Amtrak Dining and Cafe Service discussion 2024 H2

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What is the "Just For You" program that the report wants to reintroduce?
"Just for You" was tested on a few trains. It's a pre-selected boxed dining car meal available for purchase by coach passengers. The LSA walks the coaches and takes order and payment, the coach attendant is responsible for delivering the meals. The meals are prepared by the chef. They are all served at the same time.

It was considered a success financially and for passengers so naturally Amtrak didn't continue it - haha.
 
On a trip we made on Southwest Chief No. 4 in 2016, while we were passing through the Santa Fe National Forest, it was announced that orders were being taken for a “Just for You” meal that was being offered “for coach passengers only.” Those who ordered this special meal, consisting of fried chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, vegetable side, large chocolate chip cookie and a bottle of water, would have it delivered to their seats.
I had this meal on the Sunset Ltd several times, it was Excellent!
 
most major airlines in the past would let passengers order a kosher meal when making a reservation. Now have no idea.
Amtrak offers kosher meals on the long-distance trains. You need to give them 72-hour notice (by phone.) The meals are OK, basically flex meals with more food. A major problem is that the whole thing is stored frozen, which means that it has to be prepared just right, or you end up with frozen pasta salad, even if the main is heated up correctly.

Here's a review of some that I had a few years ago:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/my-2021-gathering-food-thread.80101/

I wouldn't recommend ordering the kosher meal unless you really keep kosher.
 
I had this meal on the Sunset Ltd several times, it was Excellent!
We once asked our SCA if we could, as sleeping car passengers, request a “Just for You” meal in place of what was on the regular long-distance menu and she thought that we could. (Although we didn’t order it, we were tempted.)
 
most major airlines in the past would let passengers order a kosher meal when making a reservation. Now have no idea.
They do so even now, in addition to Low Cholesterol meal and so called Hindu meal (which rightfully probably should be called a Jain meal, since many Hindus are non-vegetarians and there is absolutely no requirement for vegetarianism or prohibition of non-veg in general in Hinduism) in flights to India etc.

But what the likes of Singapore do is more like a general large restaurant menu from which you can pre-order your choice. The on board menu is a much smaller thing with three or four choices at most.
 
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But what the likes of Singapore do is more like a general large restaurant menu from which you can pre-order your choice. The on board menu is a much smaller thing with three or four choices at most.
I had a flight last year booked on Singapore's "fifth freedom" from JFK to FRA and was so looking forward to the "Book the Cook" feature, only to have the flight cancelled a month out.
 
Most of my travel is on NEC trains, so my dining experience is largely the Cafe car. I have noticed that the quality of the food there has increased, although at the same time as this I have had to limit my diet so there are several choices I can't order. The overall quality, even with something as simple as cheese and crackers, has improved.

As for the reheating method, since they have kept the old favorite hot dog, which most attendants just cut a slit in the package and microwave. Today I saw an attendant open it up separate the bun and hot dog. Microwave the bun the put it in a warming cabinet, microwave the hot dog, then reassemble and wrap the whole thing in foil. The was cool, and I kind of wished it was my order, but definitely not the norm.
 
As for the reheating method, since they have kept the old favorite hot dog, which most attendants just cut a slit in the package and microwave. Today I saw an attendant open it up separate the bun and hot dog. Microwave the bun the put it in a warming cabinet, microwave the hot dog, then reassemble and wrap the whole thing in foil. The was cool, and I kind of wished it was my order, but definitely not the norm.
Clearly a person who takes pride in his work.
 
Most of my travel is on NEC trains, so my dining experience is largely the Cafe car. I have noticed that the quality of the food there has increased, although at the same time as this I have had to limit my diet so there are several choices I can't order. The overall quality, even with something as simple as cheese and crackers, has improved.

As for the reheating method, since they have kept the old favorite hot dog, which most attendants just cut a slit in the package and microwave. Today I saw an attendant open it up separate the bun and hot dog. Microwave the bun the put it in a warming cabinet, microwave the hot dog, then reassemble and wrap the whole thing in foil. The was cool, and I kind of wished it was my order, but definitely not the norm.
The Cafe car attendants on the Downeaster generally do this when I have ordered a cheeseburger. Note that they are employees of the contractor (NexDine) and are not Amtrak employees.
 
Most of my travel is on NEC trains, so my dining experience is largely the Cafe car. I have noticed that the quality of the food there has increased, although at the same time as this I have had to limit my diet so there are several choices I can't order. The overall quality, even with something as simple as cheese and crackers, has improved.

As for the reheating method, since they have kept the old favorite hot dog, which most attendants just cut a slit in the package and microwave. Today I saw an attendant open it up separate the bun and hot dog. Microwave the bun the put it in a warming cabinet, microwave the hot dog, then reassemble and wrap the whole thing in foil. The was cool, and I kind of wished it was my order, but definitely not the norm.
I've seen them do that, too. I think it's what they're supposed to do all the time. I also recall that the Amfleet 1 cafe have two ovens, they both looks like microwaves, but at least one also can be a convection/toaster over, thus you can get the bun toasted.

I really hate it when they nuke a whole sandwich, bun and all. It really messes up the bread. I guess the next time I see it done, I should send in a comment to the RPA survey on OBS and maybe to somebody at Amtrak.
 
I've seen them do that, too. I think it's what they're supposed to do all the time. I also recall that the Amfleet 1 cafe have two ovens, they both looks like microwaves, but at least one also can be a convection/toaster over, thus you can get the bun toasted.

I really hate it when they nuke a whole sandwich, bun and all. It really messes up the bread. I guess the next time I see it done, I should send in a comment to the RPA survey on OBS and maybe to somebody at Amtrak.
My solution is just to get cold sandwiches in the cafe car.
 
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Is there any Amtrak published information about the cafe car providing hot water to passengers? I mean, is it available on request, or just down to the employee who is serving to decide?
 
Is there any Amtrak published information about the cafe car providing hot water to passengers? I mean, is it available on request, or just down to the employee who is serving to decide?
Amtrak Food and beverage service always comes down to the employee who is serving - however hot water and ice are generally available by request in the cafe car. I would plan on keeping it reasonable though, asking for multiple cups of hot water, multiple times per trip, is more likely to get denied. Same with ice.
 
Amtrak Food and beverage service always comes down to the employee who is serving - however hot water and ice are generally available by request in the cafe car. I would plan on keeping it reasonable though, asking for multiple cups of hot water, multiple times per trip, is more likely to get denied. Same with ice.
Shame there is no way to rely in advance of boarding on these things being available. No worries, I always bring my travel kettle on my trips.
 
Rather than suffering thru Flex meals, I take along some items from: https://packitgourmet.com/trail-meals/

Much better than Flex, and from a reputable source. Depending on the item -- add either cold or hot water, seal and rehydrate, eat right out of the packaging with a long spoon or spork.
Do you bring a device to heat water on the train or do you get hot water from train attendants - if you do does it require 1 or 2 cups of water?
 
Amazon has a Norpro immersion heater that draws 2.5A or 300W - is that too much?
Not by itself, that is pretty low for such a thing. But bear in mind that the room outlets are on a 15A circuit that is shared with at least some other rooms. While I don't know this for certain, I understand that crews are only supposed to reset a tripped breaker at most twice, if it trips again, they are not supposed to reset it. So use of high draw devices could result in a block of rooms having their power cut (which is of concern to me as a CPAP user).

I was honestly thinking more of a kettle with a 8A-12.5A draw, though, which could use the majority of the circuit's total capacity. It wouldn't take many others plugging stuff in to trip the breaker if one user was pulling 12.5A. 2.5A while not a small draw, wouldn't be as much of a concern.
 
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