Amtrak Dining and Cafe Service discussion 2024 H2

[railiner]

Some waiters were probably kept busy carrying food trays to private bedrooms and drawing rooms.

That, and another served as the “pantry man”, maintaining supplies, condiments, polishing silver and glassware, etc. Each waiter not only took orders from patrons, but served sometimes as many as 5 or 6 courses. And they also prepared salads and soup orders at the pantry.
The chef was assisted by a second and third cook. Occasionally, a fourth. The 3rd and 4th washed the dishes and pots and pans, as well as scrubbing the complete galley after each meal. Just about everything served was prepared on board from scratch.
The steward supervised everything. He also collected the payments, seated the patrons, prepared cocktails, and with the help of the chef, maintained inventory, and resupply orders.
Between meals, waiters polished silverware. One waiter would walk thru the train, play a chime instrument, and announce the first and subsequent calls for each meal.

 

[Willbridge]

That, and another served as the “pantry man”, maintaining supplies, condiments, polishing silver and glassware, etc. Each waiter not only took orders from patrons, but served sometimes as many as 5 or 6 courses. And they also prepared salads and soup orders at the pantry.
The chef was assisted by a second and third cook. Occasionally, a fourth. The 3rd and 4th washed the dishes and pots and pans, as well as scrubbing the complete galley after each meal. Just about everything served was prepared on board from scratch.

In about 1953 my dad took me by the galley end of the economy diner on UP457/458 and introduced me to the chef and two cooks. I don't remember how many waiters there were. I do remember how tight the space in the galley was.

 

[eackly]

A well-run hotel was the inspiration for the operation of many long-haul luxury trains in the extra-fare all-Pullman years. The people who rode those luxury trains were those who not only expected the best of everything but who could afford service in the same style they might have encountered at the Waldorf-Astoria or The Savoy in London. This is undoubtedly why the railroads had to have real China in their dining cars.

It should be pointed out that, back when food was served on real China in the dining cars, people dressed up when they went to the dining car to eat. (In Europe, people still dress formally when dining on a train.) In today’s world, many people wear jeans or other casual clothing when traveling and think nothing of doing so when eating in the dining car. In this informal atmosphere, why should anyone be concerned about Amtrak serving meals on informal plastic plates?

To my mind, clothing should not dictate how food is served.

Panera manages to serve on dishware and offer metal cutlery. Folks wear whatever to Panera.

I get your point, but I am not sure that it applies in 2024.

 

[Eric in East County]

To my mind, clothing should not dictate how food is served.

Panera manages to serve on dishware and offer metal cutlery. Folks wear whatever to Panera.

I get your point, but I am not sure that it applies in 2024.

Again, the first priority should be to restore traditional dining to all long distance trains rather than first restoring dishware.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Again, the first priority should be to restore traditional dining to all long distance trains rather than first restoring dishware.

Agreed; the food is more important than what it's served on.

 

[Steve4031]

I remember riding the empire Builder in 1977 with my dad. I was 11. We stood in a long line to get seated. I recall that we spent time in the vestibule where there was an open ditch door. Then we got to the long hall next to the kitchen. There was no AC in the diner. I looked in to the door t of the kitchen. I remember someone commenting about the presto logs adding to the heat. The side door was also open to give some relief to the diner crew. We eventually were seated. The dinner was good. I had the cheeseburger superb. Don’t remember dessert.

That diner served coaches and sleepers on an 18 car train.

 

[pennyk]

MODERATOR NOTE: Please limit the discussion here to the topic of Amtrak Dining Car and Cafe Service.

Many off topic posts discussing apparel on trains and other modes of transportation in years past were moved to a new thread in the AU Lounge:
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/dining-apparel-in-years-past-on-trains-ships-etc.87963/

Thank you for your cooperation, understanding and participation.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

When it comes to staffing, I do think that the Cross Country Diner Concept was a good one. For the western trains that typically have 2 in the kitchen, 2 servers and 2 LSA's (diner and cafe) - if you put that same staff in the CCC car and alternated the hours with overlap during the busy times, you could serve more customers with better quality food, since the Cafe menu could offer food prepared in the kitchen downstairs. For the most popular trains, the upstairs of the SSL cars could also be staffed with drinks and snacks, allowing the CCC car to be a true cafe car.

 

[west point]

IMO Amtrak has no incentive to upgrade dinning because upgraded dinning cannot bring in more riders. Until the LD trains have enough capacity to attract more riders Amtrak does not need to upgrade the dinning experience, As an example Auto Train has the capacity, its dinning service does meet somewhat higher standards for dinning.

 

[zephyr17]

When it comes to staffing, I do think that the Cross Country Diner Concept was a good one. For the western trains that typically have 2 in the kitchen, 2 servers and 2 LSA's (diner and cafe) - if you put that same staff in the CCC car and alternated the hours with overlap during the busy times, you could serve more customers with better quality food, since the Cafe menu could offer food prepared in the kitchen downstairs. For the most popular trains, the upstairs of the SSL cars could also be staffed with drinks and snacks, allowing the CCC car to be a true cafe car.

The Cross Country Cafe service was a great concept. It was such a great idea that, of course, it was never implemented by Amtrak management.

 

[nmarsh]

I need to have coffee every morning but non-dairy sweetened powder or in plastic containers does not do it...

as one of those snobs, do I have to worry about my end to end trip on the Zephyr? Should I bring my own 1/2 n 1/2?

(I know there are bigger problems in the world....but .....)

 

[zephyr17]

I need to have coffee every morning but non-dairy sweetened powder or in plastic containers does not do it...

as one of those snobs, do I have to worry about my end to end trip on the Zephyr? Should I bring my own 1/2 n 1/2?

(I know there are bigger problems in the world....but .....)

I seem to recall Amtrak has half and half in the little sealed plastic cups, not non-dairy creamers. At least in the diners.

 

[MARC Rider]

I need to have coffee every morning but non-dairy sweetened powder or in plastic containers does not do it...

as one of those snobs, do I have to worry about my end to end trip on the Zephyr? Should I bring my own 1/2 n 1/2?

(I know there are bigger problems in the world....but .....)

Thank goodness, when I was in the Boy Scouts, my scoutmaster taught us to drink black coffee without sugar on camping trips. His rationale: No refrigeration for cream while on the trail, and that we kinda wouldn't clean our coffee cups properly resulting in a sticky sweet residues that would attract bugs.

 

[PVD]

they have had half and half in little plastic cups that do not require refrigeration on every train I have ridden in the last few years - not non dairy creamer

 

[nmarsh]

Thank goodness, when I was in the Boy Scouts, my scoutmaster taught us to drink black coffee without sugar on camping trips. His rationale: No refrigeration for cream while on the trail, and that we kinda wouldn't clean our coffee cups properly resulting in a sticky sweet residues that would attract bugs.

My husband expounds on the glories of black coffee each morning when he lovingly drives to get my 1/2 n 1/2 that we have run out of!
I think I'll bring my hydroflask of 1/2 n 1/2...one fewer plastic cup in the landfill! Thanks for the info!!

 

[crescent-zephyr]

In the dining car you could ask for Milk and use that. Otherwise, Amtrak provides liquid creamers in disposable plastic cups or pouches. It's not exactly "real" 1/2 and 1/2 but it is better than the powder.

 

[railiner]

My husband expounds on the glories of black coffee each morning when he lovingly drives to get my 1/2 n 1/2 that we have run out of!

I do that, too.

When I first started drinking coffee in my teen years, my part time job boss used to make a pot, but told us he drank it black, and it would be up to each of us to supply our own milk and sugar, if we wanted it. Besides, he added, “real” coffee drinkers would only drink it black.

I don’t drink milk anyway, so learned to drink it sans sweeteners. After a couple of weeks, my taste was only for black coffee, and when I accidentally sipped a cup with sugar added, I wanted to spit it out…

 

[PaulM]

Has coffee been discontinued in sleeping cars? I recently took the the Lakeshore Limited from CHI to Rochester and Utica back to CHI. Neither NY sleeper had coffee on either train. And no, going to the dining car for coffee when you wake up is not an adequate substitute.

If this is permanent, it's one of the lowest things Amtrak could do.

 

[PVD]

Except for one recent trip where the attendant let us know the coffee urn was defective, it has been available early morning until close to lunch. But the attendant let us know we could go to the next sleeper, or let him know and he would bring it.

 

[joelkfla]

Has coffee been discontinued in sleeping cars? I recently took the the Lakeshore Limited from CHI to Rochester and Utica back to CHI. Neither NY sleeper had coffee on either train. And no, going to the dining car for coffee when you wake up is not an adequate substitute.

If this is permanent, it's one of the lowest things Amtrak could do.

Lazy car attendants, and no on-board supervision.

 

[JWM]

A well-run hotel was the inspiration for the operation of many long-haul luxury trains in the extra-fare all-Pullman years. The people who rode those luxury trains were those who not only expected the best of everything but who could afford service in the same style they might have encountered at the Waldorf-Astoria or The Savoy in London. This is undoubtedly why the railroads had to have real China in their dining cars.

It should be pointed out that, back when food was served on real China in the dining cars, people dressed up when they went to the dining car to eat. (In Europe, people still dress formally when dining on a train.) In today’s world, many people wear jeans or other casual clothing when traveling and think nothing of doing so when eating in the dining car. In this informal atmosphere, why should anyone be concerned about Amtrak serving meals on informal plastic plates?

Yes, we are a nation of slobs.

 

[Trucker72]

Except for one recent trip where the attendant let us know the coffee urn was defective, it has been available early morning until close to lunch. But the attendant let us know we could go to the next sleeper, or let us know and he would bring it.

We did five LD trains earlier this month (including LSL from BOS to CHI) and coffee was available in all the sleepers.

 

[Palmland]

Unfortunately if your are in one of the two mostly all bedroom cars on AutoTrain you’ll have go to the next sleeper or lounge car to get your coffee. The SCA’s have told us the design of those unique cars prevented installing Amtrak’s coffee machines- not sure if it was ever available or a function of Amtraks current coffee machines. But, you can get ice!

 

[alanh]

The Superliners have classic coffee urns that brew with coffee grounds.

It's been a while since I've been on a Viewliner but I believe the coffee maker was a Douwe Egberts machine that uses liquid coffee concentrate that's mixed with hot water.

 

[PVD]

The Superliners have classic coffee urns that brew with coffee grounds.

It's been a while since I've been on a Viewliner but I believe the coffee maker was a Douwe Egberts machine that uses liquid coffee concentrate that's mixed with hot water.

Haven't seen one of those in a while, I think its a big urn now.