The new menus are up on the Amtrak web site

[Guest]

Trains do run out of food, especially when they run extremely late. If you search through some past travelogues, you'll find stories of cafe cars running out of food, diners running out of nearly everything.
In those case, you'll read about Amtrak serving Dinty Moore Stew over rice. Either that or making a special pickup from a fast-food restaurant such as Subway or Kentucky Fried Chicken.

I still remember being 24+ hours late once, and the dining car still had food for the Sleeper passengers. Yea, one or two menus items, they were out of, but they still had most of the stuff. The LSA made sure we were fed.

However, the coach passengers were getting mighty ornery, with no food. Many packed their own meals, and had no desire or money to buy food onboard. By their third day on board the "overnight" train, they really, really wanted Amtrak to bring in Subway or KFC (for free of course).

Amtrak did bring in "white box" meals to coach, eventually, to keep those passengers from setting fire to the cars. I am not sure where they got the boxes. However, Amtrak forgot the need for a relief train crew too, which dragged a bad situation over the edge into total catastrophe/calamity.

 

[AlanB]

that menu is several years old if you notice the prices!!!old timers can tell you the year!(early 2000???????)

As Peter noted in his post, those menus are from 2003, April 2003 in fact.

 

[AlanB]

Other changes:
Prices appear to have increased slightly from the last menu. Also, the chicken wing appetizer is gone.

Have been concerned about the high prices of entrees. Is anyone else? Can't they lower the prices a bit and serve more customers? Also, the cost of cafe sandwiches ($6.00 for a small sandwich on the Silver Meteor last month!!!!) Good PR would be fairer prices IMHO.

They can't if they want to continue to comply with the Congressional mandate that requires Amtrak to cut the looses in food service if they wish to continue to receive Federal funding.

Bottom line, if you want lower prices, complain to Congress.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

However, Amtrak forgot the need for a relief train crew too

Seems pretty unlikely that Amtrak "forgot" the need for a relief train crew. Maybe a staffing problem in scrounging up replacements, but forgot? Wouldn't rule it out, though, as sometimes even the most obvious things can be overlooked in dealing with immediate concerns - like running 24+ hours late.

 

[jack615]

Some trains still have the option for the appetizers on their menu, just that you have to pay for them extra. The Texas Eagle and the City of New Orleans do still.

Jack

 

[DowneasterPassenger]

LOL when I saw this thread title I thought it meant that Amtrak had changed the look and feel of the "menus" (i.e. drop-down menus) on their web site.

 

[printman2000]

My wife and I got a chuckle out of the menu for the other trains..

Under Dessert Specialties...

Your server will describe todays selections, which include cheese cake, a chocolate selection and a third carefully chosen offering.

How is that for a description!

You know, seems like half the menu is gonna have to be described by your server. Talk about a non-committal menu.

 

[Hamhock]

You know, seems like half the menu is gonna have to be described by your server. Talk about a non-committal menu.

See, I think that's a terrific idea. Two or so standards, and the flexibility to add/change a "special" based on availability due to seasons/supply/etc.

 

[RRrich]

Someone said that TRAINFOOD used to mean that in different areas the cooking staff would pick up area specialties and using local recipes prepare interesting local dishes. That would be GREAT

I'm not expecting it

 

[Hawkeye]

Uh oh - no mac and cheese on the new children's menu? My 5-year-old is going to be mad...

Seems odd they would ditch the mac and cheese. It's still listed in the general description on the Amtrak web page, but not in the new menu.

 

[cpamtfan]

Someone said that TRAINFOOD used to mean that in different areas the cooking staff would pick up area specialties and using local recipes prepare interesting local dishes. That would be GREAT
I'm not expecting it

Well the food is making a better step away from SDS dining. There lots of food to be tried, but if you want better food, try complaining to Congress.

If you haven't seen the July Trains Magizine article (avalible on their website) shows local and regional specialtys.

Uh oh - no mac and cheese on the new children's menu? My 5-year-old is going to be mad...
Seems odd they would ditch the mac and cheese. It's still listed in the general description on the Amtrak web page, but not in the new menu.

Amtrak hasn't updated those since the first SDS "steak" menu. Amtrak is trying different things right now, instead of having the same things over and oven. Does your five year old like grilled cheese? I was a picky eater aroud that age, so I know how hard it is to get him to try something new.

cpamtfan-Peter

 

[Ispolkom]

Looking at the Empire Builder menu, I'm glad to see freshly made pancakes instead of the French Toast. Plus, for lunch there's the return of AmSoup.

When they're choosing their "Regional Craft Beers," I hope that they consider Summit's Great Northern Porter. A great (though not terribly popular) beer, with a name related to the Empire Builder. Plus it's brewed not 200 yards from the route of the Empire Builder in St. Paul.

 

[RTOlson]

For the macaroni and cheese selection, do cafe cars serve the Easy Mac single-serving cups? I thought I saw that once, but don't recall.

I'm so excited about my summer trip. I'm taking the Empire Builder westbound and Coast Starlight south. On the EB, I would love to try the bison meatloaf. I might also be tempted to try the soup. On Starlight, I'm torn between dining in the Parlour car and getting the braised flat-iron beef whatever.

 

[Neil_M]

When they're choosing their "Regional Craft Beers," I hope that they consider Summit's Great Northern Porter. A great (though not terribly popular) beer, with a name related to the Empire Builder. Plus it's brewed not 200 yards from the route of the Empire Builder in St. Paul.

Good news, far far better beers in the US than bland rubbish like Budweiser. Plenty of Montana microbrews to sample as well, Moose Drool........Mmmmmmm

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Trains do run out of food, especially when they run extremely late. If you search through some past travelogues, you'll find stories of cafe cars running out of food, diners running out of nearly everything.
In those case, you'll read about Amtrak serving Dinty Moore Stew over rice. Either that or making a special pickup from a fast-food restaurant such as Subway or Kentucky Fried Chicken.

I still remember being 24+ hours late once, and the dining car still had food for the Sleeper passengers. Yea, one or two menus items, they were out of, but they still had most of the stuff. The LSA made sure we were fed.

However, the coach passengers were getting mighty ornery, with no food. Many packed their own meals, and had no desire or money to buy food onboard. By their third day on board the "overnight" train, they really, really wanted Amtrak to bring in Subway or KFC (for free of course).

Amtrak did bring in "white box" meals to coach, eventually, to keep those passengers from setting fire to the cars. I am not sure where they got the boxes. However, Amtrak forgot the need for a relief train crew too, which dragged a bad situation over the edge into total catastrophe/calamity.

when was that. i would sue amtrak for that. they feed the sleeping car paxs but starve to death the coach paxs who only get fead when the pax threaten mutiny. if it outlawed at a station i would get off the train regardless of the rules and figure out where the nearest greyhound station is at. you got maybe 100 sleeper pax but you got maybe 400 coach pax and if the crew trys to starve them to death like guest posted then those 400 are going to start a riot. the stupid outlawed crew couldn't go on the radio and request a new crew.

 

[Ispolkom]

When they're choosing their "Regional Craft Beers," I hope that they consider Summit's Great Northern Porter. A great (though not terribly popular) beer, with a name related to the Empire Builder. Plus it's brewed not 200 yards from the route of the Empire Builder in St. Paul.

Good news, far far better beers in the US than bland rubbish like Budweiser. Plenty of Montana microbrews to sample as well, Moose Drool........Mmmmmmm

Montana is second only to Vermont in breweries per capita. When even Wibaux (population 567) has a brewpub, and Belt (700 souls) has a brewery... but I had to plug my hometown favorite.

 

[Alice]

On Starlight, I'm torn between dining in the Parlour car and getting the braised flat-iron beef whatever.

I recommend PPC regardless of food choices.

 

[Shanghai]

I miss the Red Velvet Cake!! I was hoping it would return.

I think the menus looks good to me. After all, it's not the Waldorf!!

 

[AlanB]

when was that. i would sue amtrak for that. they feed the sleeping car paxs but starve to death the coach paxs who only get fead when the pax threaten mutiny.

Like airlines feed you when they keep you sitting on the runway for 9 hours. At least on the train they had the chance to buy food. These people wanted free food. That's very different.

As for when, I'd guess that it was at least longer than 2 years ago, as all Amtrak long distance trains now carry special supplies for just such a situation.

if it outlawed at a station i would get off the train regardless of the rules and figure out where the nearest greyhound station is at.

And if I were a RR cop who happened to be in the area, I would arrest you for doing so.

you got maybe 100 sleeper pax but you got maybe 400 coach pax and if the crew trys to starve them to death like guest posted then those 400 are going to start a riot.

And again, they wanted free food. It's not that they didn't have any food, they just couldn't get it for free.

the stupid outlawed crew couldn't go on the radio and request a new crew.

You need to calm down and think about what you're saying before you say it. It wasn't the crews fault. They are required by FRA rules to inform the host RR that they are about to outlaw. In fact, IIRC, the procedures call for two or three warnings, with the first one coming like two hours before they would actually outlaw.

If there was no replacement crew, then one of three things happened. 1) The host RR dropped the ball and didn't call Amtrak. 2) Amtrak dropped the ball and didn't call a crew. 3) and the most likely reason is that Amtrak did not have a fully rested crew to call. FRA won't allow you to bring in someone who hasn't gotten their full rest for safety reasons.

 

[GoldenSpike]

Ispolkom:

return of AmSoup.

Can saltine AmTrackers be next?

 

[Konrad]

The new menus for summer are up on the Amtrak web site.
It looks like the Empire Builder is the only train that will still have a grilled steak, a "Butcher’s Choice Cut Steak." All the others get the new braised flat iron steak in bordelaise sauce.

I see that the Empire Builder also has buttermilk pancakes instead of french toast.

(I have been monitoring this situation because I am getting on the Builder in a couple of weeks and I was going to be mightily disappointed if I didn't get a grilled steak while on board.)

So what are these menus I found on line:

http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/Dining_Car_Menu.r5.pdf

These look better and tastier than the ones you posted.

Dunno where you found them but they must be ancient - when was the last time Amtrak charged $8.00 for a half of wine?

 

[AlanB]

The new menus for summer are up on the Amtrak web site.
It looks like the Empire Builder is the only train that will still have a grilled steak, a "Butcher’s Choice Cut Steak." All the others get the new braised flat iron steak in bordelaise sauce.

I see that the Empire Builder also has buttermilk pancakes instead of french toast.

(I have been monitoring this situation because I am getting on the Builder in a couple of weeks and I was going to be mightily disappointed if I didn't get a grilled steak while on board.)

So what are these menus I found on line:

http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/Dining_Car_Menu.r5.pdf

These look better and tastier than the ones you posted.

Dunno where you found them but they must be ancient - when was the last time Amtrak charged $8.00 for a half of wine?

As Peter noted in his post, those menus are from 2003, April 2003 in fact.

 

[printman2000]

I miss the Red Velvet Cake!! I was hoping it would return.I think the menus looks good to me. After all, it's not the Waldorf!!

You never know. Maybe the carefully selected third choice!

 

[amtrakwolverine]

And if I were a RR cop who happened to be in the area, I would arrest you for doing so.

OH YEAH AT LEAST IN JAIL I GET FED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IF THE THE TRAIN IS STRANDED AT A STATION I SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE. ITS STUPID TO BE STUCK AT A STATION PLATFORM FOR HOURS AND HOURS AND NOT BE ALLOWED TO GET OFF.i was under the impression that those who had there own food didn't want to pay for it. i think amtrak should have offered the food for free. they didn't they took advantage of the situration and look what happened. the coach paxs rioted and were about to attack the crew.

 

[NativeSon5859]

Well I had a chance to try out the new menu on a pretty full #20 yesterday between NOL and ATL.

Breakfast was the same basically...good french toast as always.

For lunch I had the BBQ pork sandwhich and it was actually very good. I was surprised. The lady across from me had the gumbo (lunch special) and she said it was good, as well.

For dinner I ordered the wine braised steak but was disappointed to find out that it was actually the braised beef. I was notified of this when I ordered it. In all fairness it wasn't too bad, but I was looking forward to the steak. One of the girl's across from me ordered the 3-piece baked chicken and was surprised to find out that it was actually fried chicken. For dessert I had a piece of warm pecan pie and it was very good.