Amtrak's New "Fresh Choices" Dining on CL & LSL

[wi-smb]

So, continuing my update from the eastbound CL:

You can see meal pictures here: https://www.facebook.com/sean.bossinger/posts/10160750131275160

The crew seemed disjointed, as if there were no process in place for the new meal service. I got my dinner, originally scheduled for 7:30, at 8:15. It took the crew some time to sort out the meal slips. All SCAs were on hand in the Sleeper Lounge (a diner pushed into service for this purpose) to sort out a messy situation (wrong car numbers, wrong room numbers, etc. - written by the SCAs, which drove the LSA running the Sleeper Lounge frigging nuts).

I had the chilled beef tenderloin salad. It was delicious, and filling. I chose to not eat the fingerling potato salad; maybe Ill try it for the trip back to Chicago. It was still high on the sodium count, but Ill chalk most of that up to the dressing, so, you *can* adjust your intake.

I ate the sea salt caramel cheesecake in a jar (glass, yes, fancy). It, too, was delicious. It was one of the best desserts Ive had anywhere, actually.

This was the first time this crew has used the new system. It was clear that there didnt appear to be any training for it, and that much of the figuring out how to run the program was left up to individual crews (which is how you get into situations where you cant rely on data later on). I cut them some slack.

That said, my SCA indicated that of 31 sleeper passengers to depart Chicago today in his car, only 8 showed up. He thinks its a direct result of this program.

 

[chrsjrcj]

Both the Zephyr and Builder were late enough to miss the connection with the Cap, so I suspect that explains some of the missing passengers.

In any case, thank you for the report.

The dessert sounds like the biggest win out of this. Looks quite good in the pictures.

 

[niemi24s]

Breakfast on the Westbound CL out of Pittsburgh Tuesday morning consisted of juice, a kit of pretzels, cookies, dried fruit and a warm breakfast sandwich similar to a McDonald's egg & sausage McMuffin. But as this particular train originated in Pittsburgh after a bus ride from Washington DC (due to storm debris blocking the track East of Pittsburgh) I don't know if this is the new standard breakfast - and I was too tired to think of asking.

As the train was over 4 hours late, at some stop a few hours from Chicago, sleeper pax were served McChickens that had been brought aboard for lunch.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I had the chilled beef tenderloin salad. It was delicious, and filling. I ate the sea salt caramel cheesecake in a jar (glass, yes, fancy). It, too, was delicious. It was one of the best desserts Ive had anywhere, actually.

↑ This honestly doesn't look that bad to me at first glance. It certainly looks a lot better than the "premium" sleeper sandwich served to me on the ex-SEA PPC. ↓



That being said, these new meals honestly look like the sort of compact prepackaged refrigerator boxes that should be found in the cafe car rather than served as a premium sleeper entree in a private kitchen lounge car. Lack of any hot meal options, an extremely limited selection for people with picky palates and/or specific dietary needs, and lack of a fare discount to reflect the reduction in labor are the primary negatives IMO.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Breakfast on the Westbound CL out of Pittsburgh Tuesday morning consisted of juice, a kit of pretzels, cookies, dried fruit and a warm breakfast sandwich similar to a McDonald's egg & sausage McMuffin. But as this particular train originated in Pittsburgh after a bus ride from Washington DC (due to storm debris blocking the track East of Pittsburgh) I don't know if this is the new standard breakfast - and I was too tired to think of asking.

As the train was over 4 hours late, at some stop a few hours from Chicago, sleeper pax were served McChickens that had been brought aboard for lunch.

No, you did not get the standard breakfast. As you said, you were on a truncated CL so they had to do a substitution. The McMuffin should have been your biggest clue.

 

[dlagrua]

When the private railroads wanted out of the passenger rail business, they removed dining car service. Ridership plunged and this enabled them to go to congress with a reason for discontinuance of service. The sleeper passenger who has been steadily saddled with ever rising prices and less amenities will not continue to ride without decent meal service. Wick Moorman was right when he said that its part of the service. Without it many passengers (including us) will stay away. It breaks the NY-CHI and WAS-CHI Amtrak service and you long distance passenger rail will not survive. Perhaps that is the underlying motive. Does anyone at Amtrak have the guts to tell this to congress????.

 

[wi-smb]

Breakfast pics from the CL this morning are posted here: https://www.facebook.com/sean.bossinger/posts/10160750131275160

Essentially, its as has been described before: sugar-laden. Though, with our propensity in the USA to have dessert for breakfast, this isnt surprising.

In the box was a fruit plate (fairly sizable - blackberries, strawberries, pineapple, honeydew, and cantaloupe); yogurt parfait with yogurt, granola, strawberries, and blueberries; banana bread; blueberry muffin; a Kind Dark Chocolate bar; and a Kashi yogurt bar. I ate the fruit plate and yogurt cup, had the Kind bar, a coffee, and was full.

In my discussion with some of the crew, I heard that they do not get food on board - they are given (what sounded to me to be) a per diem. So, they can spend their per diem in the cafe, or bank it and bring their own. They are not allocated boxes. Also, for someone traveling on Amtrak business, they have to pay $40 per boxed meal, but are reimbursed.

All in all, I have to say that the food (dinner and breakfast) was decent. It was tasty, filling, and served beautifully. Yes, it comes in a box; but, having had purchased airline snacks, theres really no comparison size-wise: Amtraks boxed meals pack more food.

Would I prefer the diners food? Im equivocal - Id have ranked these meals as right in the middle of my diner experiences. On my last trip on the Texas Eagle (two months ago), I had a crappy steak on the southbound trip, and a perfectly-cooked one on the northbound. The chilled beef tenderloin salad from last night pretty much landed right in the middle of those two - and its way better than some beef and noodle concoction I was served on the Silver Service about 20 years ago, coming out of Miami.

 

[JoeBas]

The chilled beef tenderloin salad from last night pretty much landed right in the middle of those two - and its way better than some beef and noodle concoction I was served on the Silver Service about 20 years ago, coming out of Miami.

That should be the new marketing tagline - "Amtrak - Our food is still better than canned Dinty Moore!!!"

 

[TinCan782]

In my discussion with some of the crew, I heard that they do not get food on board - they are given (what sounded to me to be) a per diem. So, they can spend their per diem in the cafe, or bank it and bring their own. They are not allocated boxes. Also, for someone traveling on Amtrak business, they have to pay $40 per boxed meal, but are reimbursed.

"40 per boxed meal"??? Reimbursed or not, what's in that box?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

If you were to price out a boxed meal of that quality, add in the delivery fee (commercial driver has to drive a commercial refrigerated truck to the rail yard and have it loaded on the train) plus paying the LSA to "handle" the boxes you would probably end up close to $40 per box.

 

[chrsjrcj]

Yeah, thats pretty interesting. Makes me wonder how much theyre transferring out of the sleeping car account to the dining car, especially with no prices posted on the menu.

Edit: Jeesh, Despite me putting an apostrophe in theyre, it disappears.

 

[cpotisch]

I had the chilled beef tenderloin salad. It was delicious, and filling. I chose to not eat the fingerling potato salad; maybe Ill try it for the trip back to Chicago. It was still high on the sodium count, but Ill chalk most of that up to the dressing, so, you *can* adjust your intake.

I ate the sea salt caramel cheesecake in a jar (glass, yes, fancy). It, too, was delicious. It was one of the best desserts Ive had anywhere, actually.

Glad to hear that you really liked the food. If I ate meat, it sounds like everything would be great! However I'll have to endure the veggie wrap, which has the "vegan dessert bar" instead. If they offered another vegetarian or pescatarian option, and allowed passengers to pick their dessert, I might be able to handle it. But at this point, I just don't think the selection is even remotely conducive for those with dietary restrictions.

 

[cpotisch]

Edit: Jeesh, Despite me putting an apostrophe in theyre, it disappears.

You have that problem as well? I thought I was the only one! Are you posting from your phone (that's where I usually have the issue)? Usually you just have to wait a couple minutes and edit again.

 

[chrsjrcj]

Edit: Jeesh, Despite me putting an apostrophe in theyre, it disappears.

You have that problem as well? I thought I was the only one! Are you posting from your phone (that's where I usually have the issue)? Usually you just have to wait a couple minutes and edit again.

Yup, from my phone. I hate giving off the appearance that my grammar skills are equal to a 2nd grader, when they are closer to a High School freshman

 

[Manny T]

Guest J M posted his first trip report yesterday on AU containing the following description:

"Ate a nice dinner (Land & Sea) in the dining car, seated with a pleasant couple from England who enjoyed chatting. I drank a half bottle, made sure to request my salad and roll which I think the server forgot about, and enjoyed the pecan tart for dessert. My steak was overcooked but I wasn't going to complain, as I know how it's cooked Sous vide first and finished on the grill.

"Slept about 3-4 hours and then woke up and decided to sit in the seat under my bunk and watch the stations go by. Ate breakfast in the dining car (quesedilla with bacon which was delicious)."

Sad to think this perfect scenario ^ is just nostalgia insofar as the CL and LSL are concerned.

 

[TiBike]

"made sure to request my salad and roll which I think the server forgot about"

"My steak was overcooked"

If this is a perfect diner scenario, then Amtrak has a perfect reason to go with boxed meals.

 

[RichieRich]

Sad to think this perfect scenario ^ is just nostalgia insofar as the CL and LSL are concerned.

Add the AT to your list. They got rid of the "Chef" years and years ago. Now (1st Class) is basically cafeteria food...big pots and slop a ladle out on a plastic plate. One big pot of boiling water for the frozen vegetables. As I was crunching the couscous ...someone said:" that's not couscous ...that's raw (crunchy) rice! Salads are all pre-plated, stacked 6 high and saran wrapped together in a big pile...that's why they're always wilted.

 

[bratkinson]

One of my concerns about the 'New Deal' meal is what if they put it on all LD trains?

Of note is that regardless of riding on the LSL or CL, at most, there's only breakfast and one other meal served in each direction. So, a lunch or dinner box – served in opposite directions – can be acceptable to a sleeping car passenger as a 'one time' meal. They've done it for years on the Portland section of the Empire Builder. I rode it 5-6 weeks ago and though I was less than thrilled with the cold beef 'salad', it was nutritionally complete and filling, in my opinion. But that was with full knowledge I'd have the rest of my meals in the dining car, all the way to Chicago. I don't know what the Portland section gets for breakfast, but I assume it's better than what is now on the CL & LSL.

As I said, a one-meal only deal will likely be OK with most passengers who don't mind paying too much for the included meal. But what about western train passengers that get two or three dinners, and a couple of lunches and breakfasts enroute? And pity the cross-country traveller getting the same stuff for yet another day! Granted, the standardized 'national menu' of recent days got tired real quick when I went cross country in April, but at least there were options for varying tastes and dietary limitations. How many would cheerfully take three days of cold food, and pay perhaps thousands for the 'priveledge'?

Perhaps the best solution is to take the free meals out of the sleeper price and go ala carte in the diner like they used to 20 years ago, give or take. Let the passengers 'vote' with their dollars on what they like or dislike.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

bratkinson--

The breakfast that I chose (and you had a choice) on the Portland section of the Empire Builder was a cold ham and cheese sandwich, cut-up fruit, a normal yogurt (not that Greek stuff that we're all supposed to take to immediately because it's "healthier"), and a truly delicious blueberry crumble. Even though it was in a box, it looked and tasted delicious.

I wouldn't object at all if the breakfast quality on the CL and LSL were that good.

(Of course it did not hurt that I got to eat it while riding along a lovely river....

)

 

[cpotisch]

Sad to think this perfect scenario ^ is just nostalgia insofar as the CL and LSL are concerned.

Add the AT to your list. They got rid of the "Chef" years and years ago. Now (1st Class) is basically cafeteria food...big pots and slop a ladle out on a plastic plate. One big pot of boiling water for the frozen vegetables. As I was crunching the couscous ...someone said:" that's not couscous ...that's raw (crunchy) rice! Salads are all pre-plated, stacked 6 high and saran wrapped together in a big pile...that's why they're always wilted.

The Auto Train doesn't have full meal service? I would have sworn that it offered meals at least as good as any other Superliner LD train.

 

[keelhauled]

The Auto Train has unique menus for both coach and sleeper passengers. Whether it is all reheated or cooked on board I can't say, although the fact that the beef is specified as "cooked to medium" makes me think the former.

 

[Skyline]

From what I've been reading since late last week, I'd say there are more negatives than positives with the new menu and the execution of a radically new system. I'd like to think we'll look back at June 2018 as a learning experience for both Amtrak and its patrons.

If regular diner service in some format ever returns to the CL and LSL, and this comment would apply to the other LD trains that still have it, mixing in a couple of the better "fresh choices" entrees, sides, and desserts with a more traditional cooked menu might be a good idea. That would possibly save money and certainly time as I'd see some pax preferring these once in awhile (but not always forced to eat cold). Breakfast is the saddest part of the new menu, and I see nothing redeemable there.

If they can bring costs and time-consuming tasks under control without drastically changing the pax experience, this could be a win-win. But forcing the SCA to be wait staff too -- and with little or no training -- is ridiculous both for him or her and the pax. They have plenty of tasks already. Some cover more than one sleeper at least part of a LD trip. And they are now expected to take orders, maneuver food from one or more cars away, serve it politely, clean up all the waste after mealtime? I'd need at least three hands and something medicinally to maintain the necessary energy level. Um, this kind of heavy handed management (Amtrak, Congress) is why unions form and exist.

 

[cpotisch]

I honestly think that they amenities kits, while nice, are more of a gimmick than anything. And it seems like not everyone has received them, which makes me pretty hesitant to rely on getting one. They kits themselves seem nice enough, but I can't say that a 50% chance at an amenity kit even remotely compensates for the very restrictive menu and lack of any hot meals.

 

[jis]

I honestly think that they amenities kits, while nice, are more of a gimmick than anything. And it seems like not everyone has received them, which makes me pretty hesitant to rely on getting one. They kits themselves seem nice enough, but I can't say that a 50% chance at an amenity kit even remotely compensates for the very restrictive menu and lack of any hot meals.

'Tis the free booze, I bet.

More seriously, the menu can and should be improved with the addition of hot item(s) eventually, hopefully.

I am actually hoping that they would move quickly to the order ahead scheme for onboard food delivery. That would make it easier to handle individual dietary restrictions etc. too, provided of course they want to take the trouble to exploit the opportunity presented by such.

Hey! BTW! Welcome back! Good to see you back!

 

[jebr]

The letter to AAPRCO/RPCA indicated that hot food entrees will be an option soon. I'm optimistic, based on what I've seen of the current cold meals (which seem to be of pretty high quality for cold entrees) that a couple of hot options and some more variety (at least if ordered in advance) would allow for an experience that's comparable, if not better in some ways, than the old-school diner service that's currently on most long-distance trains.