Chicago Union Station Metropolitan Lounge

[Rambling Robert]

The small tray of cans of soda went fast but was soon replenished with more. Snacks friut,

But in CHIs ML the showers are great. Safe with dead bolt - teak bench - hood pressure - shampoo etc. Two men and two women. Towels.

How are NYPs showers?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

See Rambling Robert's Post above.

Sorry, I phrased that wrong. I meant is there a reason there aren’t self serve ice, soda, water available like when the lounge opened?

It looks like they still have coffee out, is there also hot tea still available?

 

[jis]

How are NYPs showers?

Does Moynihan Met Lounge even have showers? Who would use them? It is not like it is a huge transfer station for LD service.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Does Moynihan Met Lounge even have showers? Who would use them? It is not like it is a huge transfer station for LD service.

Moynihan does NOT have Showers, only Chicago!

 

[LoveAmtrak]

When I was in the Metropolitian Lounge a few weeks ago, there was a young man with an absolutely exceptional voice. I very much enjoyed hearing him make his boarding annoucmenets. I was so impressed I told him he should consider voice overs as a career and coincidentally he said he was looking into that. Said he had been working there for 8 months and the feedback he received convinced him to give it a try. Very affable person, had a terrific chat with him.

I know who you are talking about….was there a week ago! He made the announcements fun, too!

 

[MARC Rider]

Why are there not cold drinks readily available?

Self serve fountain drinks seem to be going the way of the dinosaurs, even outside of the Chicago Met Lounge. There are a number of restaurants , mostly fast food, that I patronize, and which have closed the fountain in favor of grab and go bottle or can service. I think this started as a Covid health measure, but maybe there's now a business rationale in play. I'm not sure why the lounge wouldn't have the self serve drink fountains, as it would seem to require less labor than constantly putting out cans. Maybe they should install a refrigerated case to hold a day's supply of cans.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Oh... maybe it’s just cause it’s in “that part of the country” - where I live if you take away soda fountains there would be a revolt.. even more so if you claimed covid as the reason! Lol.

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

Self serve fountain drinks seem to be going the way of the dinosaurs, even outside of the Chicago Met Lounge. There are a number of restaurants , mostly fast food, that I patronize, and which have closed the fountain in favor of grab and go bottle or can service. I think this started as a Covid health measure, but maybe there's now a business rationale in play. I'm not sure why the lounge wouldn't have the self serve drink fountains, as it would seem to require less labor than constantly putting out cans. Maybe they should install a refrigerated case to hold a day's supply of cans.

I had lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Mount Prospect, IL yesterday, and there were no fountain drinks there either. The waitress told us that they were unable to get CO2 for the fountain drinks machine. They did have Jarritos bottled fruit flavored sodas, though.

 

[west point]

I had lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Mount Prospect, IL yesterday, and there were no fountain drinks there either. The waitress told us that they were unable to get CO2 for the fountain drinks machine. They did have Jarritos bottled fruit flavored sodas, though.

Yes there are places that are down to their last co2 tank. One location has a co2 extinguishing system that robbed the soda machine.

 

[WWW]

Years ago the old dark dive of a Metropolitan Lounge at Chicago -
the one time I visited and it was a den of crowded masses - seating almost SRO
which caused me to forgo the use -
Anyway I recall off in a corner there was a small service area prominently supplied
with coffee and what appeared to be a soda dispensing machine with crowds around that area.
Forget it - Amtrak needed to do better and it did with the NEW digs - - -
With the covid issue abating time to restore the snack and beverage service to a more pleasant level.
Airlines have their clubs and lounges - maybe Amtrak could step up to a better level of service -
Ah ha but then there is that staffing issue - what's a traveler supposed to do ?

 

[zetharion]

Self serve fountain drinks seem to be going the way of the dinosaurs, even outside of the Chicago Met Lounge. There are a number of restaurants , mostly fast food, that I patronize, and which have closed the fountain in favor of grab and go bottle or can service. I think this started as a Covid health measure, but maybe there's now a business rationale in play. I'm not sure why the lounge wouldn't have the self serve drink fountains, as it would seem to require less labor than constantly putting out cans. Maybe they should install a refrigerated case to hold a day's supply of cans.

More profit and they can do away with refills that way as well.

 

[PVD]

More profit and they can do away with refills that way as well.

Not so sure about more profit, fountain product is cheaper by the ounce by a very substantial margin, and you can be sure plenty of folks stash extra cans in their bags for later. And in many areas, the can deposit adds to the cost, probably close to the cost of the cup.

 

[Chatter163]

Oh... maybe it’s just cause it’s in “that part of the country” - where I live if you take away soda fountains there would be a revolt.. even more so if you claimed covid as the reason! Lol.

Same here. This is the first that I’ve even heard of soda fountains going away. Haven’t seen that at all here.

 

[PVD]

Not so sure about more profit, fountain product is cheaper by the ounce by a very substantial margin, and you can be sure plenty of folks stash extra cans in their bags for later. And in many areas, the can deposit adds to the cost, probably close to the cost of the cup.

I have seen some places move the open fountains back behind the service counters, a number of places used to hand you a cup and say "go at it" but they have not gone to cans or bottles.