Amtrak dining and cafe service

[fillyjonk]

I have to concur with this assessment. Flex dining isn't as good as salmon and steak but I can certainly handle it for a one night trip - not that I'd object if they made improvements but to me its not going to kill you either and I don't find it inedible.

True. It's more a disappointment than anything. I hope some day the TE leg I take will go back to "real" dining, but even if they don't....well I'm taking it to get between two places and if I were driving, I'd probably be eating Sonic or some other crummy thing on the way (even more now when the only 'restaurant food' I get is what I can either pick up or eat outside)

 

[cassie225]

Flex dining is crummy, especially when your first trip on Amtrak had you spoiled to what the food could be, then other trips on Amtrak, very good food, my hubbie wasn’t impressed but he would eat Chinese food out of a literal hole in the wall so his opinion doesn’t count. Lol Then I got a person from NO who was in the kitchen once and made grits like me, yummy,flex dining is awful, but maybe I will try to salt and pepper the plastic plate if I ride again and take a bite,can’t hurt lol

 

[20th Century Rider]

Flex dining is crummy, especially when your first trip on Amtrak had you spoiled to what the food could be, then other trips on Amtrak, very good food, my hubbie wasn’t impressed but he would eat Chinese food out of a literal hole in the wall so his opinion doesn’t count. Lol Then I got a person from NO who was in the kitchen once and made grits like me, yummy,flex dining is awful, but maybe I will try to salt and pepper the plastic plate if I ride again and take a bite,can’t hurt lol

Yes... and so bland, monotonous, and unsatisfying.

Several AU'ers have posted comparisons between flex dining and prison food... the prison food is better.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Several AU'ers have posted comparisons between flex dining and prison food... the prison food is better.

I'm curious to know how they know the prison food is better.

 

[20th Century Rider]

I'm curious to know how they know the prison food is better.

There are blogs for just about everything.

 

[Amtrak709]

Just for something to do and mostly due to my recent dining experience on the Crescent ATN-NYP-ATN, I have been reading through all 111 pages of this discussion. Remind me: the "MICA RULE" refers to Congressman Mica and the food service of Amtrak being or becoming self-supporting--right? He (Mica) was defeated in 2016, right? Did not do any good, I guess, as food service has continue to deteriorate.

 

[zephyr17]

While Mica was defeated in 2016, the Mica Rule was not repealed until 2020. It remained the law despite his departure. Laws are funny that way.

Flex dining was introduced to Eastern trains at least partly in response to the Mica Rule, despite his absence from office at the time.

The return of a traditional dining on Western trains, in what appears to be an improved form, would have been difficult if not impossible had the Mica Rule not been repealed. RPA has reported Amtrak has plans to improve food service on Eastern LDs this fall or winter, which may be traditional dining with a more limited menu than the Western trains.

 

[20th Century Rider]

Yup! Yer' not alone on the Amtrak Flex Dining 'concept' 'created for millennials' [who don't like it either!]

John M. 2/11/2021 01:02:17 pm commented
"I had the braised beef selection twice on the Capitol Ltd late last July. It tasted adequate (though not comparable to traditional service), but left me with diariha for a couple of days. Perhaps it was it was a contaminated anomaly. I thought the breakfast selections were poor. I do not expect to use Amtrak east of the Mississippi until normal dining returns."

Paul A. 2/28/2021 05:35:25 pm
"wife and I traveled on the texas eagle, I can deal with delays, old equipment, rough track, but the food? without a doubt it was no better than budget gourmet's worst selection and I am being kind. the coast starlight lost the parlour car, now the dining car is gone, we would be better served it McDonalds delivered meals at station stops."

Gary D. 3/11/2021 09:18:05 pm
"If you want to kill off the long distance routes, just keep this so called “flexible” dining. I took the Texas Eagle from Tucson to Chicago last month and the food was pathetic. I have always enjoyed the food in the past but it was the WORST on my last trip. You can try to blame everything on COVID, but I know your real motivation Amtrak."

https://www.businessinsider.com/amtrak-new-contemporary-dining-car-review-lake-shore-limited-2019-10
https://travelswithkev.com/amtrak-contemporary-dining/

 

[20th Century Rider]

While Mica was defeated in 2016, the Mica Rule was not repealed until 2020. It remained the law despite his departure. Laws are funny that way.

Flex dining was introduced to Eastern trains at least partly in response to the Mica Rule, despite his absence from office at the time.

The return of a traditional dining on Western trains, in what appears to be an improved form, would have been difficult if not impossible had the Mica Rule not been repealed. RPA has reported Amtrak has plans to improve food service on Eastern LDs this fall or winter, which may be traditional dining with a more limited menu than the Western trains.

I've also heard that when talking with res agents. It just makes sense... and Amtrak management is well aware of the universal disdain for the flex dining concept. By rolling out a much nicer product on LD and Acela 1st the contrast becomes even more pronounced. Management knows that as well... even more reason to be optimistic for TE and East Coast service upgrades!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I do not dispute that flex meals are technically edible and will not kill you but being served precooked reheated casseroles on a fare that is more expensive than nearly any means of domestic travel outside supercar rentals and chartered jets is a terrible value IMO. I've previously stated that I would not have had such a negative reaction to flex meals if Amtrak had reduced sleeper fares commiserate with needing to have meals delivered along the way.

I'm curious to know how they know the prison food is better.

I want to see people who reference prison food actually eat some on camera with a straight face. I'm not even talking about the really disgusting punishment meals like nutriloaf but just regular prison fare. My guess is that their misguided rhetoric would be humbled into submission with sudden and profound clarity.

Remind me: the "MICA RULE" refers to Congressman Mica and the food service of Amtrak being or becoming self-supporting--right? He (Mica) was defeated in 2016, right? Did not do any good, I guess, as food service has continue to deteriorate.

Defeating Mica allowed changes and eventual repeal of his stupid rule. We are literally seeing the benefits today as traditional dining returns to some routes.

 

[Amtrak709]

Thanks to all for refreshing my memory on Congressman Mica. Although a long time rail fan my entire life of 74 years and 375,000 miles on the rails since 1965, I had lived in Congressman Mica's district in Florida since 1982 (even before Mica's time) until I moved back to Georgia in 1998--but never really realized his negative support for Amtrak until he was defeated in 2016.
My comments were prompted by my first experience of flex dining on the Crescent in June 2021--a shock. Although I have, as you see, travelled a lot in the sleepers on the rails with Amtrak, I had not been on board--for various reasons-- since March, 2018. My experience on the Crescent with flex dining combined with Amtrak's outrageously high sleeping care fares made this not so good experience. Admittedly, this was literally the first week of the return to daily service. Maybe Mica's departure and a, hopefully, a return to near normal after COVID will renew my formerly unwavering faith in the rails.

 

[me_little_me]

I'm curious to know how they know the prison food is better.

They can at least go to court to file complaints about the excessive sugar at breakfast especially if diabetic.

They can file complaints that the serving of only a few different meals combined for lunch and dinner for months on end is cruel and unusual punishment.

They are not forced to pay anything for their meals, much less outrageous prices for it.

There is at least a defined end to the suffering the endure with their food. Their ability to walk out at the end of their sentence and get a real meal is never delayed by long freights.

There is always an answer. There is no requirement it be truthful or fair - as Mr. Giuliani told the feds.

 

[me_little_me]

cassie225 said:

Flex dining is crummy, especially when your first trip on Amtrak had you spoiled to what the food could be, then other trips on Amtrak, very good food, my hubbie wasn’t impressed but he would eat Chinese food out of a literal hole in the wall so his opinion doesn’t count. Lol Then I got a person from NO who was in the kitchen once and made grits like me, yummy, flex dining is awful, but maybe I will try to salt and pepper the plastic plate if I ride again and take a bite,can’t hurt lol

Yes... and so bland, monotonous, and unsatisfying.

And those are its good points!

 

[20th Century Rider]

Amtrak Dining

And those are its good points!

⚠

 

[neroden]

Acela First Class menus are now posted. Looks good.

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/...utes/Acela-Express-First-Class-Menus-0821.pdf

If ingredients lists were supplied (which, incomprehensibly, they still aren't), I would be perfectly happy with this on the Lake Shore Limited. Much better than the horrific "flex dining".

 

[Exvalley]

I do not dispute that flex meals are technically edible and will not kill you but being served precooked reheated casseroles on a fare that is more expensive than nearly any means of domestic travel outside supercar rentals and chartered jets is a terrible value IMO.

There is no question that Amtrak can do much better than Flex meals. Just look at what the airlines are able to do when they set their mind to it.

That said, the economics are often not quite what you make them out to be because an Amtrak sleeper fare (assuming one is traveling overnight) includes lodging. When you factor that in, especially with hotel rates in major eastern cities, often an Amtrak sleeper is comparable to coach on an airline, and perhaps cheaper. And in coach class you are not going to get a free meal.

For example, I am paying in the high $300s for a trip from New York to Chicago in a roomette on the Lake Shore Limited. This saves me a night in either New York or Chicago. I doubt that I could get a night in a decent downtown hotel plus coach airfare for much cheaper.

Also, Amtrak does not have the same economies that a restaurant enjoys. Amtrak has a limit to customer traffic (although a captive audience, to be sure). This is especially true with their single level fleet. Amtrak also pays much higher wages than restaurants do.

Perhaps the happy medium for eastern routes is to copy what VIA Rail does.

 

[joelkfla]

Perhaps the happy medium for eastern routes is to copy what VIA Rail does.

Meals on the Canadian in normal times were far superior to anything on Amtrak. How is that a happy medium?

 

[Exvalley]

Meals on the Canadian in normal times were far superior to anything on Amtrak. How is that a happy medium?

I was referring to the fact that VIA offers good meals that are pre-cooked.

 

[Nick Farr]

I was referring to the fact that VIA offers good meals that are pre-cooked.

Flex dining reminds me of New Coke vs New Pepsi.

Honestly, if flex dining had been plated, came with a salad, warm bread and metal silverware rolled up in a cloth napkin, there wouldn't have been as much of an issue.

The didn't-even-bother-to-take-the-plastic-all-the-way-off level of service is what killed it.

 

[chrsjrcj]

The VIA entrees I had on the Ocean Were similar in quality to flex dining. The biggest improvements were a bowl of soup and slice of cake (similar to traditional dining on Amtrak today). And of course you actually had a waiter and real silverware.

I’m not really sure if there would be any cost savings since the staffing in the dining car seemed the same as traditional dining on the Meteor (when it was offered) but not as good of an entree (imo).

 

[20th Century Rider]

Flex dining reminds me of New Coke vs New Pepsi.

Honestly, if flex dining had been plated, came with a salad, warm bread and metal silverware rolled up in a cloth napkin, there wouldn't have been as much of an issue.

The didn't-even-bother-to-take-the-plastic-all-the-way-off level of service is what killed it.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

On one of those rare times I was on Acela 1st class and meal service was on the decline, the waiter encouraged me to try a 'new option' which was that flex meal beef stuff with the polenta. It was beautifully plated with chinaware and metal cutlery; but the food itself still looked grey and mushy... as was the taste.

Food quality speaks for itself.

 

[cassie225]

U can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear, I’m sorry

 

[pennyk]

The VIA entrees I had on the Ocean Were similar in quality to flex dining.

I was not impressed with the premade meals on the Ocean. Because I am allergic to garlic and most of the meals contained garlic, I was very limited as to what I was able to eat (often only the vegetables and dessert).

 

[20th Century Rider]

U can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear, I’m sorry

Cool - never heard that one before! We aught to send it along to the 'flex chefs!' ‼

 

[mlanoue]

I've never been on the Acela. How do they cook those meals? Is there a real kitchen, or is it also convection/microwave ovens?