Lake Shore Limited, New Meal Service Review

[Old MM]

After LSL round trip in sleeper car, I have to say the meal offerings are more than fine.
Going eastbound, 9:30 departure so no meal service. Drinks available in dedicated lounge for sleeper cars. One adult beverage complimentary per ticket, a nice touch if you care to partake.
In the morning, the breakfast service is a vast improvement over the previous "sugar bomb." There are packaged hard boiled eggs, and a hot breakfast sandwich. Took a Kashi bar for insurance if later delays. The hot sandwich is ham, egg and cheddar, I don't like ham so removed it and the sandwich was good.
Lunch or dinner options, discussed extensively here, are bound to please most palates. It's either beef and mashed potatoes/veg, chicken with Alfredo pasta, or a vegan noodle bowl. Son had the chicken, which he thought was a good lunch, daughter and I had the vegan dish, without dressing, mixed with the side salad. Dessert brownies, very good, and if you're not up to the task of dessert, take with you to have the next day. The train schedule is favorable, as there is time at Albany to run inside the station and purchase other items if need be. After that you will be in Manhattan with all options available to you!

Going westbound boarding is mid afternoon, by the time you are close to Albany, decide if the entrees listed are appealing, and if time get something from the station, or dine on whatever insurance meal you brought with you. We tried the beef this time, it was cut into tender chunks with rich gravy, mashed potatoes and string beans; and the side salads are quite nice, we appreciated the greenery and didn't use the dressing packets, instead returning them to the lounge car. In the morning, breakfast hours start early which you can sleep through if so inclined, none of us were hungry for anything other than cereal and oatmeal.

I will try to find time for a more detailed trip report, but in the meantime, thought it worthwhile to share thoughts on the LSL meal service for sleeper car passengers. Again, for a single overnight trip, the items offered are certainly adequate, good quality, and appropriate. This may or may not affect the Capitol Ltd. experience with Silver connecting service, have to give that some thought.

 

[Rasputin]

We had a recent trip on a sleeping car on the Lake Shore and got to experience the current meal service. I understand that it has improved since the initial contemporary dining service began last year.

We thought the food service was adequate but not more than that. The bread with the breakfast sandwich was delicious but the contents of the sandwich were bland. The bread itself would have made great toast. (By contrast the breakfast sandwich on the City of New Orleans was absolutely delicious even if the bottom half was a bit soggy.) The name brand orange juice and yogurt were fine. As I indicated we thought the food was adequate but most hotels with a free breakfast do much better. The free breakfast at the Quality Inn at the beginning of our vacation was better.

The beef entrée was good and it was nice to have a salad even though it was tiny. The entrée seemed similar to name brand frozen food entrees at your local supermarket. The packaged brownies were very good.

The attendant was very helpful at breakfast especially with any frail or disabled passengers and the attendant brought their breakfast to them at their table. This was possible I guess because the breakfast service time was rather spread out through the morning. At lunch however, this was not done and there was a line at the kitchen entry of people placing their order. this line extended back though the dining car. The attendant put the meal entrees in a bag and gave it to each passenger who then carried it back to the table. The attendant was kept very busy and had no time to carry people's food to their table as happened during breakfast.

Overall, we found that the new food service was not a disaster as some had predicted but it was certainly nothing to write home about. It was certainly more than adequate to prevent starvation en route, for which we were thankful.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

It was certainly more than adequate to prevent starvation en route, for which we were thankful.

Low standards you have.

 

[Rasputin]

Low standards you have.

Whenever you are on the Lake Shore, especially the Boston section, this helps immensely.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Best to have low standards on any Amtrak train. Just because sleepers can cost Ritz-Carlton prices doesn't mean you'll do any better than Super 8 service.

 

[NEPATrainTraveler]

I think I would rather have my meals from the cafe car than the diner on this train. I enjoyed what I had from the cafe car last time I rode the LSL and I like the cafe car menu better.

 

[oregon pioneer]

Thanks for the review. Was the oatmeal the instant variety, or the steel-cut oats as on other trains? Yes, I know the steel-cut are prepared in advance, and merely reheated, but it is still way better than gluey instant oatmeal.

 

[Old MM]

Thanks for the review. Was the oatmeal the instant variety, or the steel-cut oats as on other trains? Yes, I know the steel-cut are prepared in advance, and merely reheated, but it is still way better than gluey instant oatmeal.

It's Quaker Instant, I had the apple-walnut. Can't remember the other flavor but obviously both are the sweetened variety. Now whether or not it was steel cut, I'm not positive but going to guess not, since you just add the hot water and my experience with steel cut oats is limited to making at home which takes 5-6 minutes of cook time. I do hope they add an option to have unsweetened oatmeal.

 

[Old MM]

I have to say, for a one night trip, the modified offerings work very well for what I would expect on a train. I enjoyed hearing the SCA tell the boarding passengers, many of who were older and remembered having a dining car on the LSL, that these new options were "fresh and healthy." Amtrak probably wants to promote that concept. It is definitely improved over a year ago. Having protein options at breakfast really helps. Also should have mentioned in the review that fresh fruit is available in addition to the packaged fruit cups (a few pieces of melon and a few grapes). Fresh fruit might only be bananas but a lot of people like them, including the very young and very old. The other thing I should mention is that the beverage selections have been improved with the addition of bottled Starbucks (some kind of frap or cold brew sweet thing), La Croix sparkling water (thank you Amtrak) and, (drum roll) iced tea - the unsweetened kind. Things are definitely looking up when I don't have to bring my own iced tea!

 

[TinCan782]

Going eastbound out of Chicago...enough time for breakfast before arriving in Buffalo (0846)?

 

[Rasputin]

Going eastbound out of Chicago...enough time for breakfast before arriving in Buffalo (0846)?

It seems to me that the breakfast service times were stated to be between 6:30 a.m and 10:30 a.m

If I recall correctly we were told that lunch on 48 finished at Utica. I don't know if that meant that you had to place your order before arriving in Utica or if the car had to be vacated by Utica (and if the train was running late I don't know if Utica still controlled or not).

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Is the oatmeal self serve or do they mix it for you? The Quaker packets you really need two or three packets for a full bowl. At the hotels I usually do one packet plain and mix it with one packet Apple cinnamon balances out nicely. I take it some parts of the breakfast buffet are all you can eat? Others like the ham and cheese are not?

 

[Old MM]

It seems to me that the breakfast service times were stated to be between 6:30 a.m and 10:30 a.m

If I recall correctly we were told that lunch on 48 finished at Utica. I don't know if that meant that you had to place your order before arriving in Utica or if the car had to be vacated by Utica (and if the train was running late I don't know if Utica still controlled or not).

Plenty of time. Breakfast starts at 6:30, in both directions. The lunch (eastbound) and dinner(westbound) hours seemed rather fluid, so you could go pick up your meals at any time the attendant was in the car.

 

[Old MM]

Is the oatmeal self serve or do they mix it for you? The Quaker packets you really need two or three packets for a full bowl. At the hotels I usually do one packet plain and mix it with one packet Apple cinnamon balances out nicely. I take it some parts of the breakfast buffet are all you can eat? Others like the ham and cheese are not?

Yes, rather than the packets, the oatmeal comes in one of those cardboard canister type things. They give you hot water for mixing it right in the container. Guessing the container is about the same amount as two packets, so hence double the sugar, I agree that mixing with plain oatmeal would be infinitely better. I didn't read the label (shame on me for that). And correct, the ham and cheese you order from the attendant who will heat them up for you, and you can help yourself to the other items on the buffet. The ham, cheese and egg sandwich was quite nice without the ham, and my son liked it even with the ham. The lounge car attendant will also provide your requested beverages, including milk for cereal, and coffee. It appears that, possibly? coffee in the sleeping cars is being phased out since it's arguably redundant, the only difference is instead of getting coffee in your car, you would walk over to the lounge and ask the attendant for it. For anyone who needs assistance, the SCA can bring food and beverages to your room.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

When was the last time you got a cardboard dish of oatmeal when flying first class? (Sleeping cars are the equivalent price wise of flying first class, so don’t try to argue that.)

Even a comfort inn can heat up a pot of oatmeal.

 

[Old MM]

When was the last time you got a cardboard dish of oatmeal when flying first class? (Sleeping cars are the equivalent price wise of flying first class, so don’t try to argue that.)

Even a comfort inn can heat up a pot of oatmeal.

Sure, they can. However:
The hotel, train and plane all present different logistics.
3 hour plane ride, premium fare, 16 passengers in first class, food should get a little fancy. The FAs need only heat up the entree and arrange everything nicely on the tray that is presented to you, which is then replaced in the galley when you're done.
Hotel free breakfast, hundreds of people, staff running around replenishing everything to the best of their ability. And stuff does run out.
Train, more people than the airplane first class cabin, less people than the hotel, and being on wheels, has to be planned out differently.

 

[Rasputin]

I understand from others that when the Boston sleeper is near the front of the train (seven cars or so away from the dining car) the Boston sleeping car attendant has taken meal orders and delivered the meals to the sleeping car passengers including some who would have no difficulty walking the distance to the dining car. I don't know if the same is done with the New York sleepers at the rear.

I did not see this service offered to anyone on our trip when our sleeper was near the rear of the train but we didn't need any assistance and we did not request it.

 

[Rasputin]

Hotel free breakfast, hundreds of people, staff running around replenishing everything to the best of their ability. And stuff does run out.

From what I can recall in many hotels, there seems to be only one staff person in charge of the breakfast just as in the Lake Shore dining car.

In our recent stay at the Quality Inn, the person who appeared to be in charge of the breakfast room also staffed the front desk a few feet away.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I’m more than aware of the logistics of serving food on a moving train. Which is why I’m not letting Amtrak off the hook for what they are selling in the Laks Shore and Capitol trains. I do think there is a way they could provide a 1st class service with current staffing levels that isn’t a full service diner.... but this isn’t there yet.

 

[Twinkletoes]

I was also on the Lake Shore Limited Boston sleeper section two weeks ago. No more pseudo-luxury toiletry collection. I can compare that food experience to my Summer 2018 experience.The first issue is that you don't realize that the same Cafe Car (next to the sleeper), where you get your lunch box for the sleeper, does not provide sleeper meals after the NYC section links up in Albany. The official sleeper diner is indeed 7 cars away by dinner time. I am an active dance student, so I have good balance and stamina. I think an older or disabled person could not make it. It might make sense to think of this when placing the sleeper on the train. Yes then that means a lunch trek! In any case, this is something that a good SCA should tell people. The food itself was better. The breakfast sandwich was on a long roll that was 2x the length of the fried egg and ham slice. I cut off the excess part I tried the beef entree for lunch: it was OK; edible but not special. I loved the chocolate brownie. I had the pasta for dinner. I liked it a lot. I had another brownie for dessert. The point of the sleeper: privacy, predictability of noise level (loud talkers, screaming babies/children, the ability to lie down at night, use of the first class lounge. Free food is nice, but it's last on my list. Given the current inability to maintain actual first class meal service, I would be OK with having a choice of getting the "free meal" or getting (from diner or SCA) a voucher to get something from the cafe car (fixed value--e.g. $20, or a set of check boxes where you choose 4 items;e.g.,--sandwich or pizza; chips; beverage; dessert.

 

[Old MM]

The voucher idea is a really excellent one TT.
And I get where CZ is coming from.... the reason Amtrak gets the benefit of the doubt, from me, is that the new offerings are more flexible. Meaning, you've got time to decide when to eat, and there is enough selection and quantity to ensure you won't be lightheaded from starvation. It's probably easier to manage the provisioning with items that are not immediately perishable.
I'd rather be able to get the cold hardboiled egg, in a pinch, than board a full service diner train only to be told there are no steaks left and no fish.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Bit of a head scratcher... seems like a train could just as easily have no hard boiled eggs as no steak and fish?

I know for breakfast I'd rather sit down and wait a few minutes for scrambled eggs and potatoes than have the "flexibility" of picking up a hard boiled egg and a cardboard dish of oatmeal? But maybe that's just me.

Even Amtrak's full service dining cars make things too complicated, just let me order off a menu like anywhere else in the world. Try ordering scrambled eggs, potatoes, and a cup of yogurt. Sounds simple enough, but it's an impossibility at Amtrak.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Bit of a head scratcher... seems like a train could just as easily have no hard boiled eggs as no steak and fish?

I know for breakfast I'd rather sit down and wait a few minutes for scrambled eggs and potatoes than have the "flexibility" of picking up a hard boiled egg and a cardboard dish of oatmeal? But maybe that's just me.

Even Amtrak's full service dining cars make things too complicated, just let me order off a menu like anywhere else in the world. Try ordering scrambled eggs, potatoes, and a cup of yogurt. Sounds simple enough, but it's an impossibility at Amtrak.

And to think there was a time when railroad dining car menus offered a selection that rivaled most larger restaurant menus.

 

[NEPATrainTraveler]

I was also on the Lake Shore Limited Boston sleeper section two weeks ago. No more pseudo-luxury toiletry collection. I can compare that food experience to my Summer 2018 experience.The first issue is that you don't realize that the same Cafe Car (next to the sleeper), where you get your lunch box for the sleeper, does not provide sleeper meals after the NYC section links up in Albany. The official sleeper diner is indeed 7 cars away by dinner time. I am an active dance student, so I have good balance and stamina. I think an older or disabled person could not make it. It might make sense to think of this when placing the sleeper on the train. Yes then that means a lunch trek! In any case, this is something that a good SCA should tell people. The food itself was better. The breakfast sandwich was on a long roll that was 2x the length of the fried egg and ham slice. I cut off the excess part I tried the beef entree for lunch: it was OK; edible but not special. I loved the chocolate brownie. I had the pasta for dinner. I liked it a lot. I had another brownie for dessert. The point of the sleeper: privacy, predictability of noise level (loud talkers, screaming babies/children, the ability to lie down at night, use of the first class lounge. Free food is nice, but it's last on my list. Given the current inability to maintain actual first class meal service, I would be OK with having a choice of getting the "free meal" or getting (from diner or SCA) a voucher to get something from the cafe car (fixed value--e.g. $20, or a set of check boxes where you choose 4 items;e.g.,--sandwich or pizza; chips; beverage; dessert.

I would love it if a cafe car voucher were an option for sleeper passengers.

 

[dlagrua]

We recently relented and finally tried the boxed meals on a trip to CHI. They were so bad on the trip going that on the return trip we brought along fresh prepared food, purchased at a grocery store (H-Mart) a few blocks from Union Station. My wife suggested that we forget the bagged hot dishes this time and try the cold cuts. The food was so bad that we threw everything in the garbage. Back to not taking trains until decent food is provided. What they are now serving is an absolute disgrace.