Any Other Routes With EB Style Fried Chicken Dinner Box?

[Headache]

OK, let's compare:

green beans, corn

If you paid over $8 for their "$5 Fill ups" meal, and didn't even get your drink nor cookie, you've been ripped off.

Cost

Overcooked, salty green beans and corn are no comparison to fresh fruit and vegetables. The dry and hard in places bisquit doesn't look equitable to the dinner roll in the box either. At least make the comparison as close to possible as to what's in the box. KFC can't compare. The $8 I paid was for a 2 piece meal in the Seattle metro area that did not include and drink or cookie and while the Amtrak chicken box did include a dessert(a much better one) it does not include a drink that I am aware of. So again, for what looks like a better quality meal I find the cost of the chicken box(and especially after looking at the Diner menu prices) quite reasonable for what's included in it. I'm riding a train for a break from the norm and to experience something different. I'm not going to get that with a KFC meal.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I agree with what Headache just said! I periodically buy a $5 Box from KFC to satisfy the crave for their chicken but when I'm traveling, I like to experience new and different things and one of my key rules is to avoid chain restaurants and as much as possible chain motels when doing so.

 

[NW cannonball]

I agree with what Headache just said! I periodically buy a $5 Box from KFC to satisfy the crave for their chicken but when I'm traveling, I like to experience new and different things and one of my key rules is to avoid chain restaurants and as much as possible chain motels when doing so.

Two days on the road eating at truck stops - a day or two of Amtrak food - not bad - but the cumulative grease and salt and sorry veg -- I gotta get some real food every two-three days. Meat and 3 is better. A veg stir-fry makes my guts rejoice. Even a sambusa with rice and beans helps. Yeah, once a month or so I pig out on (bone-in) wings at some joint or other, but my gut says -- eat that fruit and veg, you'll be so much happier. And my gut is right. That Gubmint advice to eat fruit and veg -- I do it, and my travels are so much happier.

 

[neroden]

So yes, I agree that Amtrak "doesn't get it." But what they don't get is the fact that passengers would jump at offerings like this along ALL of their long-haul routes.

True. Packaged food from local establishments -- with ingredients lists! -- would be quite attractive to a large number of people. If there were multiple options it would be even better (if you're allergic to the one-and-only-one option it becomes annoying; if there are several options, they can often be arranged to be 'complementary' so that there's something for people with any single allergy.)

Honestly I could see an "improved cafe car" being very successful. The only meal I really consistently want hot from the dining car is breakfast, because I like my hot eggs / hot oatmeal / hot pancakes.

Totally agree. I would love to see options like this or even the PDX sleeper box meals offered more on Amtrak trains. If they can find a restaurant in Havre Montana willing to cater, I'm sure they can find plenty of other restaurants along their routes, eager for a chance at a contract to supply.

I again suspect that the severely unreliable timekeeping is the biggest issue. Many restaurants would be happy to deliver boxed meals at a given time -- how many would be happy to deliver meals which might sit for 12-14 hours before even being loaded on the train? At that point you have to provide refrigeration at the delivery point, and so on and so on...

 

[neroden]

In fact, they also ought to serve the Northeast/Acela menu on the "national" (i.r. LD) cafe cars, as the national cafe car menu is really sparse in terms of variety, especially if you're trying to find things to eat for a 2-3 day trip.

This alone would make a big difference.

 

[seat38a]

So yes, I agree that Amtrak "doesn't get it." But what they don't get is the fact that passengers would jump at offerings like this along ALL of their long-haul routes.

True. Packaged food from local establishments -- with ingredients lists! -- would be quite attractive to a large number of people. If there were multiple options it would be even better (if you're allergic to the one-and-only-one option it becomes annoying; if there are several options, they can often be arranged to be 'complementary' so that there's something for people with any single allergy.)

Honestly I could see an "improved cafe car" being very successful. The only meal I really consistently want hot from the dining car is breakfast, because I like my hot eggs / hot oatmeal / hot pancakes.

Totally agree. I would love to see options like this or even the PDX sleeper box meals offered more on Amtrak trains. If they can find a restaurant in Havre Montana willing to cater, I'm sure they can find plenty of other restaurants along their routes, eager for a chance at a contract to supply.

I again suspect that the severely unreliable timekeeping is the biggest issue. Many restaurants would be happy to deliver boxed meals at a given time -- how many would be happy to deliver meals which might sit for 12-14 hours before even being loaded on the train? At that point you have to provide refrigeration at the delivery point, and so on and so on...

Seems to be working out well for the Chicken Dinner in Havre Montana. The restaurant knows the risks of the EB being late. I always read about the why it can't be done, but here is an example of it being done. Which technology these days, its not like the delivery guys have to show up at the station and sit there and wait for a 5 hour late train. They will head out to the platform when the train is min away and be done with.

 

[MARC Rider]

The food is also almost certainly at least a bit higher quality. Just because McDonald's sells a double cheeseburger for $1.79 (or whatever they raised it to now) doesn't mean that the pub selling a burger for $7-$8 is ripping me off, or "doesn't get it." The pub is almost always selling me a much better burger.

Forget the $8 pub burger. The $4 burger from Shake Shack is way better than anything on McD's dollar menu.

 

[sportbiker]

Seems to be working out well for the Chicken Dinner in Havre Montana. The restaurant knows the risks of the EB being late. I always read about the why it can't be done, but here is an example of it being done. Which technology these days, its not like the delivery guys have to show up at the station and sit there and wait for a 5 hour late train. They will head out to the platform when the train is min away and be done with.

Were I to speculate, I would say Amtrak communicates with the restaurant well ahead of time, letting the restaurant know when the train is expected in town, and the restaurant schedules its prep accordingly. I would further speculate that beyond a certain time window, the restaurant takes a pass and waits for the next day's train. Such a daily "opt in" from the restaurant wouldn't be possible were trackside deliveries the only casual food available (e.g., eliminating the cafe). The "opt in" would also preclude Amtrak from advertising the food as an amenity because of the general unreliability of timekeeping, and thus food delivery.

But as I don't like to speculate, just ignore this.

 

[fairviewroad]

Were I to speculate, I would say Amtrak communicates with the restaurant well ahead of time, letting the restaurant know when the train is expected in town, and the restaurant schedules its prep accordingly. I would further speculate that beyond a certain time window, the restaurant takes a pass and waits for the next day's train. Such a daily "opt in" from the restaurant wouldn't be possible were trackside deliveries the only casual food available (e.g., eliminating the cafe). The "opt in" would also preclude Amtrak from advertising the food as an amenity because of the general unreliability of timekeeping, and thus food delivery.

But as I don't like to speculate, just ignore this.

Actually, I don't think this is too far off. The times I've been on the Builder, the attendant takes orders ahead of time with a firm cut-off for the stated reason that s/he needs to call ahead to the restaurant to place the order. Depending on the time of year, I suspect the number of dinners ordered can vary greatly. So I suspect at that time the attendant could give the restaurant a rough ETA. [Of course, in this day and age, the restaurant could simply pull up the Amtrak app and check the ETA there as a back-up.]

Due to the timing, the Builder would have to be waaay late for the dinner thing not to work. I've been through Havre on a 6-hour late Builder and the chicken dinner was still offered. But you're right, it really amps up the stakes if it becomes a formally advertised/relied upon amenity. The reason why the Havre situation works (IYAM) is that it's a fairly organic, on-the-ground arrangement, not formalized in any kind of a contract/revenue guarantee, etc.

 

[The Chief]

Nice meal pics, thanks for posting, Brian. Neat Album on Flickr, too.

The chicken dinner has nothing to do with the cold dinner boxes served to the PDX sleeping car passengers. This is an option that they have in the cafe car and catered in Havre Montana. I have read written reports on it but detailed pictures have always been scarce. So when given the opportunity, I had to buy one to take pictures. Also, below are the images of the PDX cold dinner boxes served leaving PDX. Quite good actually! We had chicken and beef. None of us wanted the shrimp.

 

[NorthShore]

Totally agree. I would love to see options like this or even the PDX sleeper box meals offered more on Amtrak trains. If they can find a restaurant in Havre Montana willing to cater, I'm sure they can find plenty of other restaurants along their routes, eager for a chance at a contract to supply.

I again suspect that the severely unreliable timekeeping is the biggest issue. Many restaurants would be happy to deliver boxed meals at a given time -- how many would be happy to deliver meals which might sit for 12-14 hours before even being loaded on the train? At that point you have to provide refrigeration at the delivery point, and so on and so on...

What's the problem? If the caterer is going to make enough money on the deal over time, they will gladly buy a cooler that can be set up and plugged in at the station. They'd probably even pay for electricity. A relatively small investment to turn the ultimate long term profit. The trays can be taken onto the train by Amtrak staff whenever it arrives.