Amtrak Dining and Cafe Service discussion 2024 H2

[ancompton]

Your comments are spot on, guess I have been fortunate thus far. The Snack Bar Attendants have indeed nuked the dog separately or at least slit the wrapper as you say. I have had a couple who needed prompting, but have never been refused. Many trips up and down the NEC, although usually when leaving NYC I stopped for a couple of Dirtwater Dogs.
Unless you have spent time in The Suppurating Pustule on the Buttocks of Humanity, you might not have experienced the wonder of the hot dogs from the carts on the streets, one of the few benefits found there.

Have lanced some of those suppurating pustules; not a pleasant memory, but relief to the customer.

 

[alpha3]

^^^^^...suppurating pustule.......now THERE'S a visual......

 

[Sunrobber]

Just got home from roundtrip DAL-CHI-DAL on The Eagle. Food is still glop, a couple of changes, but still an unappetizing mess slopped into a round foil takeout bowl, left on the table until we arrove, plastic utensils (one knife broken, then one spoon broken). No tablecloths, have to ask for ice, beer warm. "Beef" chunks of Mystery Meat tough, the more you chewed it, the bigger it got.
We were last in an empty room when we were finishing, told to finish and leave "because more people were coming in".

Sic Transit Gloria AMTRAK

Ok, the elephant in the room is will this route—or any route serving flex meals EVER put a dining cargo back on and go back to traditional dining? I've been avoiding booking on these routes for this reason!

 

[trimetbusfan]

It will probablybly vary from crew to crew.

I just ask to buy a sandwich. Sometimes they comp it, and sometimes they don’t.

For what it’s worth, I recently I had an interesting encounter the LSL (the Boston section specifically). When I was greeted by the SCA upon departing in Chicago, he attendant told me something along the lines of ‘everything from the cafe it is complimentary.’ This was in addition to the ‘flex plus’ meals that were served in the dining car. He even encouraged me (and other passengers) to go visit the cafe and get some snacks before going to bed.

I visited the cafe a few times throughout the trip, and LSA made it very clear that I could get anything off the menu ‘complimentary’. Each time I got different things (snacks, drinks, hot items) with no problem. I did not try to get alcohol but I assume that is the only exception. Anyways, quite a pleasant surprise. Never had that experience before on a sleeper.

 

[drdumont]

For what it’s worth, I recently I had an interesting encounter the LSL (the Boston section specifically). When I was greeted by the SCA upon departing in Chicago, he attendant told me something along the lines of ‘everything from the cafe it is complimentary.’ This was in addition to the ‘flex plus’ meals that were served in the dining car. He even encouraged me (and other passengers) to go visit the cafe and get some snacks before going to bed.

I visited the cafe a few times throughout the trip, and LSA made it very clear that I could get anything off the menu ‘complimentary’. Each time I got different things (snacks, drinks, hot items) with no problem. I did not try to get alcohol but I assume that is the only exception. Anyways, quite a pleasant surprise. Never had that experience before on a sleeper.

What on Earth? The FLEX stuff isn't ordinarily just nuked, but "oven heated" per a Dining Car Attendant.

 

[drdumont]

Ok, the elephant in the room is will this route—or any route serving flex meals EVER put a dining cargo back on and go back to traditional dining? I've been avoiding booking on these routes for this reason!

We've been promised since Covid that this was a temporary situation, that we will get the Diner and the Sightseer Lounge Any Day Now...

I understand the check is in the mail, they will call me after the Summer, and respect me in the morning...

 

[trimetbusfan]

What on Earth? The FLEX stuff isn't ordinarily just nuked, but "oven heated" per a Dining Car Attendant.

correct, the flex was served in convection ovens in the viewliner dining car.

 

[drdumont]

Have lanced some of those suppurating pustules; not a pleasant memory, but relief to the customer.

As you might have surmised, I am as fond of NYC as I am of FLEX. WHat was once great is now - well - awful.
However, comma, the Moynihan Station is SUCH a wonderful improvement.

 

[BlackDiamond]

For what it’s worth, I recently I had an interesting encounter the LSL (the Boston section specifically). When I was greeted by the SCA upon departing in Chicago, he attendant told me something along the lines of ‘everything from the cafe it is complimentary.’ This was in addition to the ‘flex plus’ meals that were served in the dining car. He even encouraged me (and other passengers) to go visit the cafe and get some snacks before going to bed.

I visited the cafe a few times throughout the trip, and LSA made it very clear that I could get anything off the menu ‘complimentary’. Each time I got different things (snacks, drinks, hot items) with no problem. I did not try to get alcohol but I assume that is the only exception. Anyways, quite a pleasant surprise. Never had that experience before on a sleeper.

Interesting. Generally lunch on 449 and dinner on 448 are served out of the cafe since the diner comes from/goes to NYP, but I had not heard of complimentary food out of the cafe before/after the Albany join/split.

 

[Tom C]

I think the way they are doing it now is it is cafe meal and snack for lunch on 449. On 448 if you are on board the Boston sleeper before Albany they take your order before the split and you get a flex meal heated in the cafe for dinner along with a snack from the cafe instead of the roll/salad.

 

[Asher]

^^^^^...suppurating pustule.......now THERE'S a visual......

Disgusting

 

[MARC Rider]

correct, the flex was served in convection ovens in the viewliner dining car.

You mean the dining car patron had to go crawl into the oven in order to eat their meal?

 

[oregon pioneer]

I think the way they are doing it now is it is cafe meal and snack for lunch on 449. On 448 if you are on board the Boston sleeper before Albany they take your order before the split and you get a flex meal heated in the cafe for dinner along with a snack from the cafe instead of the roll/salad.

That's the current situation, as it was last February. I had the flex salmon and rice eastbound (it was served quite early, and the vegetables were pretty overcooked, but the salmon was OK). I was allowed anything I wanted from the cafe westbound. I had a turkey and cheese sandwich on a bun, with chips and beverage. The brownie for dessert was the best part of both.

 

[trimetbusfan]

I think the way they are doing it now is it is cafe meal and snack for lunch on 449. On 448 if you are on board the Boston sleeper before Albany they take your order before the split and you get a flex meal heated in the cafe for dinner along with a snack from the cafe instead of the roll/salad.

Yeah that is what I had thought too, but I was going eastbound and had cafe access the entire trip.

I was also served a flex meal for dinner east of Albany as well but it was actually served with a roll and salad, desert, etc.

 

[Tom C]

Yeah i haven’t ridden since they started doing the flex plus thing on the lake shore where they’re plating the flex meals with a full table setup in the diner so things may have changed since then.

 

[Cal]

In Amtrak's FY2025 grant request, they are asking for 27 million which they state would allow them to restore traditional dining on the Eagle, among other things.

Page 42.

 

[railiner]

In Amtrak's FY2025 grant request, they are asking for 27 million which they state would allow them to restore traditional dining on the Eagle, among other things.

Page 42.

I hope there are a lot of “other things” in that request, else opponents might have a strong case to deny it as frivolous spending…

 

[Cal]

I hope there are a lot of “other things” in that request, else opponents might have a strong case to deny it as frivolous spending…

"$27 million in FY 25 would enable Amtrak to fully restore
traditional dining on the Long-Distance Texas Eagle. Funding
would also enable exploration of other potential F&B
improvements, with a focus on 1) further expansion of traditional
dining, if feasible, and/or 2) expanded availability of for-a-fee
traditional dining for coach class customers. Other areas of
evaluation could include pilot programs to test new service
concepts; improved training for employees; and/or other customer
experience enhancements aligned with FBWG recommendations."

 

[railiner]

"$27 million in FY 25 would enable Amtrak to fully restore
traditional dining on the Long-Distance Texas Eagle. Funding
would also enable exploration of other potential F&B
improvements, with a focus on 1) further expansion of traditional
dining, if feasible, and/or 2) expanded availability of for-a-fee
traditional dining for coach class customers. Other areas of
evaluation could include pilot programs to test new service
concepts; improved training for employees; and/or other customer
experience enhancements aligned with FBWG recommendations."

“Exploration”, “evaluation”, but not actual implementation, does not sound like a good use of such a large sum to me, but I’m certainly not qualified to judge…

 

[John Santos]

You mean the dining car patron had to go crawl into the oven in order to eat their meal?

When I was very small, by far the most horrifying Little Golden Book was "Hansel and Gretel" when the witch demands Hansel to crawl into the oven to see if it is hot enough and the kids, not falling for it, instead shove the witch in and lock the oven door. That book gave me nightmares.