Amtrak dining and cafe service

[Way2Kewl]

I’m surprised nothing has come in…

Are there any forum members that live close to a Western LD train station that can run down there and meet up with the train, tap on the Diner car, and ask them directly?
I’m of no use, I’m unlucky enough to be in DAL and Mini-Eagle folks will remain on FlexStuff for now. If we could only get a Burrito lady on the mini-portion of the Eagle.

At this point the first member dining post will escalate them to hero … allowing the rest of us who are impatient and must now know before they board their upcoming trip to sleep in peace. And not plan for backup.

 

[niemi24s]

♫ Let's get our panties in a wad, doo-dah, doo dah . . .♪

 

[user 14106]

on the website Amtrak has removed the suspended until June 23rd alert and removed any mention of the west coast flexible dining menu. It now just shows the eastern trains plus Texas eagle on flexible dining

 

[jis]

on the website Amtrak has removed the suspended until June 23rd alert and removed any mention of the west coast flexible dining menu. It now just shows the eastern trains plus Texas eagle on flexible dining

Well, at least that was a welcome timely change instead of their usual jumble of changes which may or may not reflect reality. We shall thank our Stars for these smaller mercies

 

[Emrys]

I’m eating in room tonight on the Empire Builder, but I’ll attach pics of the Pan Roasted Chicken and the new menu (which does have the French Toast listed). Last night I had the Flat Iron Steak and the Flourless Chocolate Torte—both were excellent. Hope this helps; I’ll delete this post if the pics are too big and cause issues viewing the thread.



.

 

[pennyk]

I’m eating in room tonight on the Empire Builder, but I’ll attach pics of the Pan Roasted Chicken and the new menu (which does have the French Toast listed). Last night I had the Flat Iron Steak and the Flourless Chocolate Torte—both were excellent. Hope this helps; I’ll delete this post if the pics are too big and cause issues viewing the thread.



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thanks for posting. Many members were waiting for your post.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Yes!!! A real salad!!! A dinner entree that looks like a dinner entree!

We’ve made it to the promised land everyone!

 

[Cal]

Can you take a picture of how the dining car is setup?

 

[Way2Kewl]

Thank you for the assuring confirmation. Envious.
Cheers! -enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

[MisterUptempo]

"Are you listening to this over here? It's like Martha and Gertrude at the automat..."
The Odd Couple, 1968

 

[Dustyroad]

Can you take a picture of how the dining car is setup?

I second that. And please, did you have the coffee set-up in your car?

 

[joelkfla]

I’m eating in room tonight on the Empire Builder, but I’ll attach pics of the Pan Roasted Chicken and the new menu (which does have the French Toast listed). Last night I had the Flat Iron Steak and the Flourless Chocolate Torte—both were excellent. Hope this helps; I’ll delete this post if the pics are too big and cause issues viewing the thread.



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Tomato! Tomato! I see a tomato!

 

[Rasputin]

And can we get clarification about whether grits are offered with all breakfast entrees or only with the continental breakfast?

 

[Brian Battuello]

Thank you very much for the pictures and the menu!

Looks perfectly acceptable. I might have had one or two more choices for dinner but it is still a huge improvement.

Personally I hope that they find a way to get coach passengers back into the diner soon, seems a little snobbish to exclude them but I suppose they want to ramp up slowly.

On the other hand without the coach passengers we don't have to look at the astronomical prices set for the dinner entrées. Two years ago they had some sort of surf and turf that went for almost $40!

 

[tonys96]

So, it has come to this.
We are ecstatic that regular dining has returned to 5 routes out of the entire system. Just ecstatic!
While the rest of the system, including many overnight routes, including two night routes are still being fed gruel at best. One, so far, has even been stripped of the SSL.
But we are ecstatic!
So, that is what it has come to.

 

[Rasputin]

So, it has come to this.
We are ecstatic that regular dining has returned to 5 routes out of the entire system. Just ecstatic!
While the rest of the system, including many overnight routes, including two night routes are still being fed gruel at best. One, so far, has even been stripped of the SSL.
But we are ecstatic!
So, that is what it has come to.

This is Amtrak and sometimes you have to celebrate small victories (or maybe the only victories to celebrate are small ones.) Yes it is discouraging that you have to run the gauntlet of poor food eastern trains in order to reach Chicago and connect to the better food western trains. And the Texas Eagle situation continues to be discouraging.

 

[user 14106]

I also think you have to celebrate and recognize small victories. They do seem to be open to making changes to the flexible dining program on the rest of the trains in the fall timeline. But for now it’s an improvement and these are the trains where the dining car service is the most important and where improvement was most urgently needed.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Personally I hope that they find a way to get coach passengers back into the diner soon, seems a little snobbish to exclude them but I suppose they want to ramp up slowly.

Based on recent quotes from leadership it sounds like they are not wanting to do that but rather offer coach passengers some sort of take-out or at your seat service.

 

[Eric in East County]

It appears that Southwest Chief Train #4 which left LA on 6/23, presumably with a dining car serving traditional meals, will be 8 hours late arriving in Chicago today (6/25). Amstew for all tonight!

 

[Rasputin]

It appears that Southwest Chief Train #4 which left LA on 6/23, presumably with a dining car serving traditional meals, will be 8 hours late arriving in Chicago today (6/25). Amstew for all tonight!

People will try to call to make a reservation and board the train just to have the stew.

 

[user 14106]

someone posted this photo on the friends of the California Zephyr Facebook group of the setup on #5.

 

[Bob Dylan]

View attachment 23089
someone posted this photo on the friends of the California Zephyr Facebook group of the setup on #5.

Great to see, I'll have the Steak, Medium Rare with Baked Potato, Salad, Warm Roll and Cheescake! To drink, my Free Serving of Red!

 

[me_little_me]

So, it has come to this.
We are ecstatic that regular dining has returned to 5 routes out of the entire system. Just ecstatic!
While the rest of the system, including many overnight routes, including two night routes are still being fed gruel at best. One, so far, has even been stripped of the SSL.
But we are ecstatic!
So, that is what it has come to.

As the President of the Love The Gruel Society, I take umbrage at your insulting remark about our favorite meal. Remember Oliver Twist, an important character in history who, upon eating his gruel, asked the master

Please, sir, I want some more.

Has ANYONE done that with the flex meals? NO! So please stop insulting Mr. Twist (now grown and well over 100 - he still eats gruel at the nursing home) and the Society. Have you no decency?

 

[Cal]

View attachment 23089
someone posted this photo on the friends of the California Zephyr Facebook group of the setup on #5.

YAY! Flowers, cloth napkins, and table cloths!!!

 

[jiml]

Great to see, I'll have the Steak, Medium Rare with Baked Potato, Salad, Warm Roll and Cheescake! To drink, my Free Serving of Red!

Nailed it.