Amtrak Dining and Cafe service 2023 H2

[jis]

Remember Texas Eagle is Flex Menu while Silvers are Traditional Dining. Apples and Oranges comparison. Experience in one does not provide any guidance for the other.

 

[CraigInNC]

Has anyone ridden the Silver Star recently? I am planning on booking from Tampa to Raleigh NC for March 2024. It has been since 2021 since I rode that route and they have upgraded back to Traditional Dining. We book roomettes since it is an overnight trip. As I remember in 2021 we were in one of the new Viewliners that eliminated the in-room toilet but had a nice shower.

 

[pennyk]

Has anyone ridden the Silver Star recently? I am planning on booking from Tampa to Raleigh NC for March 2024. It has been since 2021 since I rode that route and they have upgraded back to Traditional Dining. We book roomettes since it is an overnight trip. As I remember in 2021 we were in one of the new Viewliners that eliminated the in-room toilet but had a nice shower.

Yes, the Silvers have resumed traditional dining. (sleeper accommodations are discussed in other threads - some are new and some are old)

 

[bonzoesc]

Has anyone ridden the Silver Star recently? I am planning on booking from Tampa to Raleigh NC for March 2024. It has been since 2021 since I rode that route and they have upgraded back to Traditional Dining. We book roomettes since it is an overnight trip. As I remember in 2021 we were in one of the new Viewliners that eliminated the in-room toilet but had a nice shower.

I had traditional dining on the silver meteor the last couple days, it was fine and not substantially different than my experience with it on trains out west last summer.

 

[jis]

I had traditional dining on the silver meteor the last couple days, it was fine and not substantially different than my experience with it on trains out west last summer.

Only difference is absence of the Appetizers, other than a Salad. I don't quite understand why that difference exists, but when I asked I was never given a satisfactory answer beyond what sounded awfully like "we can therefore we do"

 

[Sidney]

On the Sunset/Eagle now from LA to Chicago. Wonderful breakfast, good lunch and superb dinner the next day after boarding at 10PM. Now on the Eagle through Texas. The flex stuff still is subpar. Overheated bland breakfast sandwich this morning. McDonald’s Burger King and Wendy’s is like a gourmet meal compared to this. Just had the Chicken parm for lunch. Tasteless and dry. Last three times I ve had the salmon. All three times tasteless and dry. Hopefully tonight will be an improvement.

Why can’t we substitute one of the decent sandwiches from the cafe car for a meal? Yes,I know some people like flex food,but after having many flex meals the bad outweigh the good. Please bring back traditional dining to the Eagle and the five other trains still stuck with flex!

The dining experience with flex is a total 180 from traditional and passengers paying sky high prices for accommodations deserve better.

 

[MARC Rider]

Only difference is absence of the Appetizers, other than a Salad. I don't quite understand why that difference exists, but when I asked I was never given a satisfactory answer beyond what sounded awfully like "we can therefore we do"

I had the shrimp appetizer on the Empire Builder on my recent trip, and, to be quite honest, I think just serving a salad would be better than the other appetizers they're serving.

 

[Eric in East County]

I had the shrimp appetizer on the Empire Builder on my recent trip, and, to be quite honest, I think just serving a salad would be better than the other appetizers they're serving.

On our trip last summer onboard SWC No. 3, by dinner time the second night out, the Diner had already run out of a number of items. Instead of the salads we’d ordered, we received Caprese Skewers. (After trying them, we both agreed that we would much rather have had the salads.)

 

[moosejunky99]

Hello,

I tired searching but this is 15 pages long. Can coach passengers do the diner on the Coast Starlight? Last time i road it was in OCT of 2021. I could not because it was not back to normal yet. Thinking about taking the train from SEA to PDX. 9:50 am to 1:50 pm. So, i was figuring i would get lunch before i get off.

Thanks for looking
moosejunky99

 

[user 14106]

Hello,

I tired searching but this is 15 pages long. Can coach passengers do the diner on the Coast Starlight? Last time i road it was in OCT of 2021. I could not because it was not back to normal yet. Thinking about taking the train from SEA to PDX. 9:50 am to 1:50 pm. So, i was figuring i would get lunch before i get off.

Thanks for looking
moosejunky99

Coach passengers can go to the diner on all the western trains that offer Traditional Dining. This includes the Coast Starlight along with the California Zephyr, Empire Builder, Southwest Chief, and Sunset Limited.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Coach passengers can go to the diner on all the western trains that offer Traditional Dining. This includes the Coast Starlight along with the California Zephyr, Empire Builder, Southwest Chief, and Sunset Limited.

On a Space Available Basis, and also @ the discretion of the Diner LSA!( aka " My way or the Highway!")

 

[NYP2NFL01]

Without question the worst Flex meal I ever attempted to eat was last August on the westbound Lake Shore LTD out of NYP.
We opted to dine in our Roomette. Instead of the foil-covered aluminum containers, our food was brought to us in uncovered black plastic trays. The food was lukewarm and actually cold in spots. Simply inedible! Plus they forgot our salad, roll and dessert. Our SCA said the problem was with the new chef, who in his desire to deliver meals in a timely fashion, did not heat them up properly. While in Albany-Rensselaer, I bought burgers from the restaurant in the station. We did eventually received our roll, salad and dessert. I really hope LSL returns to traditional dining in 2024!

 

[PaTrainFan]

the new chef

Chef? Definitely a generous term for the food preparer of flex meals.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

Chef? Definitely a generous term for the food preparer of flex meals.

Simply quoting what the SCA referred to them as. I agree with your sentiments for sure!

 

[PaTrainFan]

Simply quoting what the SCA referred to them as. I agree with your sentiments for sure!

Like when people as me if I cook. I say, no, I prepare food for consumption.

 

[Rasputin]

Several months ago there were posts by some who stated that they had heard from Amtrak officials (not the usual OBS employee rumor) that traditional dining would be restored to the Lake Shore late this year or in early 2024.

It is now "late this year" and traditional dining has not been restored to the Lake Shore nor, as far as I know, has a firm date been set for the return of traditional dining to that train.

I will check back in the Spring to see if this gargantuan task has been accomplished by then and if not, if there are any signs that we are anywhere closer.

 

[jis]

Several months ago there were posts by some who stated that they had heard from Amtrak officials (not the usual OBS employee rumor) that traditional dining would be restored to the Lake Shore late this year or in early 2024.

It is now "late this year" and traditional dining has not been restored to the Lake Shore nor, as far as I know, has a firm date been set for the return of traditional dining to that train.

I will check back in the Spring to see if this gargantuan task has been accomplished by then and if not, if there are any signs that we are anywhere closer.

Since then the Crescent seems to have been finding more mention from those same people than the Lake Shore. At Amtrak you have to wait until the proverbial fat lady sings, irrespective of what the executives say privately or publicly. That is why whenever I mention something based on some utterance I always say that it should be taken as hearsay until an official announcement happens

 

[user 14106]

The return of the physical dining car to the Crescent is one item that’s been outright confirmed (It was mentioned by Harris at the public board meeting.) not a huge surprise given we already knew five diners were exiting storage this year and given that number the Crescent seemed the obvious destination. This obviously has to be the first thing that happens before the return of the soft product. I would not be surprised if it initially returns serving flex in essentially an identical manner to how it’s currently done on the lake shore. Still this would be progress toward an eventual traditional dining restoration as it would restore the LSA-Diner job to the train along with the car itself. Then they just need to eventually add the chef (as the manner in which is served will undoubtedly mirror what’s being done on the Silvers.)

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

At Amtrak you have to wait until the proverbial fat lady sings

I am that proverbial "lady of a certain size", and I sing at church twice a month -- but Amtrak doesn't listen to me!

 

[pennyk]

To continue the discussion of Amtrak dining and cafe service, please post your comments in the "current" Amtrak dining and cafe service thread:

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/amtrak-dining-and-cafe-service-discussion-2024-q1.86669/
Thank you for your cooperation and participation.