Amtrak request for proposal-Nationwide Food & Beverage Service

[crescent-zephyr]

Might need two dining car staff: one to prepare food, and an LSA to take orders, sell alcohol, take payment from coach customers, and keep things tidy outside the kitchen in the dining car.

That's what I was suggesting... 1 Chef / food prep and 1 LSA / Server.

That's 1 more staff than the Capitol and Lake Shore currently has, the additional staff would be cooking / preparing food on board.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Well... Alter staffing as needed. If one attendant can handle the Capitol with 2 sleepers and a Transdorm, let's just say add an attendant when the train sells more than 2 full sleepers?

That solve the problem?

If one attendant is "handling" two full sleepers and a transdorm, THAT is a problem in itself. Quality, availability of the attendant, and both employee and pax morale are bound to suffer.

Well... currently 1 attendant (an LSA) is handling all of the food and beverages for sleeping car passengers on the Capitol.. that train runs with 2 sleepers and a transdorm.

 

[tricia]

Might need two dining car staff: one to prepare food, and an LSA to take orders, sell alcohol, take payment from coach customers, and keep things tidy outside the kitchen in the dining car.

That's what I was suggesting... 1 Chef / food prep and 1 LSA / Server.

That's 1 more staff than the Capitol and Lake Shore currently has, the additional staff would be cooking / preparing food on board.

I think your earlier post about this had a chef/food prep person working with a sleeping car attendant.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Might need two dining car staff: one to prepare food, and an LSA to take orders, sell alcohol, take payment from coach customers, and keep things tidy outside the kitchen in the dining car.

That's what I was suggesting... 1 Chef / food prep and 1 LSA / Server.

That's 1 more staff than the Capitol and Lake Shore currently has, the additional staff would be cooking / preparing food on board.

I think your earlier post about this had a chef/food prep person working with a sleeping car attendant.

ahhh I had said "Sleeper Lounge Attendant" for some reason. Not sure why i typed that, I was trying to describe the job without saying LSA, thinking that maybe the Chef could handle the inventory and the LSA could be dropped down to an attendant / server. But yeah.. now I see where the confusion came from.

The sleeper attendants SHOULD help in this new sleeper lounge / diner concept, but I doubt they actually do.

 

[tricia]

Might need two dining car staff: one to prepare food, and an LSA to take orders, sell alcohol, take payment from coach customers, and keep things tidy outside the kitchen in the dining car.

That's what I was suggesting... 1 Chef / food prep and 1 LSA / Server.

That's 1 more staff than the Capitol and Lake Shore currently has, the additional staff would be cooking / preparing food on board.

I think your earlier post about this had a chef/food prep person working with a sleeping car attendant.

ahhh I had said "Sleeper Lounge Attendant" for some reason. Not sure why i typed that, I was trying to describe the job without saying LSA, thinking that maybe the Chef could handle the inventory and the LSA could be dropped down to an attendant / server. But yeah.. now I see where the confusion came from.

The sleeper attendants SHOULD help in this new sleeper lounge / diner concept, but I doubt they actually do.

Wouldn't it have to be an LSA to handle cash sales of meals to coach passengers, and wine/beer?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Might need two dining car staff: one to prepare food, and an LSA to take orders, sell alcohol, take payment from coach customers, and keep things tidy outside the kitchen in the dining car.

That's what I was suggesting... 1 Chef / food prep and 1 LSA / Server.

That's 1 more staff than the Capitol and Lake Shore currently has, the additional staff would be cooking / preparing food on board.

I think your earlier post about this had a chef/food prep person working with a sleeping car attendant.

ahhh I had said "Sleeper Lounge Attendant" for some reason. Not sure why i typed that, I was trying to describe the job without saying LSA, thinking that maybe the Chef could handle the inventory and the LSA could be dropped down to an attendant / server. But yeah.. now I see where the confusion came from.

The sleeper attendants SHOULD help in this new sleeper lounge / diner concept, but I doubt they actually do.

Wouldn't it have to be an LSA to handle cash sales of meals to coach passengers, and wine/beer?

Under the current set-up yes. But they figured out how to drop the diner LSA on the Capitol prior to the "fresh" dining and on the City of New Orleans by putting the Cafe in the Diner / Lounge (aka Cross Country Cafe) Car.

 

[OBS]

Might need two dining car staff: one to prepare food, and an LSA to take orders, sell alcohol, take payment from coach customers, and keep things tidy outside the kitchen in the dining car.

That's what I was suggesting... 1 Chef / food prep and 1 LSA / Server.

That's 1 more staff than the Capitol and Lake Shore currently has, the additional staff would be cooking / preparing food on board.

I think your earlier post about this had a chef/food prep person working with a sleeping car attendant.

ahhh I had said "Sleeper Lounge Attendant" for some reason. Not sure why i typed that, I was trying to describe the job without saying LSA, thinking that maybe the Chef could handle the inventory and the LSA could be dropped down to an attendant / server. But yeah.. now I see where the confusion came from.

The sleeper attendants SHOULD help in this new sleeper lounge / diner concept, but I doubt they actually do.

Wouldn't it have to be an LSA to handle cash sales of meals to coach passengers, and wine/beer?

Any cash sales from the Diner...yes...as well as handle the paperwork.

 

[OBS]

Might need two dining car staff: one to prepare food, and an LSA to take orders, sell alcohol, take payment from coach customers, and keep things tidy outside the kitchen in the dining car.

That's what I was suggesting... 1 Chef / food prep and 1 LSA / Server.

That's 1 more staff than the Capitol and Lake Shore currently has, the additional staff would be cooking / preparing food on board.

I think your earlier post about this had a chef/food prep person working with a sleeping car attendant.

ahhh I had said "Sleeper Lounge Attendant" for some reason. Not sure why i typed that, I was trying to describe the job without saying LSA, thinking that maybe the Chef could handle the inventory and the LSA could be dropped down to an attendant / server. But yeah.. now I see where the confusion came from.

The sleeper attendants SHOULD help in this new sleeper lounge / diner concept, but I doubt they actually do.

Wouldn't it have to be an LSA to handle cash sales of meals to coach passengers, and wine/beer?

Under the current set-up yes. But they figured out how to drop the diner LSA on the Capitol prior to the "fresh" dining and on the City of New Orleans by putting the Cafe in the Diner / Lounge (aka Cross Country Cafe) Car.

You can make all kinds of changes to save money but you reach the point where any concept of SERVICE is abandoned.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Wouldn't it have to be an LSA to handle cash sales of meals to coach passengers, and wine/beer?

Under the current set-up yes. But they figured out how to drop the diner LSA on the Capitol prior to the "fresh" dining and on the City of New Orleans by putting the Cafe in the Diner / Lounge (aka Cross Country Cafe) Car.

You can make all kinds of changes to save money but you reach the point where any concept of SERVICE is abandoned.

It all depends on the people you have working. I got great service on the City of New Orleans diner with the 1 server handling everything. The food wasn't good.. but the server did all she could to make the experience good.

Some of the worst service I've gotten was on a fully staffed Coast Starlight diner that was only half filled. The LSA and crew did everything they could to make sure the passengers felt like a major inconvenience to them. The food on that Diner was quite good.

Guess which one I would rather repeat? The bad food with the 1 friendly server.

 

[cpotisch]

Well... Alter staffing as needed. If one attendant can handle the Capitol with 2 sleepers and a Transdorm, let's just say add an attendant when the train sells more than 2 full sleepers?

That solve the problem?

If one attendant is "handling" two full sleepers and a transdorm, THAT is a problem in itself. Quality, availability of the attendant, and both employee and pax morale are bound to suffer.

Well... currently 1 attendant (an LSA) is handling all of the food and beverages for sleeping car passengers on the Capitol.. that train runs with 2 sleepers and a transdorm.

Two totally different things. An LSA has to stay in that one car and do basically one task. An SCA has to turn down and turn up peoples' beds, bring meals to passengers' rooms if desired, provide coffee and juice, etc. They are not at all comparable.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Well... Alter staffing as needed. If one attendant can handle the Capitol with 2 sleepers and a Transdorm, let's just say add an attendant when the train sells more than 2 full sleepers?

That solve the problem?

If one attendant is "handling" two full sleepers and a transdorm, THAT is a problem in itself. Quality, availability of the attendant, and both employee and pax morale are bound to suffer.

Well... currently 1 attendant (an LSA) is handling all of the food and beverages for sleeping car passengers on the Capitol.. that train runs with 2 sleepers and a transdorm.

Two totally different things. An LSA has to stay in that one car and do basically one task. An SCA has to turn down and turn up peoples' beds, bring meals to passengers' rooms if desired, provide coffee and juice, etc. They are not at all comparable.

Just to be clear... when I said attendant... I was talking about an attendant in the lounge. I realize that is currently an LSA. I was being a bit too generic in my terms I see. ha.

 

[cpotisch]

Well... Alter staffing as needed. If one attendant can handle the Capitol with 2 sleepers and a Transdorm, let's just say add an attendant when the train sells more than 2 full sleepers?

That solve the problem?

If one attendant is "handling" two full sleepers and a transdorm, THAT is a problem in itself. Quality, availability of the attendant, and both employee and pax morale are bound to suffer.

Well... currently 1 attendant (an LSA) is handling all of the food and beverages for sleeping car passengers on the Capitol.. that train runs with 2 sleepers and a transdorm.

Two totally different things. An LSA has to stay in that one car and do basically one task. An SCA has to turn down and turn up peoples' beds, bring meals to passengers' rooms if desired, provide coffee and juice, etc. They are not at all comparable.

Just to be clear... when I said attendant... I was talking about an attendant in the lounge. I realize that is currently an LSA. I was being a bit too generic in my terms I see. ha.

I know. But you seemed to be saying that because one LSA can handle the passenger load of two sleepers and a trans-dorm, one SCA could also do so. And I strongly disagree with that.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Oh no that's not what I was meaning to say at all. I was never talking about SCA's at all.

I was saying 1 LSA currently handles 2 sleepers and 1 Transdorm of passengers on the Capitol. Triley said 1 LSA wouldn't work on a sold out empire builder or Starlight. So I said ok then add another attendant (in the lounge, like add another LSA, or a server or whatever you call them) when you get past 2 full sleepers.

In my mind I think of the title "attendant" being generic for an OBS position. That's where the confusion came from. Sorry about that.

 

[cpotisch]

Oh no that's not what I was meaning to say at all. I was never talking about SCA's at all.

I was saying 1 LSA currently handles 2 sleepers and 1 Transdorm of passengers on the Capitol. Triley said 1 LSA wouldn't work on a sold out empire builder or Starlight. So I said ok then add another attendant (in the lounge, like add another LSA, or a server or whatever you call them) when you get past 2 full sleepers.

In my mind I think of the title "attendant" being generic for an OBS position. That's where the confusion came from. Sorry about that.

Oh, I see. Sorry to attack a point you weren't making.

 

[Dakota 400]

I surely appreciate the information posted by two members about the alcohol situation on the Silver Meteor when the train is in Georgia. I had no idea.

 

[RPC]

The sleeper attendants SHOULD help in this new sleeper lounge / diner concept, but I doubt they actually do.

On the "fresh & contemporary" CL I took last summer the two SCAs were working very hard, helping load the bags, calling parties in the "lounge" and running bags back to the sleepers. I can't imagine the poor LSA being stuck with all the bagging and delivering in the lounge...

 

[user 14106]

Note that the request for proposals, while obviously a big part is aimed at LD, also includes looking at the NEC and state supported F&B. So they are looking for options across the board. Conceivably If you could lower the F&B costs in the NEC which finishes just Barely in the black According to past Amtrak reports, every extra dollar would make up for LD losses.

 

[Skyline]

Oh no that's not what I was meaning to say at all. I was never talking about SCA's at all.

I was saying 1 LSA currently handles 2 sleepers and 1 Transdorm of passengers on the Capitol. Triley said 1 LSA wouldn't work on a sold out empire builder or Starlight. So I said ok then add another attendant (in the lounge, like add another LSA, or a server or whatever you call them) when you get past 2 full sleepers.

In my mind I think of the title "attendant" being generic for an OBS position. That's where the confusion came from. Sorry about that.

Oh, I see. Sorry to attack a point you weren't making.

I also thought that. And though I know one SCA can handle two sleeping cars, even an additional transdorm, while another SCA sleeps, eats, or takes a break it's a horrible idea to make that a full-trip job description.

 

[dlagrua]

One train being ignored for food service is the Cardinal. On our four trips on the Cardinal, the meals were heated and served by one FSA. The SCA helped out waiting tables. The food on the Cardinal is mediocre but certainly better than a boxed lunch as on other CHI trains.. If Amtrak is penny pinching on the food service perhaps an expansion of this business model can provide decent hot food while keeping costs down....... but costs are certainly not down for the sleeper passenger. I don't see outsourcing of food service saving Amtrak any money. They still have to pull a dining car and maintain it. They still need to provide sleeper space and food for some dining car personnel. While Amtrak tries in vain to make the dining cars profitable they should realize that this has never been done in railroad history. As Wick Moorman once said, "dining cars are part of the service" and I will add , they help sell tickets..

 

[Triley]

The sleeper attendants SHOULD help in this new sleeper lounge / diner concept, but I doubt they actually do.

On the "fresh & contemporary" CL I took last summer the two SCAs were working very hard, helping load the bags, calling parties in the "lounge" and running bags back to the sleepers. I can't imagine the poor LSA being stuck with all the bagging and delivering in the lounge...

Plus I the CL, if I'm not mistaken...doesn't the LSA on the diner also run cafe car sales out of the car? Must be great service on that train...

 

[PVD]

My last CL trip in June, there was a separate person handling the cafe sales, it was one and one.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

My last CL trip in June, there was a separate person handling the cafe sales, it was one and one.

But the cafe sales were handled from the "sleeper lounge" / CCC car?

 

[PVD]

I am almost 100 % sure that is so, since I don't recall climbing the stairs when I walked around killing time while we waited for the downed tree to be moved.

 

[bretton88]

From reports, Amtrak has put the cafe back in the SSL. So the diner is for sleepers only.

 

[PVD]

My trip was only a week into it, I would not be surprised if that change was made.