Amtrak dining and cafe service

[skylar]

Sorry, I missed this. What is the new Acela going to have?



I’ve had the opposite problem, because I’m (mostly) vegetarian now. I’ll eat salmon, and liked that entree. But the regular vegetarian options are limited and seem to have very spicy sauces or it’s chili. And I don’t like spicy sauces or chili.

I agree, the vegetarian options (er, is it still "option" when there's just one?) are mediocore, though it wasn't long ago that they were actually decent. I remember ~5 years ago when both Empire Builder and the Starlight had a pad thai dish that was quite good, along with a vegetarian tortellini. I actually got to eat something different for the second dinner on EB! I'd be pretty happy if Amtrak just went back to ca 2017 for dining.

At least the desserts have some variety...

Skylar

 

[trimetbusfan]

I’m not sure why people are against vending machines on Amtrak - the vending machines on the Piedmont trains have never been closed for a meal break, or been rude to me.

While this is true, arguably they offer much less selection. I doubt there would be many hot foods. Plus, without an attendant they woudln’t be able to serve alcohol.

 

[BowlerMan3]

Why, then, was (and I presume is) the traditional Railroad French Toast infinitely better than than either the Flex French Toast or Pancakes?

There are 2 different meals on the Amtrak long haul trains. One are flexible meals that are prepared before the trip and just reheated on the microwave in the dinning/cafe car and those trains are the train east of Chicago and north of San Antonio, part of the Empire Builder from Spokane to Portland and possible a few other trains, and all the other trains which are west of Chicago and San Antonio and the auto train and those are traditional dinning and those meals are cooked on the train so they have a chef on board so those taste a lot better. Also right now for both flexible and traditional dinning are only availabe to sleeper passengers, coach passengers can not purchase that dinning yet but may change in the future.

 

[TheCrescent]

I’m not sure why people are against vending machines on Amtrak - the vending machines on the Piedmont trains have never been closed for a meal break, or been rude to me.

Agreed. After being yelled at for approaching the cafe car counter from the coach side (when I was in a sleeping car), yelled at for starting to sit down at a cafe car table (when most tables were occupied by crew), etc., I just bring my own food on board. It would be nice to be able to use a cafe car without risk of an incident.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

While this is true, arguably they offer much less selection. I doubt there would be many hot foods. Plus, without an attendant they woudln’t be able to serve alcohol.

Since it’s all microwaved food the selection could be the same if they wanted.

Alcohol is tricky but should Amtrak lose money on a cafe attendant just so they can sell alcohol?

 

[jis]

In addition to the Cafe Car Amtrak is also talking about providing Food and Drink Cart service on the NEC trains, sort of like Brightline does in Florida.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Since it’s all microwaved food the selection could be the same if they wanted.

Alcohol is tricky but should Amtrak lose money on a cafe attendant just so they can sell alcohol?

It will be intersting to see, as Amtrak seems to be pretty strict about not letting the public use their microwave.

 

[Bob Dylan]

In addition to the Cafe Car Amtrak is also talking about providing Food and Drink Cart service on the NEC trains, sort of like Brightline does in Florida.

What the Hiawathas used to have, and VIA uses on Corridor Trains!

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

What the Hiawathas used to have, and VIA uses on Corridor Trains!

I like the idea of a food cart. I have stopped going to the cafe car (even for my free BC coffee) because it’s not worth trying to balance a food box and myself through several cars over rough tracks, and the tables in the cafe car are always full (at least on the NEC) so there’s nowhere to sit there.

 

[joelkfla]

It will be intersting to see, as Amtrak seems to be pretty strict about not letting the public use their microwave.

I believe the rule is that customer food cannot be heated in a microwave used to prepare food. I think it's related to the risk of cross contaminaton between customer food and establishment food. But a microwave dedicated to public use should be OK.

 

[Keith1951]

First time wife and I were on Amtrak, years ago, we had a bedroom and when we went to the dining car, we were taken to a table for our meal. A short time later, dining attendants sat another couple with us. We thought we were going to have the table to ourselves. Ever since then, on all our trips we only ate in our room. Does Amtrak still seat others with you in the dining car?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I know it’s not a National law, since Alaska Railroad provides microwaves in their lounge cars for passenger use.

 

[flitcraft]

Alcohol is tricky but should Amtrak lose money on a cafe attendant just so they can sell alcohol?

Given the price being charged for wine compared with its wholesale price to Amtrak, I would guess that the cost of the attendant would easily be paid from alcohol alone, not the mention the additional cafe food sales from those who would not buy vending machine food but would buy non-vending machine foods.

I have long thought that Amtrak is missing an easy revenue source on LD trains by selling only lower-end wine--wine that would sell at the 6-7 dollar price point in a grocery store. I would bet that if they carried a few somewhat higher end wines--say, the kind that would sell for 12 - 15 dollars at a grocery store, they'd make a lot more money on wine.

 

[flitcraft]

Yes, community seating has long been the practice. In fact, it would be hard for the dining car to serve all the sleeper passengers without community seating, at least within normal dining hours. During the pandemic, community seating was discontinued, but then again, passenger volume was low then. For some Amtrak passengers community seating provides a welcome opportunity to socialize, for others, they find it uncomfortable. Fortunately, Amtrak accommodates who prefer not to share a table by providing room service to the bedrooms and roomettes.

 

[zetharion]

First time wife and I were on Amtrak, years ago, we had a bedroom and when we went to the dining car, we were taken to a table for our meal. A short time later, dining attendants sat another couple with us. We thought we were going to have the table to ourselves. Ever since then, on all our trips we only ate in our room. Does Amtrak still seat others with you in the dining car?

Yes that has returned after Covid and I actually enjoyed meeting different people from different parts of the country.

 

[zephyr17]

First time wife and I were on Amtrak, years ago, we had a bedroom and when we went to the dining car, we were taken to a table for our meal. A short time later, dining attendants sat another couple with us. We thought we were going to have the table to ourselves. Ever since then, on all our trips we only ate in our room. Does Amtrak still seat others with you in the dining car?

Community seating has been the standard practice in railroad dining cars since they first entered service in the late 19th Century.

It wasn't invented by Amtrak. It has always been railroad practice.

There were a couple years during COVID that they didn't do it, but they returned to the standard practice of community seating this year.

 

[Maverickstation]

With some comments being made about a return to Traditional Dining on the Silver Service trains, just remember what Stephen Gardner said a few months back. He discussed an improvement in Dining Service, using a variation of the service being offered on the western trains.

As far as what variation means, that's anyone's guess, but in the past the Florida route trains Dining Service included Buffet Style Service, No Dining Service north of Washington, and Table Service limited to Breakfast and Dinner. Stay tuned on this one.

Ken

 

[user 14106]

With some comments being made about a return to Traditional Dining on the Silver Service trains, just remember what Stephen Gardner said a few months back. He discussed an improvement in Dining Service, using a variation of the service being offered on the western trains.

As far as what variation means, that's anyone's guess, but in the past the Florida route trains Dining Service included Buffet Style Service, No Dining Service north of Washington, and Table Service limited to Breakfast and Dinner. Stay tuned on this one.

Ken

It is true - I think it’s fair to expect an improvement but it may not be exactly what’s out west.

 

[BlackDiamond]

I have long thought that Amtrak is missing an easy revenue source on LD trains by selling only lower-end wine--wine that would sell at the 6-7 dollar price point in a grocery store. I would bet that if they carried a few somewhat higher end wines--say, the kind that would sell for 12 - 15 dollars at a grocery store, they'd make a lot more money on wine.

I agree with this. When we took trains out West last year they were offering Kendall Jackson in the dining car which is a cut above the usual low end brands like Barefoot that they usually offer in the cafe cars. Of course the brand would have to be able to be sold in the smaller bottles as are usually sold from the cafe. It would also be nice to be able to buy full 750 ml bottles also.

 

[RRrich]

First time wife and I were on Amtrak, years ago, we had a bedroom and when we went to the dining car, we were taken to a table for our meal. A short time later, dining attendants sat another couple with us. We thought we were going to have the table to ourselves. Ever since then, on all our trips we only ate in our room. Does Amtrak still seat others with you in the dining car?

Way back when, Wifey and I used to ride Amtrak both to get somewhere that we wanted to go to and to take Land Cruises. Circles with the same start and end point. One of the many things that Wifey and I enjoyed was sharing a table with others. Meeting new folks, making new friends. But all the bad talk of new improved Flex Meals has put a stop to our Amtrak riding

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Given the price being charged for wine compared with its wholesale price to Amtrak, I would guess that the cost of the attendant would easily be paid from alcohol alone, not the mention the additional cafe food sales from those who would not buy vending machine food but would buy non-vending machine foods.

Does the alcohol on Amtrak have a significant markup compared to other products in the cafe car?

As to the other point - since vending machines never close, I’m guessing sales would actually improve since they would always be open for business and not taking meal breaks

 

[Sauve850]

First time wife and I were on Amtrak, years ago, we had a bedroom and when we went to the dining car, we were taken to a table for our meal. A short time later, dining attendants sat another couple with us. We thought we were going to have the table to ourselves. Ever since then, on all our trips we only ate in our room. Does Amtrak still seat others with you in the dining car?

Some folks are just not comfortable dining with others. Ive had a few in my dining experiences on Amtrak. Many breakfasts and lunches Ive had the booth to myself though. The vast majority of dinners with others has been a pleasant experience for me. In over 30 years I don't recall having a meal in my room.

 

[flitcraft]

Does the alcohol on Amtrak have a significant markup compared to other products in the cafe car?

Well, I'm not sure what the markup is on other stuff, but the cafe sells a glass of Woodbridge wine for 8 dollars. I just checked my local supermarket--a 1.5 liter bottle, with 10 glasses, for 10 dollars. So, assuming that Amtrak paid a retail price--which they almost certainly don't--their markup on wine would be 8 times retail price. That's a pretty decent profit, and as I said, they aren't paying retail for it.

 

[Willbridge]

Well, I'm not sure what the markup is on other stuff, but the cafe sells a glass of Woodbridge wine for 8 dollars. I just checked my local supermarket--a 1.5 liter bottle, with 10 glasses, for 10 dollars. So, assuming that Amtrak paid a retail price--which they almost certainly don't--their markup on wine would be 8 times retail price. That's a pretty decent profit, and as I said, they aren't paying retail for it.

There was folklore in the 1940's that the lounge on the SP Coast Daylight generated more revenue per mile than the tickets for the low fares of that era. Some observers think that if the upstairs bar on the Winter Park Express were to be staffed, that would add to the net. On the other hand, excursion trains run by fan groups in the 1950's and 60's avoided behavior problems by not selling liquor at all.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Well, I'm not sure what the markup is on other stuff, but the cafe sells a glass of Woodbridge wine for 8 dollars. I just checked my local supermarket--a 1.5 liter bottle, with 10 glasses, for 10 dollars. So, assuming that Amtrak paid a retail price--which they almost certainly don't--their markup on wine would be 8 times retail price. That's a pretty decent profit, and as I said, they aren't paying retail for it.

So why do Amtrak cafe cars lose money if it’s that simple?