Amtrak Food Overview

[TimePeace]

I think the food is ok. Sometimes it's really good (often influenced by how hungry I am). Sometimes it's just ok. Only rarely, in my experience, is it so bad that I don't want to eat it.

I think the Amtrak food discussion is like most other discussions about Amtrak: there are those who are happy with everything Amtrak does (a small minority) , and those who seem to hate anything Amtrak does and love to complain vigorously and endlessly about it (lots of that going around).

 

[Bob Dylan]

Personally I understand Chris Point! I Generally ride in Sleepers so the Meals are included, and I find that the Breakfasts are the Best Bet on most Amtrak LD Routes! Of course I like the PPC Meals on the Starlight also and considering what it Costs and what is avaialble in the Cafe Cars, find that Lunch Generally is a Good Deal in the Diner! Dinner is another matter, I too have had Below Average, Average and even Good Meals i@ Dinner on Various Trains ,but if I was paying for what is on the Menus I feel that the $16-$25 Prices are High for what you get! I agree that the Veggies and the Potatoes are the worst Part of the Meal but the Deserts sure are Good! :wub: I do wish Amtrak would give a Contract to Coke instead of Pepsi! YMMV <_<

 

[Ashland Train Enthusiast]

Go back and read my post again. I never said people openly disparaged the food. I never said people refused to touch the food. I simply said nobody had ever said anything resembling the glowing praise that is routinely offered here on the forum. Ever. Most of the time they just eat it and don't remark on the quality one way or the other like dear auntie Edna.

Your defensive straw man retort doesn't make Amtrak's food any fresher or better tasting, but it does call into question your ability to be truly objective in your judgement.

Corellation does not imply causation my friend, for either of us. In this case, as has been indicated in some of the posts above, food tastes are a matter of opinion, whether or not one wishes to share them among a table of strangers, keep them to themselves, or write them up online. I must confess that I haven't seen National Lampoon's Family Vacation (had to google that based on your reference to Auntie Edna), but that aside, having and voicing an opinion in no way besmirches one's objectivity. So long as one's opinion doesn't blind them to new information or judgements, and one keeps an open mind, and bases their opinion on facts, then there's nothing questionable about it. That's one of the reasons I wanted to start this project, as the old adage goes a picture is worth a thousand words, I feel it is useful, both to myself and hopefully to other travelers, to objectively document the meal options Amtrak has to offer. I'll leave the forming of subjective opinions and such to venues such as AU here

Chili's and Ruby Tuesday can still prepare a burger patty to medium done if you ask, or at least they could the last time I was in one. Can Amtrak? Nope. It's already well done before they even take it out of the freezer. Chili's and Tuesday's can also grill or toast the buns, saute some onions or mushrooms and give you a choice of cheeses to choose from. Can Amtrak? Not on any train I've ever ridden. Yes, we know the steaks are cooked to order (sometimes even correctly) but is anything else on your plate? I don't think the frozen vegetable medley or the powdered potatoes seem very fresh. I eat at basic restaurants on a regular basis and have no problem finding something I like. The difference there is that even if only 10% of the menu is any good you still have around ten tasty selections to chose from. On Amtrak if only 10% of the menu is any good then you have at best one or two selections to choose from across the entire menu. Maybe I'm just too demanding of a gourmand for Amtrak's low effort no substitutions and no exceptions convection heating service. Or maybe Amtrak food simply isn't worth crowing about.

Restaurants like Chili's and Ruby Tuesday have significantly more space with which to stock expanded menu items. For instance, take a Superliner Diner. There are 480 sq ft of kitchen space on the lower level, and 780 sq ft of space on the upper level, for 1280 total square feet, or less than a quarter of a traditional sit-down restaurant (using Ruby Tuesday for an example), and still less than a third of a fast food restaurant like Burger King. Is dining perfect? Absolutely not. I think everyone here can think of something that's gone wrong for them in the diner, or at least something that they can improve. But that's the point; a more productive discussion (for another thread please, as I'd like to keep this one about Pictures of meals) can be had regarding given the known limitations (Congressional oversight, fixed storage/cook/prep space, union labor rules, etc), what can be changed about Amtrak dining for the better? Heck, folks' here have said that Amtrak folks read this forum, and honestly, with good dialogue of an option that might be successful is found, I'd certainly take on writing it up and sending it into Amtrak directly.

Also, just wondering, what's your source for knowing what Amtrak serves that's fresh (like what seems obvious such as Steaks, Eggs, etc), and what's pre-packaged or Frozen? In working on this, I came across a reference to the Amtrak Food Preparation Guide in the Services and Standards Manual, and have filed a FOIA request for that, as I think that'd be some interesting information that could definitely lend itself to finding areas of improvement. Right now, all I've got to go on is my own experience, and Henry Kisor's excellent book, however that is a bit dated, so I'm sure the food prep described there has changed. Perhaps time for someone else to get their way into writing about the inner workings of a Long Distance train?

~ DCTE

 

[amamba]

I don't mind amtrak food when I am in the sleeper because it is included in the ticket price. But I do live in a a decent sized city, and anyone who says that amtrak food is gourmet is fooling themselves. Amtrak food is serviceable for the space and time that it exists in - which is in the dining car or on acela FC.

It is fine for what it is, but I always give a side eye to anyone who says that an amtrak steak is the best that they have had (or had in a while). I just want to introduce them to a big city steakhouse so that they can have a real steak. I also give a side eye to anyone who orders a steak any more well done than medium rare. Frankly that is just nasty. Steak should be ordered medium rare (or rarer).

 

[LIRR]

From my admittedly limited experience (trips on the SWC) I have found the food to be good....not great, not exceptional, but good...considering the situation as far as room and storage and time. I have never had a meal I would not or could not eat (although I am not really that picky anyway)....and a few that I really thought were a cut above their usual fare. I also wonder how much it depends on the particular crew that is preparing the food.

 

[roomette]

On one of my first Amtrak trips years ago on the SWC we had an LSA who told us about how back in the 'olden days' the train would stop at the rivers edge and buy freshly caught trout from local fishermen and fry it up fresh for passengers.

He said he once served some to Lena Horne. His name was Larry and was about to retire after 30+ years of service, most of it with Amtrak.

He may have been telling a 'big fish story', but he was very believable.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

On one of my first Amtrak trips years ago on the SWC we had an LSA who told us about how back in the 'olden days' the train would stop at the rivers edge and buy freshly caught trout from local fishermen and fry it up fresh for passengers.

He said he once served some to Lena Horne. His name was Larry and was about to retire after 30+ years of service, most of it with Amtrak.

He may have been telling a 'big fish story', but he was very believable.

I recently watched a video about the EB that told the same story. The video was from the 80s, and they interviewed a crew member who told that story & even pointed out the lake where the fish were caught. So, I think it might be legit.

On an unrelated note, many people (including some in these food-related threads) have mentioned that toasted burger buns would be nice. If they can heat stuff up, they can heat the buns.

 

[Blackwolf]

Amtrak's corporate attitude toward food in any offering aboard its trains (cafe car, diner, Acela FC) is only about one thing: Consistency. The constant is set at the middle bar, that is to say they will strive to make sure the food is tasty and provides filling nutrition, but anything more than that is above and beyond their goals.

Long gone are the days of having an actual chef in the kitchen. The corporation would likely fire a crew member who took it upon themselves to prepare meals largely out of scope of what the stated menu and preparation guide offers, if the ingredients for such inspiration were even available. Cudos to the cooks who do the little extra things like actually griddle the french toast, or toast the burger bun (I've had it done before on the Coast Starlight two years ago, so don't tell me Amtrak never does it,) or make sure the steak is finished to their best ability. But for the larger part, the kitchen staff's hands are tied. And no, it is not due to the limited and tiny space in the kitchens. Many millions of gourmet meals that would rival even the most snooty of fine dining establishments in renowned hotels and gastronomic cities have been churned out in tiny sweltering dining car galleys while rocketing down the rails... But those days are gone in the USA.

Amtrak will never again allow a train to stop along the route and pick up fresh ingredients for a cook to work with. Nor will they allow a kitchen to be stocked with the basic veggies/meats/etc. for one to whip up a true 'Chef's Special' from scratch because it leads to too much variance... And regrettably, in today's sue-happy society, the corporation likely sees too much risk in not having a food product that is 100% assured safe. Heck, have you been inside an Amtrak galley before? The only actual cooking appliance is a single (and rather small) electric griddle. No stove. Only convection re-heat ovens. With only limited staff, and likely an eye toward keeping the risk of boiling pots and pans from flying around on bad track, the company has eliminated the real work space and equipment former train dining car staff of an earlier era had in doing their jobs.

Lament if you will, but what is churned out is far from hardtack. I've had exceptional meals before on Amtrak (side-eye me all you want) and one of those meals included a New York Strip steak that rivaled the one I had at Morton's in Chicago! But most meals are pretty middle of the road... I don't ride Amtrak to eat. I ride Amtrak to get from point A to point B in what I enjoyably believe is the best way to travel. The food is secondary. As long as the evils of SDS never return (those were the days of truly horrible Amtrak food,) I'll happily continue attending meals in the dining car.

Thanks a million, DCTE. Aside from the drama and opinions being slung around here, your website idea is a fantastic one. I'll see about snagging some shots of my meals on the Coast Starlight next week for you.

 

[AlanB]

Amtrak's corporate attitude toward food in any offering aboard its trains (cafe car, diner, Acela FC) is only about one thing: Consistency. The constant is set at the middle bar, that is to say they will strive to make sure the food is tasty and provides filling nutrition, but anything more than that is above and beyond their goals.

Somehow I don't think that Amtrak is trying to set the bar in the middle with a culinary advisory team that includes renowned chefs. Yes, they're limited by the fact that they have to come up with things that travel well and can be prepared by Aramark. But I've had some pretty tasty meals, especially on Acela but even on the LD's, and it's thanks to the people at the link above.

Long gone are the days of having an actual chef in the kitchen.

Most of the chefs still working Amtrak's dining cars were recruited out of culinary schools.

I'm not sure if Amtrak is still doing that anymore, but for years they were.

The corporation would likely fire a crew member who took it upon themselves to prepare meals largely out of scope of what the stated menu and preparation guide offers, if the ingredients for such inspiration were even available.

Not sure that they'd fire them, but yes they would be spoken too, as you are correct in that Amtrak is looking for consistency. It used to be a real problem 10 years ago, that one could have a great meal on one train and crud on the next.

Cudos to the cooks who do the little extra things like actually griddle the french toast, or toast the burger bun (I've had it done before on the Coast Starlight two years ago, so don't tell me Amtrak never does it,) or make sure the steak is finished to their best ability.

Seconded!

 

[roadman3313]

I did in room meal service on the CZ for a day-trip as I was a bit under the weather and my Brownie Dessert was warmed up. Having had it recently a few times on the CS and CZ in the past few months it tasted so much different (better) warmed up. Just melted in your mouth and was easy to eat with the fork. That doesn't really have to do with how it was made, but more how it was presented to the customer. Just made it seem better even though it was the same product.

 

[Henry Kisor]

In my opinion, Amtrak food quality has become much better in the last few years (except for the beefburgers). The sous-vide technique and its precise timing seems to have been mastered by most of the chefs aboard. Once in a while a chicken dish might be slightly dry or a steak slightly overdone, or the veggies slightly overcooked, but never in my experience to a ruinous extent.

The beefburgers used to be terrific, but now they're only adequate. I much prefer the chipotle veggieburgers at lunch.

 

[Palmland]

I was surprised to read someone's comments that they had never seen a passenger say how good a meal they had. That has not been my experience.

While I do agree many meals are rather bland, I think they are consistently better prepared now than in the past. But, it is the special touches that make it good and I think that depends on the chef/cook. A couple years ago I was on the CONO and had an outstanding catfish dinner. When I asked the waiter about it, he said the chef was from New Orleans and brought his own spices to use. Before leaving the train I made sure to compliment the cook directly.

The meals on the PPC have always been a cut above that in dining cars. Since I guess they are now actually prepared in the diner, not sure if it is preparation or just better quality ingredients. Or it could be just the glow after an afternoon of wine tasting that makes everything seem better!

 

[Ashland Train Enthusiast]

Long gone are the days of having an actual chef in the kitchen. The corporation would likely fire a crew member who took it upon themselves to prepare meals largely out of scope of what the stated menu and preparation guide offers, if the ingredients for such inspiration were even available. Cudos to the cooks who do the little extra things like actually griddle the french toast, or toast the burger bun (I've had it done before on the Coast Starlight two years ago, so don't tell me Amtrak never does it,) or make sure the steak is finished to their best ability. But for the larger part, the kitchen staff's hands are tied. And no, it is not due to the limited and tiny space in the kitchens. Many millions of gourmet meals that would rival even the most snooty of fine dining establishments in renowned hotels and gastronomic cities have been churned out in tiny sweltering dining car galleys while rocketing down the rails... But those days are gone in the USA.

Blackwolf, thanks for your insight here. I'm wondering then what the effect of re-stocking has had on this; it may have been easier to carry more varied foods that could be prepared in-situ if commissary stops were more frequent. In today's operations, correct me if I'm mistaken, but if a train is only stocked at the endpoints (due to financial constraints of operating too many commissaries), then it makes it more economical sense to stock things that can store longer.

Heck, have you been inside an Amtrak galley before? The only actual cooking appliance is a single (and rather small) electric griddle. No stove. Only convection re-heat ovens. With only limited staff, and likely an eye toward keeping the risk of boiling pots and pans from flying around on bad track, the company has eliminated the real work space and equipment former train dining car staff of an earlier era had in doing their jobs.

I have not, only going off of what was described in Henry Kisor's book as well as some pictures/vidoes folks have posted online, so this is helpful. From experience, convection ovens actually bake and cook quite well, and at a more rapid pace than traditional ovens, so I wonder if they are actually being used to their full potential.

The sous-vide technique and its precise timing seems to have been mastered by most of the chefs aboard.

Henry, this is the first I've heard of sous-vide being utilized by Amtrak, do you have any more information on how frequently/for what dishes it's used? This would be an interesting consideration, as having a galley equipped for sous-vide cooking could open up some options to what could be cooked "fresh" (i.e. having raw chicken pre-packaged in the sous-vide bag that the cook would then cook in the galley, same thing with heating sauces) without the safety risks of open burners or boiling pots.

~ DCTE

 

[tonys96]

Back in the 80's the (then) wife and I took the Texas Eagle once.....ate a great hamburgrer steak with brown mushroom gravy for dinner. Best Amtrak meal I ever had.

Since then, breakfast has been real good, dinner so-so, and lunches not so much.

IMHO

 

[ScottC4746]

In my opinion, the quality of Amtrak's food is just that: an opinion. We each have our own tastes. I know, for instance, that I have heard many great things about the lamb shank, roast duck, and ribs that are served in Amtrak's diners. As far as I'm concerned, rat poison or starvation is a more attractive alternative than having to gag any of those items down. But that's just the way my taste buds are wired. I don't think, in my own experiences, that Amfood is that bad. The only two meals I can recall that I didn't care for at all was a seafood gumbo on the CONO and a hot turkey sandwich on the EB that only met two of the three criteria: it was a sandwich and it was turkey. And it was stone cold. Other than that, it's been in my estimation fine. The one and only time I've ever encountered anyone offer a solid opinion on the food was a man on the Crescent at breakfast one time who started bitching about the food long before it ever arrived and, sure enough, took one bite of his biscuit, loudly proclaimed it was unedible, and practically threw it back in the server's face. Absolutely uncalled for. :angry:

Bottom line: again, in my opinion and ONLY my opinion, Amfood is better than fast food, comparable (but not quite equal to) a Denny's or something of that nature. And is more expensive tnan what I'd pay for a comparable meal in a restaurant. As long as it's edible, I'm good! :lol:

This is very true. Straying off topic just a bit, I rave over the food at Disneyland and Walt Disney World because to me it is an amazing level of quality given it is a theme park. Others disagree with me saying it is run of the mill restaurant food. Opinions.

 

[JayPea]

On one of my first Amtrak trips years ago on the SWC we had an LSA who told us about how back in the 'olden days' the train would stop at the rivers edge and buy freshly caught trout from local fishermen and fry it up fresh for passengers.

He said he once served some to Lena Horne. His name was Larry and was about to retire after 30+ years of service, most of it with Amtrak.

He may have been telling a 'big fish story', but he was very believable.

I recently watched a video about the EB that told the same story. The video was from the 80s, and they interviewed a crew member who told that story & even pointed out the lake where the fish were caught. So, I think it might be legit.

On an unrelated note, many people (including some in these food-related threads) have mentioned that toasted burger buns would be nice. If they can heat stuff up, they can heat the buns.

In the early 1990's, there was a locally produced show on the ABC affiliate in Spokane that dealt with travel within the Pacific Northwest. One of those shows dealt with the Empire Builder. I have a tape of that show and the story of the trout was told. The man who told it was Robert Downing, \who had begun his career with the Great Northern in 1938, eventually rising to the position of Executive Vice President of the GNR. He continued with BN as CEO until his retirement in 1979. He said that a man actually owned a small lake and had a standing order, during the summer season, to catch 10-15 pounds of trout every morning. He would catch the trout, and deliver it to the station in the morning. (I"m not sure which station; I assume one of the Western Montana stations) so it could be honestly said that the patrons of the diner at dinner were eating trout that had been swimming in the lake that morning. As Mr. Downing was known for his honesty, integrity, and adherence to ethical standards, I would say without question the story is true.

 

[TimePeace]

I can't remember the details but I'm pretty sure somewhere in Henry Kisor's book "Zephyr" there is a similar reference to fresh-caught trout that the train stopped to pick up - "back in the day."

Edit: I've never eaten a fresh-caught trout on a train nor in a restaurant for that matter - but I have by gosh eaten them here in Maine and let me tell you there is nothing much better than that - I often tell people up here I'd trade a bucket full of lobsters for 2 nice sized brookies, anytime.

 

[SarahZ]

I grew up in Alpena, MI, which is right on Lake Huron and has several rivers that run through the city. We went fishing nearly every weekend and caught perch, trout, bass, and smelt. They have a Brown Trout Festival in August every year. My dad worked as a courier and often stopped at a Native American's roadside stand in the upper peninsula; this gentleman sold fresh, smoked whitefish. YUM.

Because of this, I usually turn up my nose to fish in restaurants or (gasp!) the freezer section at the grocery store. While I've had good fish, I've never had GREAT fish. There's something about fresh fish that simply can't be matched.

 

[JayPea]

I can't remember the details but I'm pretty sure somewhere in Henry Kisor's book "Zephyr" there is a similar reference to fresh-caught trout that the train stopped to pick up - "back in the day."

Edit: I've never eaten a fresh-caught trout on a train nor in a restaurant for that matter - but I have by gosh eaten them here in Maine and let me tell you there is nothing much better than that - I often tell people up here I'd trade a bucket full of lobsters for 2 nice sized brookies, anytime.

I've eaten fresh - caught trout here in Washington and I fully agree! For some reason the ones I've caught myself always taste better than the ones others have caught!

 

[TimePeace]

I've eaten fresh - caught trout here in Washington and I fully agree! For some reason the ones I've caught myself always taste better than the ones others have caught!

I have noticed that same phenomenon!

 

[Henry Kisor]

That reference was to an incident I saw in which the Zephyr was stopped at a siding close to the Colorado River and I saw the chef beckon from the dining car to a guy walking near the tracks with a string of trout. The guy handed the string up to the chef and money was exchanged. Later the chef said he broiled the trout for the crew.