Amtrak Dining and Cafe Service discussion 2024 H2

[MccfamschoolMom]

Are you referring to each diner meal or each dinner meal. Personally I usually abstain at breakfast.

Dinner meals only, as those are the only ones specifically mentioning alcoholic beverages.

 

[Gary Moline]

Unless they've changed their policy, it's only one free alcoholic beverage for the entire trip.

The last several trips I've taken on the CZ, SSL SWC, with Traditional Dining, there has been one free alcoholic beverage with each dinner. On the Amtrak site you can view route menus. Under the Dinner Menu, it states, "Served with a complimentary alcoholic beverage; soft beverages are complimentary during all meal periods." It does not state only one alcoholic beverage per trip.

 

[Brian Battuello]

Jeeze, you'd think that since sleepers are "first class" service, they could at least train employees to be consistent on drink per meal vs drink per ride. I know Amtrak has a long tradition of onboard staff doing whatever they want, but this should be a no-brainer.

I'd almost rather just go back to paying for the drink than wonder if I'm going to get an argument every time I order one.

At least I can still bring a bottle into my room...

 

[zephyr17]

Jeeze, you'd think that since sleepers are "first class" service, they could at least train employees to be consistent on drink per meal vs drink per ride.

Amtrak consistent?

Tell us another.

 

[Steve4031]

When the sleeper on 449 was bad ordered last summer, I had difficulty redeeming an alcohol voucher for a soft drink. I did not understand that the voucher was only for alcohol. The conductor and assistant conductor had harassed the new LSA to the point that she was confused enough not to just issue me a free soft drink, which I was entitled to.

 

[jiml]

Jeeze, you'd think that since sleepers are "first class" service, they could at least train employees to be consistent on drink per meal vs drink per ride. I know Amtrak has a long tradition of onboard staff doing whatever they want, but this should be a no-brainer.

I'd almost rather just go back to paying for the drink than wonder if I'm going to get an argument every time I order one.

At least I can still bring a bottle into my room...

In fairness though, it's not limited to Amtrak. There are literally hundreds of pages of reviews and similar complaints about most airlines. People pay big bucks for Business/First Class only to experience food and beverage shortfalls, both on the part of the airline and staff making up their own rules.

 

[John Bredin]

When the sleeper on 449 was bad ordered last summer, I had difficulty redeeming an alcohol voucher for a soft drink. I did not understand that the voucher was only for alcohol. The conductor and assistant conductor had harassed the new LSA to the point that she was confused enough not to just issue me a free soft drink, which I was entitled to.

Sounds like you needed to do a modern version of the old "chicken sandwich, hold the chicken" movie scene. "Rum and Coke, hold the rum."

 

[drdumont]

I don’t understand all the hand wringing about coffee. Free and hot seems like a pretty good deal.

Unless it tastes like ground up pecan shells (MdDonald's) or burnt floor sweeping compound (Starbucks).

 

[blueman271]

Unless it tastes like ground up pecan shells (MdDonald's) or burnt floor sweeping compound (Starbucks).

I find coffee from both those establishments to be perfectly acceptable.

To be clear my original comment was tongue-in-cheek. I started drinking coffee on my first boat, some 17 years ago, and I fully understand that my coffee preferences are well outside the mainstream.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

I find coffee from both those establishments to be perfectly acceptable.

To be clear my original comment was tongue-in-cheek. I started drinking coffee on my first boat, some 17 years ago, and I fully understand that my coffee preferences are well outside the mainstream.

I tend to order heavily sweetened coffee drinks from both McDonald's and Starbucks, so I probably have never tasted the "ground-up pecan shells" or the "burnt floor-sweeping compound". The coffee from the urn in the sleeping car on the Texas Eagle was close, though -- when it was available. On our southbound trip from IL it was only available for about an hour after "quiet hours" ended, and on the northbound return journey, I initially got the dregs of one potful, which certainly would have qualified as paint stripper. The SCA made up another urnful shortly afterwards, though, and that one was at least up to Super 8's level (not great, but palatable).

 

[railiner]

I think they should replace the traditional urns in the sleepers with modern Keurig type pre-measured pod machines. They offer a fairly good and consistent fresh brew for each cup, and are easy to maintain. No more old, burnt coffee, sitting too long, or improperly measured.

 

[jiml]

I think they should replace the traditional urns in the sleepers with modern Keurig type pre-measured pod machines. They offer a fairly good and consistent fresh brew for each cup, and are easy to maintain. No more old, burnt coffee, sitting too long, or improperly measured.

This would also be a good compromise for us tea drinkers, rather than a stale tea bag with a cup of lukewarm water. There are a lot of good teas for that system.

 

[gregg_vw]

Keurigs are convenient, but an expensive way to dispense coffee, not to mention the micro plastic in each cup and the plastic waste from each uncyclable pod.

 

[PVD]

Keurig pods are very expensive per serving compared to other methods, and are very prone to theft. Current pods are now recyclable, but in the Amtrak environment they wouldn't be.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

There are coffee pods which use less plastic & work in Keurig-style coffeemakers (f.ex., San Francisco Bay Coffee Co.). However, I can imagine that Amtrak would use pods from whichever company gives them the best deal, whether those pods are the mostly-plastic ones or not. (Kinda like how the soft drinks are Coke products only.)

 

[Steve's Wanderlust]

While aboard the Silver Meteor in '23, the crew member working the dining car offered to get me the Starbucks blend he brewed there anytime I needed a cup. It was the first time I tasted an example of the Pike Place Blend that I found to be palatable. He could also give Flex meals a fantastic presentation. I hope to ride with him again someday!

 

[fillyjonk]

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.

This is true.
I am going to be boarding the TE this afternoon (MIN-> BNL) and am looking in dismay at the "flex menu" and wondering what on it I might want. Butter chicken seems the least bad? Several other things prominently feature veggies that give me GI distress.....I just wish the steak/potato/green beans would come back

But man, it seems like there are even FEWER choices than when Flex Dining started. It's like they hate the Texas Eagle eastern leg (what am I saying, "It's like"?)

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

This is true.
I am going to be boarding the TE this afternoon (MIN-> BNL) and am looking in dismay at the "flex menu" and wondering what on it I might want. Butter chicken seems the least bad? Several other things prominently feature veggies that give me GI distress.....I just wish the steak/potato/green beans would come back

But man, it seems like there are even FEWER choices than when Flex Dining started. It's like they hate the Texas Eagle eastern leg (what am I saying, "It's like"?)

You should be OK for breakfast tomorrow morning (which they'll start serving during the "fresh air break" at St. Louis). As for supper tonight, your best bet might be to pick out any veggies likely to give you problems (as I did with the cashews when sampling the hubby's butter chicken on our trip, as I have difficulty chewing nuts with dentures). As for lunch tomorrow, they start serving it pretty early, at the Springfield stop, but you might want to forgo lunch on the train, and just eat when you arrive in Bloomington/Normal. (The BNL station is in "Campustown" for Illinois State University in downtown Normal, so there are a lot of decent restaurants near the station.)

 

[railiner]

Keurig pods are very expensive per serving compared to other methods, and are very prone to theft.

I stock up at Costco when their Kirkland branded K-Cups are on sale. Comes out to about 30¢ per cup…

 

[fillyjonk]

You should be OK for breakfast tomorrow morning (which they'll start serving during the "fresh air break" at St. Louis). As for supper tonight, your best bet might be to pick out any veggies likely to give you problems (as I did with the cashews when sampling the hubby's butter chicken on our trip, as I have difficulty chewing nuts with dentures). As for lunch tomorrow, they start serving it pretty early, at the Springfield stop, but you might want to forgo lunch on the train, and just eat when you arrive in Bloomington/Normal. (The BNL station is in "Campustown" for Illinois State University in downtown Normal, so there are a lot of decent restaurants near the station.)

Thanks. Yeah, I am going to wait on lunch unless we are VERY delayed because my mom is picking me up and anything I can get at her house will be better than anything Amtrak can serve!

I have a mild sensitivity to cashews; I suspected them of triggering hives but if I pick around them I think I will be OK. I haven't had hives in years and have since eaten some of the foods that I thought triggered them


that said, that menu is Not Great for people with tree nut allergies; two things off limits

 

[drdumont]

I find coffee from both those establishments to be perfectly acceptable.

To be clear my original comment was tongue-in-cheek. I started drinking coffee on my first boat, some 17 years ago, and I fully understand that my coffee preferences are well outside the mainstream.

Six years of US Navy coffee on the old Diesel boats... Hot, black, strong and bitter, with a soupcon of Diesel oil and a whisper of sewer gas if the drain cock

[EDIT: Someone censored the word rhyming with "DOCK", the proper name for a type of plumbing valve. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???"]

was not absolutely air tight. (We stole all the gasket/seat kits we could from the tender). The MMMs added a second stopcock on one of my boats JIC. And you walked through an engine room without a couple of fresh hot cups for the MMMs at considerable peril. But I digress...
I'm no longer in the Navy, must pay an exorbitant amount of money for coffee, and won't drink the curious admixture of lye, rust remover and concentrated oxen's urine served in the aforementioned establishments. I carry my Keurig OneCup and a supply of Cafe' Bustelo K-Cups. Never know when you need a fresh eye opener.

 

[drdumont]

There are coffee pods which use less plastic & work in Keurig-style coffeemakers (f.ex., San Francisco Bay Coffee Co.). However, I can imagine that Amtrak would use pods from whichever company gives them the best deal, whether those pods are the mostly-plastic ones or not. (Kinda like how the soft drinks are Coke products only.)

AMTRAK played around with Pepsi for awhile until they came to their senses.

 

[drdumont]

This is true.
I am going to be boarding the TE this afternoon (MIN-> BNL) and am looking in dismay at the "flex menu" and wondering what on it I might want. Butter chicken seems the least bad? Several other things prominently feature veggies that give me GI distress.....I just wish the steak/potato/green beans would come back

But man, it seems like there are even FEWER choices than when Flex Dining started. It's like they hate the Texas Eagle eastern leg (what am I saying, "It's like"?)

They are monkeying with the FLEX garbage <apologies for the redundancy> again? Other than the morning omelette, there is nothing in a FLEX that is remotely appealing. We are riding DAL-CHI over the Thanksgiving weekend. We bring our own electric cooler and coffee maker. They continue to beat that poor rented mule, the Eagle.

 

[MARC Rider]

Other than the morning omelette, there is nothing in a FLEX that is remotely appealing.

On the other hand, I find most of the other flex entrees to be far superior to the omelet. I guess there's no accounting for individual taste.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

On the other hand, I find most of the other flex entrees to be far superior to the omelet. I guess there's no accounting for individual taste.

As for the hubby and myself, we didn't have a problem with the individual flex entrees; rather, it was being restricted to the same choices for both lunch and supper, which resulted in repeat meals even on as short a journey as ours (supper/breakfast/lunch each way Pontiac, IL - Fort Worth, TX and return). We were tired enough of the flex dining on the way back that we declined having lunch on board on the way back, in favor of having lunch in Pontiac after leaving the train.