Amtrak's Food Facts

[momof5]

My husband has a severe dairy allergy and I just wanted to know if the Food Fact information is pretty accurate? Its nice that they have it so we can plan a little ahead for our upcoming trip.

He doesn't have a problem with most foods because you just know if they have dairy, it's when they do the "extra" stuff like brushing the steaks with butter is when we have the biggest problems.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

I read in another thread here that Amtrak recently (Last 6 months?) reiterated to its chefs that they should not do their own 'customizing,' with extra ingredients, to the foods in the diner. There are some members here who do have food allergies, and they can do a better job of telling you their experiences and what precautions to take, but it certainly would not hurt to tell the attendants who are serving in the dining car about his allergy and ask for their help and diligence in keeping your husband from having any problems.

If it were me, and the dining car crew did a good job of helping, I'd show my appreciation with a nice tip after the first meal, and subsequent meals, for I think they would deserve it, and it would encourage and motivate them to help you at future meals.

 

[pennyk]

I have an allergy to garlic and more times than not, the dining car staff has no idea whether the entrees contain garlic. Some of the entrees are listed in a book with the ingredients, but not all the ingredients are list. However, I would assume that dairy would be listed.

When in doubt, I do not eat it. There have been many times when either it was certain that all the dinner entrees contained garlic or the crew was unsure. In those cases, I had a baked potato and vegetables.

My recommendation is to bring snacks just in case.

 

[TVRM610]

Penny... How do you feel your Amtrak experiences compare to going out to eat in general?

It seems like it should be an extremely easy question to answer... ("Which items don't include garlic") but perhaps this is common in many restaurants these days?

 

[pennyk]

Penny... How do you feel your Amtrak experiences compare to going out to eat in general?
It seems like it should be an extremely easy question to answer... ("Which items don't include garlic") but perhaps this is common in many restaurants these days?

Restaurants are easier because most entrees are made to order and there are more choices. For example, at an Italian restaurant, I can order pasta without sauce and just use olive oil or have a large salad (with non-iceberg lettuce) and pick and choose the ingredients and use vinegar and oil for dressing. However, going to friends' houses for dinner or "pot lucks" is very problematic. It seems like very few people cook without garlic.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I am curious as to whether the Dining Car Servers have to split the Tip Kitty with the Chef and Kitchen Staff? I know many restaurants require that. The Chef is one of the most important Staffers on a Long Distance train and often the most forgotten, especially on Superliners where they are out of sight. I have had several "customized" meals come to the table very well prepared and presented.

 

[momof5]

Thanks! I figured my best bet would be to talk to the dining staff. He's learned to not eat bread, but usually he's safe with the meat.

 

[dlagrua]

I sympathize with you. I would say that a good 50-60% of prepared foods contain garlic. I have a similar problem. I am highly allergic to MSG (mono sodium glutamate) and no one can ever tell me if its in the Amtrak cuisine or not. I end up knowing the next day with itching, hives and have to take anti-histamines and feel sluggish all day. What can we do to change this? Food service people need to be more sympathetic to patrons that have these allergic conditions.. Some highly allergic people can even go into anaphylactic shock from food allergies. .

I have an allergy to garlic and more times than not, the dining car staff has no idea whether the entrées contain garlic. Some of the entrées are listed in a book with the ingredients, but not all the ingredients are list. However, I would assume that dairy would be listed.
When in doubt, I do not eat it. There have been many times when either it was certain that all the dinner entrées contained garlic or the crew was unsure. In those cases, I had a baked potato and vegetables.

My recommendation is to bring snacks just in case.

 

[Guest]

I am highly allergic to MSG (mono sodium glutamate) and no one can ever tell me if its in the Amtrak cuisine or not. I end up knowing the next day with itching, hives and have to take anti-histamines and feel sluggish all day. What can we do to change this? Food service people need to be more sympathetic to patrons that have these allergic conditions.. Some highly allergic people can even go into anaphylactic shock from food allergies. .

I have a close friend who has the same problem. However, your post gives me an opportunity to give a good example.

One could go to a Chinese Restaurant, and ask if they use MSG (or request that they don't for your dish). They can be truthful, and claim there is no added MSG to the food they serve you. However, that doesn't mean that the prepared foods they buy, don't already have MSG in them.

The same goes for Amtrak. The dining car chef can honestly claim he doesn't use MSG (or dairy or garlic or butter), in the food he prepares on-board for you. But that doesn't guarantee that there is no chance that such wasn't already in the food supplies loaded into the car.

BTW, I just can resist adding my favorite story.... my local Dunkin Donuts shop has a sign posted that reads "Banana Nut muffins may contain nuts". What's this "may"? The Banana Nut muffin I just bought, better contain nuts!

 

[City of Miami]

OlyHiawatha - I think they pool the 'take' and split it up. I have been on trips when the diner crews discuss the tips situation openly and loudly as if we, the customers, were not only invisible but not present at all. Personally, I find such behavior very off-putting and emblematic of the prevailing attitude that we the customers are merely impediments to the employees running the operation to suit their own comfort and convenience.. Anyway, the gist of it was that they 'pool' (the cook was mentioned).

Additionally, on my last trip, after arrival in NOL, I stood in line at the ticket counter to ask a question and the LSA came up with a large stash of money and handed it to the ticket person who proceeded to count it (while I and others stood in line and waited). I impatiently left the line (I pretty much knew the answer to my question which was not pleasant) so I don't know how they ended that transaction, but it certainly looked like the LSA had all the tips and wanted to reduce it to larger bills.

 

[TVRM610]

I was on the Zephyr or Chief last year and a table mate asked the LSA how the tips get split and he said "it is split between the 2 servers" so this policy may change from train to train.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Additionally, on my last trip, after arrival in NOL, I stood in line at the ticket counter to ask a question and the LSA came up with a large stash of money and handed it to the ticket person who proceeded to count it (while I and others stood in line and waited). I impatiently left the line (I pretty much knew the answer to my question which was not pleasant) so I don't know how they ended that transaction, but it certainly looked like the LSA had all the tips and wanted to reduce it to larger bills.

Or could this cash have been from all the cash sales in the DC?