Amtrak dining and cafe service

[OBS]

16 customers sounds like one full seating, in essence 45 mins of extra work for the crew. From what I’ve observed over the last few years each dinner time, 5:15pm, 6:00pm, 6:45pm etc is for about 4 tables (16 customers). So if the crew doesn’t want to do a 4th seating the 16 coach customers are out of luck. I’m sure some bad apple crews might just fill in coach passengers in the seats left after sleepers have got their times and keep it at 3 seatings. This is Amtrak anything’s possible.

Nice try, but one person is not going to turn 16 seats every 45 minutes....maybe 1:15 per seating

 

[user 14106]

I will experience it in 8 days when I head out to Alexandria for the RPA Spring Meeting.

Looking forward to your review of the “pilot.”

 

[pennyk]

I will experience it in 8 days when I head out to Alexandria for the RPA Spring Meeting.

as will I

 

[Steve's Wanderlust]

I have a 5/22 trip on the southbound Meteor booked with points. I checked with AGR, and it would cost additional points with a value of about $88 to switch to the Star, and that would be for 1 dinner + 1 bfst. I'll just stick with Flex.

I don't think it's a dining-related fare increase, but just a higher bucket as we're closer to the travel date.

I booked the southbound Meteor one month later, PHL-JAX. The bucket was higher two months ago and remains so today. I'm also sticking with flex for this trip, mostly on account of my flight connections in JAX but also to cross the Meteor off my list.

Traveling with my daughter she would prefer Kraft dinner to flex as well as traditional. Oh, to be so stubbornly simple!

 

[jis]

Incidentally, June is when the three month trial period ends. At present there is every indication that traditional dining won't be discontinued and is quite likely that Meteor will get it in late June/early July.

 

[joelkfla]

Incidentally, June is when the three month trial period ends. At present there is every indication that traditional dining won't be discontinued and is quite likely that Meteor will get it in late June/early July.

Yeah, I was about to say, @Steve's Wanderlust may get traditional dining anyway.

 

[A.H. Rudd]

Now hear this, now hear this.

According to multiple sources aboard a recent run of Amtrak's City of New Orleans, the traditional dining pilot program (currently underway on the Silver Star) will be coming to The Crescent next, and subsequently the City of New Orleans.

To facilitate traditional dining on the Crescent, a Viewliner II diner will be returning to the consist.

I'm also happy to report that a Superliner diner has recently been added back to the regular consist of the CONO, allowing passengers to eat their flex meals in style once again.

 

[west point]

Does anyone have the totals of present shortages of diner OBS? As well when will additional personnel go into service?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Now hear this, now hear this.

According to multiple sources aboard a recent run of Amtrak's City of New Orleans, the traditional dining pilot program (currently underway on the Silver Star) will be coming to The Crescent next, and subsequently the City of New Orleans.

To facilitate traditional dining on the Crescent, a Viewliner II diner will be returning to the consist.

I'm also happy to report that a Superliner diner has recently been added back to the regular consist of the CONO, allowing passengers to eat their flex meals in style once again.

Sounds like another rumor from unreliable sources. The Silver Star is a 3 month pilot. They’re “testing the waters” so no other eastern trains will be getting traditional meals till this pilot program is finished.

 

[user 14106]

I'm also happy to report that a Superliner diner has recently been added back to the regular consist of the CONO, allowing passengers to eat their flex meals in style once again.

Yes - they had a “special” flex dining menu for the CONO that featured TV dinner meals from a different vendor that could be nuked in the microwave when it only had a Sightseer (and breakfast and lunch were selections from the cafe car menu). It appears it got the diner back with the March consist shift along with a transition sleeper. With the return of the diner I’m guessing the CONO is back to the normal flex menu.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Does anyone have the totals of present shortages of diner OBS? As well when will additional personnel go into service?

Amtrak probably does

 

[jis]

Sounds like another rumor from unreliable sources. The Silver Star is a 3 month pilot. They’re “testing the waters” so no other eastern trains will be getting traditional meals till this pilot program is finished.

Also, it will take them a little while to get the necessary Diners out of Mothballs through the already overloaded Beech Grove.

 

[TEREB]

Also, it will take them a little while to get the necessary Diners out of Mothballs through the already overloaded Beech Grove.

Someone on Facebook posted about the first Silver Star dining car meals. No menu posted though. First meals, not a very favorable review.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Someone on Facebook posted about the first Silver Star dining car meals. No menu posted though. First meals, not a very favorable review.

You can look up the traditional menu on Amtrak's page (Experience / On Board). Its the same menu for all the trains (except, I think, the Auto Train).

 

[pennyk]

You can look up the traditional menu on Amtrak's page (Experience / On Board). Its the same menu for all the trains (except, I think, the Auto Train).

However, I heard (by unsubstantiated rumor) that the Star pilot menu will be slightly different (with fewer options). I cannot imagine that, even with a limited menu, the food would be worse than flex dining.

 

[jis]

Someone on Facebook posted about the first Silver Star dining car meals. No menu posted though. First meals, not a very favorable review.

Could you give a pointer to the post on FB that you refer to so that we can see? Thanks.

 

[Mailliw]

However, I heard (by unsubstantiated rumor) that the Star pilot menu will be slightly different (with fewer options). I cannot imagine that, even with a limited menu, the food would be worse than flex dining.

Never underestimate Amtrak.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Could you give a pointer to the post on FB that you refer to so that we can see? Thanks.

it’s in the ‘Amtrak dining car fans’ group.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

it’s in the ‘Amtrak dining car fans’ group.

No wonder I didn’t see it. I’m staying out of that group. There’s enough moaning & groaning about Amtrak food in all the other groups I belong to.

 

[jis]

Here is the post:

You may be able to see it if you do not severely restrict access to Facebook from other apps like I do to keep Facebook from tracking me.

 

[Cal]

Here is the post:

You may be able to see it if you do not severely restrict access to Facebook from other apps like I do to keep Facebook from tracking me.

For those of us who can't see it, can you paraphrase?

 

[trimetbusfan]

For those of us who can't see it, can you paraphrase?

I'll screenshot it...

 

[jis]

For those of us who can't see it, can you paraphrase?

Food undercooked/not hot. 3 egg omelette too small. condiments not laid out on the table and had to be asked for, as nor were they delivered with the food. etc.

This followed by comments from the pitchfork brigade

 

[trimetbusfan]

There was another report from a different person on the Amtrak Train Travel group that seemed to paint a much better picture of the dining service on the Star.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Food undercooked/not hot. 3 egg omelette too small. condiments not laid out on the table and had to be asked for, as nor were they delivered with the food. etc.

This followed by comments from the pitchfork brigade

I remember reading similar complaints when they first brought traditional dining back on western trains. Over time those issues were resolved (for the most part).