlying increase in demand for train travel as demographics change in favor of it, that this may be lost in the noise. I guess we'll see in the next few years.
 
We can live with the menus on the LD trains all except for the Autotrain that has food less appetizing than what is on the Federal Bureau of Prisons menu.

Here is the federal bureau of prisons menu. Looks better than the Amtrak Autotrain menu:

http://bop.gov/foia/national_menu_lun_din.pdf

When you feed convicts better than sleeper passengers that support the system; it is really an injustice. Serving this prison food on Amtrak may represent an improvement.
 
Well by the looks of it, it looks like I'll be eating a lot of sour dough bread on the CS and EB this month. Maybe someone ordered WAY too much sour dough and needed to get rid of it?
 
Only similarity between Amtrak's food and first class restaurants are the prices. I'm glad I'm in a sleeper for my June trip. Some examples of Amtrak's overpriced menu: You have to pay $3 more for a salad, The angus burger used to be the same price with or without cheese. Now it's a dollar more. At $12.50 for a cheeseburger, a side order of fries included would be nice . Coffee and juice are not included in the breakfast. They used to be. Is Iced Tea still included in the lunch and dinner price, or has that been eliminated? Next they'll be charging for basic tap water.

I love Amtrak. I've taken dozens of long distance trips over the last twenty five years,the last several years in sleepers,. When I would ride cross country in Coach the food prices were much more reasonable. A dinner in the diner is still an experience, but if two of you want steak,salad,soda and dessert for dinner,that will set you back about $70. Granted the steak is good,but it, like everything else is overpriced.

My only complaint about Amtrak is the price of food, from the cafe car to the diner. Of course you are a captive audience,but it would be nice for at least a few of the items have more down to earth pricing.

Again, I'm glad I'm in a sleeper. I feel sorry for the folks who will be in a sleeper on The Silver Star after July, . When you add up the amount of food you would probably purchase from the cafe car, it's really not much of a savings. Of course, you could stock up on your own food,but you will probably want at least two meals, and something that is hot.
 
As someone who has worked in and visited many Federal Correction Institutions, I assure you that the food served in these prisons is NOT as good as the meals served in Amtrak Diners!

The menus might sound great, but something is lost in the preparation and amenities in a prison cafeteria, trust me!
 
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benale said:
Only similarity between Amtrak's food and first class restaurants are the prices. I'm glad I'm in a sleeper for my June trip. Some examples of Amtrak's overpriced menu: You have to pay $3 more for a salad, The angus burger used to be the same price with or without cheese. Now it's a dollar more. At $12.50 for a cheeseburger, a side order of fries included would be nice . Coffee and juice are not included in the breakfast. They used to be. Is Iced Tea still included in the lunch and dinner price, or has that been eliminated? Next they'll be charging for basic tap water.

I love Amtrak. I've taken dozens of long distance trips over the last twenty five years,the last several years in sleepers,. When I would ride cross country in Coach the food prices were much more reasonable. A dinner in the diner is still an experience, but if two of you want steak,salad,soda and dessert for dinner,that will set you back about $70. Granted the steak is good,but it, like everything else is overpriced.

My only complaint about Amtrak is the price of food, from the cafe car to the diner. Of course you are a captive audience,but it would be nice for at least a few of the items have more down to earth pricing.

Again, I'm glad I'm in a sleeper. I feel sorry for the folks who will be in a sleeper on The Silver Star after July, . When you add up the amount of food you would probably purchase from the cafe car, it's really not much of a savings. Of course, you could stock up on your own food,but you will probably want at least two meals, and something that is hot.
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I don't think Amtrak deep fries on the train. The burgers all come with chips but no fries.
 
Yeah, no deep-fryers on a vehicle that can get quite bumpy!

As for prices, it's partly a captive audience, it's partly "it's damn expensive for Amtrak" for a variety of reasons to stock and serve food.

That said, I do think outside vendors might find viable ways to shake things up and cut costs some.

I don't have the numbers but I'd be curious to see how food prices and costs on the Downeaster compare to say the NEC.
 
neroden said:
The prices are not even slightly competitive. Apparently Amtrak wants to chase away coach customers?

This still seems to me like a plan to eliminate the dining cars. Which is frankly stupid, given that they aren't replacing them with anything; it'll just be a ridership and revenue killer. They might not notice given the overall upward trend in ridership and revenue, though.
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Amtrak is being ordered to cut dining car costs and losses. You can bet they know it's stupid and not good for customer relations and have probably heard an earful which would be better directed to elected officials hostile to Amtrak. They are the true source of the problem. Dining cars in some form are necessary for LD travel in North America but never have and likely never will, make money with the exception of luxury services for the wealthy.

.
 
D.P. Roberts said:
seat38a said:
Well by the looks of it, it looks like I'll be eating a lot of sour dough bread on the CS and EB this month. Maybe someone ordered WAY too much sour dough and needed to get rid of it?
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Ummm... what? I don't see anything with sourdough bread on it?
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On amtrakfoodfacts.com it shows that they are showing a variation of grilled sour dough for breakfast special. And for lunch, putting tomatoes in it and serving it as a special again.
 
I am leaving on a big trip from Arizona to New Jersey this coming Sunday. Hopefully positive comments will be forthcoming from me; Mr Hudson take note! I take it the revised menu is now in effect? Some of it sounds fairly palatable.
 
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