Amtrak dining and cafe service

[jis]

I don’t mind sitting with other people while dining on Amtrak. I don’t like sitting side by side with a stranger. If the diner isn’t busy there is no reason to crowd four strangers to a table.

There is at least one weirdo LSA running around on 91/92 who keeps coming up with his absurd rules mostly on his own. I have reported that. The other LSAs are more than fine, at least the ones I have come across that is.

 

[pennyk]

There is at least one weirdo LSA running around on 91/92 who keeps coming up with his absurd rules mostly on his own. I have reported that. The other LSAs are more than fine, at least the ones I have come across that is.

...and I ran into him on 92 when he wanted to seat everyone in the dining car at one table during breakfast.
The LSA on 91 on my return trip let passengers sit where they wanted for breakfast.

 

[DesertDude]

As of April 2023, can coach passengers on the Zephyr eat in the dining car now? Or is it still limited to sleeper car passengers only? I was having difficulty finding this info on this forum or on Amtrak's website. Thank you!

 

[trimetbusfan]

As of April 2023, can coach passengers on the Zephyr eat in the dining car now? Or is it still limited to sleeper car passengers only? I was having difficulty finding this info on this forum or on Amtrak's website. Thank you!

Yes, but seating slots for Coach passengers are limited. I would try to ask the LSA in order to get a reservation.

 

[JoshP]

Anyone can confirm that the cafe car hours used be open from 530am to midnight into new hours of: 630am to 10:30pm? I need clarification. Reason: I am going on Silver Star next weekend to try out their Traditional dining and do a story about it. (I wanna to know in case I'm hungry so I can go to the cafe car)

Thanks

 

[OBS]

Anyone can confirm that the cafe car hours used be open from 530am to midnight into new hours of: 630am to 10:30pm? I need clarification. Reason: I am going on Silver Star next weekend to try out their Traditional dining and do a story about it. (I wanna to know in case I'm hungry so I can go to the cafe car)

Thanks

No cafe or dining car ever opened at 530 am... 6 or 630 would be opening time and closing time is probably 11pm for cafe car.

 

[Allypet]

Like everything onboard.

I’m on 97 right now and while the crew is nice, I noticed that they had 3 tables “reserved” in the diner. One for the “LSA”, one for “Pick up” and one for condiments. I think reserving 3 out of 11 tables is a bit much as it was crowded for breakfast.

 

[Northwestern]

I'm wondering if all Amtrak LD trains will bring food to your sleeper. I will be in a roomette or bedroom, this summer, on both the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder. Also, I would like to give a little "extra" tip, to the attendant, for such room service. What amount would be appropriate?

Thanks.

Richard

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I don’t mind sitting with other people while dining on Amtrak. I don’t like sitting side by side with a stranger. If the diner isn’t busy there is no reason to crowd four strangers to a table.

I believe it's down to fewer tables means less walking for the staff and putting everyone together helps push people to hurry up and order/finish with the rest of the table. The way dining and sleeper staff can vary to extremes and the way coach staff often provide no discernible service whatsoever (besides barking orders) implies that management do not consider the soft product to be that important.

I'm wondering if all Amtrak LD trains will bring food to your sleeper. I will be in a roomette or bedroom, this summer, on both the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder. Also, I would like to give a little "extra" tip, to the attendant, for such room service. What amount would be appropriate?

In my experience nearly all SCA's (sleeper attendant) will bring meals to your room. Even "bad" SCA's will usually bring you a meal, although it may not be at the time you want or have missing items. You are free to tip whatever you like (or not at all) but I found that $5 got the job done.

 

[zephyr17]

I'm wondering if all Amtrak LD trains will bring food to your sleeper. I will be in a roomette or bedroom, this summer, on both the Coast Starlight and Empire Builder. Also, I would like to give a little "extra" tip, to the attendant, for such room service. What amount would be appropriate?

Thanks.

Richard

Yes, they all will provide room service. Exactly how will vary, as DA points out.

I tip when they deliver the meal, usually $5 unless they're really schmucks about it. That on top of my normal $10/night tipped at the end of the trip for OK service.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The way dining and sleeper staff can vary to extremes and the way coach staff often provide no discernible service whatsoever (besides barking orders) implies that management do not consider the soft product to be that important.

Exactly.

The original plan for Contemporary Dining had several positives -
Sleeping Car Passengers had access to a "Private Lounge"
Sleeping Car Passengers received complimentary soft drinks, bottled water, coffee and tea throughout the journey.
Meals could be scheduled and delivered at any time - there wasn't a set meal time.
Sleeping Car Passengers received a complimentary amenity kit.

On some trains, all of these positives are gone.

I'm not sure if there is a fix for Amtrak Customer Service and honestly, things weren't any better on the Alaska Railroad this summer so I'm not sure if trains aren't just a weird mix and you take what you get haha.

 

[JoshP]

No cafe or dining car ever opened at 530 am... 6 or 630 would be opening time and closing time is probably 11pm for cafe car.

In 2014, it used open 530am when I was on Meteor. Guess they changed it now

 

[crescent-zephyr]

In 2014, it used open 530am when I was on Meteor. Guess they changed it now

While I never woke up that early I do remember the cafe used to close at midnight.

 

[JoshP]

Exactly.

The original plan for Contemporary Dining had several positives -
Sleeping Car Passengers had access to a "Private Lounge"
Sleeping Car Passengers received complimentary soft drinks, bottled water, coffee and tea throughout the journey.
Meals could be scheduled and delivered at any time - there wasn't a set meal time.
Sleeping Car Passengers received a complimentary amenity kit.

On some trains, all of these positives are gone.

I'm not sure if there is a fix for Amtrak Customer Service and honestly, things weren't any better on the Alaska Railroad this summer so I'm not sure if trains aren't just a weird mix and you take what you get haha.

I remember in ole days, I used get the amenity kit and it was great, I still have it in my storage, memories.
For the drinks, they still can request unlimited drinks upon request.
For meals, they have to follow the meal schedules as followed.
Private lounge, if you mean the dining car used be for sleepers during covid? Yeah, now no more.

 

[user 14106]

I think the difference is flex dining vs traditional dining. I was told that the beverage is with dinner on traditional dining.

Yes with traditional dining it’s an alcoholic beverage per dinner - so if you’re going end to end on one of the western trains that serves two dinners you get a complementary alcoholic beverage at both dinner.

 

[TEREB]

I’m on 97 right now and while the crew is nice, I noticed that they had 3 tables “reserved” in the diner. One for the “LSA”, one for “Pick up” and one for condiments. I think reserving 3 out of 11 tables is a bit much as it was crowded for breakfast.

I noticed that last October as well.

 

[IndyLions]

I'm sorry, but the butter cake is to die for. Google the name on the wrapper. You can buy them delivered by the case.

I'm disappointed my Meteor ride will not include traditional dining as I had hoped as of a few months ago.

However, that butter cake IS to die for, and I might just smuggle in some strawberry or raspberry sauce and some whipped cream - and "go to town" as my grandmother used to say...

 

[susanlindsey]

What vegetables are included with the crudite with hummus from the Café car? Do they sell fresh whole fruit like apples or bananas? Thanks

 

[eackly]

My wife and I do not generally ride the train, so we did not really know what to expect.

However, due to my wife having a surgery recently and her surgeon advising her to not travel by air for a month, we ended up taking the train.

We rode on the Silver Star and were very impressed with the food offered on-board, it was miles better than what United Airlines serves in First Class between Orlando and New York.

Both my wife and I had the steak and AMTRAK managed to prepare the steaks perfectly, rare for me and med-rare for my wife, we were both impressed because land based restaurants struggle getting steaks to the right temp, how AMTRAK did it on wheels is amazing.

They had mini's of Woodford Reserve which is good bourbon and both my wife and I enjoyed a bourbon with our dessert.

We also had the advantage of boarding the train in Winter Park (the town we live in) vs. MCO which is a good 30+/- ride from our house/

Now, with that said, we felt like the youngest people in the dinning car (other than the employees) and we are both in our 50s, so that was a little odd.

Our tablemates (is the the right term?) were both in their upper 80s and almost always the ride the train as they find the airport too hectic.

All said and done while it is not the fastest way to get to NY/NJ, it was perfectly fine and being able to get a good nights rest and a shower in the morning was really nice.

 

[joelkfla]

What vegetables are included with the crudite with hummus from the Café car? Do they sell fresh whole fruit like apples or bananas? Thanks

No personal experience, but here's a link to Amtrak "Food Facts". Click on Crudités at the bottom of the list of Entrées for a picture.
http://amtrakfoodfacts.com/menu-items-common/

 

[susanlindsey]

No personal experience, but here's a link to Amtrak "Food Facts". Click on Crudités at the bottom of the list of Entrées for a picture.
http://amtrakfoodfacts.com/menu-items-common/

Thanks, that's perfect. I needed to know if it has celery for my onboard DIY Waldorf salad.

 

[IAlam]

Now, with that said, we felt like the youngest people in the dinning car (other than the employees) and we are both in our 50s, so that was a little odd.

I feel like this has always been the case for me whenever I ride on FC or a sleeper. It's rare I see anyone even near my age in anything but coach. It makes sense because my generation tends to be more frugal, for me I only have the ability to do this because I got lucky during the pandemic and did my cross-country trip during a double TQP promotion and somehow managed to maintain my status since.

But it'd be so much nicer to be in the dining car and see more people my age, usually when I do they're traveling with their family. Typically the next youngest person in a dining car after me is 10 years older than me.

 

[railiner]

I'm not sure if there is a fix for Amtrak Customer Service and honestly, things weren't any better on the Alaska Railroad this summer so I'm not sure if trains aren't just a weird mix and you take what you get haha.

Got my curiosity…what were your issues on the ARR?
My last ride in 2017 was wonderful experiencing their “Gold Service”, Anchorage to Seward…

 

[crescent-zephyr]

What vegetables are included with the crudite with hummus from the Café car? Do they sell fresh whole fruit like apples or bananas? Thanks

When I've purchased the Hummus from the cafe car it's served with flat pretzel chips. I don't recall seeing fresh fruit in the cafe cars recently but you never know - the cafe menus do change quite a bit. My recent trip on the Coast Starlight I was pleasantly surprised by the selection in the cafe. Really good quality salads, and some nicer dessert options like the marshmallow dream bars.

Got my curiosity…what were your issues on the ARR?
My last ride in 2017 was wonderful experiencing their “Gold Service”, Anchorage to Seward…

- We were assigned a meal time - there was no choice (to be clear, there were multiple times, but you were automatically assigned one of those times)
- Announcements were made over the PA to "Remember to tip your servers in the diner" - this announcement was echoed in person by the "Dining Car Captain"
- A tablemate asked if they could have a side salad and they were told no, if you ordered a salad it HAD to be with the soup and that would be your meal.
- I experienced multiple crews, about the same consistency as amtrak. Some were very nice, but others seemed very annoyed to be working.
- In the Cafe Car if you buy a frozen food item (sandwich, breakfast burrito, etc) - you have to microwave it yourself.

But as you know the Train ride from Anchorage to Seward is one of the most spectacular rides in the country (maybe world but I can't speak for that yet!). And I love the mix of heritage equipment and modern Ultra Domes - best of both worlds.

 

[JWM]

"Give the customer what they want". Amtrak needs a good Sleeping Car and Food Service manager. The crew's need training, too. Sorry to bring it up yet again, but prior to Amtrak, the "menu must be honored" was gospel on the Florida and western trains. They need to keep that in mind.