Memorable Amtrak Dining Experiences

[Devil's Advocate]

I always think of England( one of my "Mother Countries") as the home of Bad Weather, Bad Food, High Prices,Great History and Wonderful People!

I've had good luck with British weather, tasty food, and good lagers myself. What I know and love as an "American Breakfast" is in reality a modified subset of the amazing English Breakfast. Hold the beans and pudding and you have one of the best meals any morning could manage. I can't argue with the prices though. London shares company with Tokyo and Vancouver as one of the most expensive places I've ever visited. On my first visit I was paying $200/night for a hotel I'd struggle to rate two stars back when the equivalent was running $50 in the US. Still a fun trip though.

I'm jealous! Why can't we have trains that go everywhere... here???

American Exceptionalism?

 

[MARC Rider]

I always think of England( one of my "Mother Countries") as the home of Bad Weather, Bad Food, High Prices,Great History and Wonderful People!

Surprisingly, on my 1985 trip, I actually got sunburned while hanging out on a beach in Cornwall. (which is supposed to be the least-rainy part of Britain)
While the native cuisine is not exciting, I was impressed by the overall basic quality of the food served. In particular, the baked goods at the museum cafeterias and station buffets where I would have tea in the afternoon where almost uniformly of high quality, as if they had sourced their stuff from high-end local bakeries. We had steak dinners in a number of places that beat most of the steak dinners I had during my numerous trips to Texas. Fish and chips were also uniformly good, nicely fried and the fish was always fresh. And, of course, lots of good, inexpensive Indian restaurants.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Surprisingly, on my 1985 trip, I actually got sunburned while hanging out on a beach in Cornwall. (which is supposed to be the least-rainy part of Britain)
While the native cuisine is not exciting, I was impressed by the overall basic quality of the food served. In particular, the baked goods at the museum cafeterias and station buffets where I would have tea in the afternoon where almost uniformly of high quality, as if they had sourced their stuff from high-end local bakeries. We had steak dinners in a number of places that beat most of the steak dinners I had during my numerous trips to Texas. Fish and chips were also uniformly good, nicely fried and the fish was always fresh. And, of course, lots of good, inexpensive Indian restaurants.

Yep, but still $35 was still alot of $$$ in the 80s for a Train Meal.

I agree about the Fish and Chips, and other Pub Grub, and Guinness, while Irish, is certainly good stuff!

Most things I thought were too pricey for what was on offer!

I thought the "British expierience" in Victoria,BC was better than in the actual Homeland, but that's just me!

 

[Steve4031]

One of my more memorable meals for dining companions occurred on the Texas Eagle a few years ago. On many occasions I booked roomette for my gf and self from chi-STL. On this trip we were seated with a lady. Then a guy who was obviously drunk and seated by himself asked the LSA if he could join us as he got up and parked himself in the empty seat next to the lady. We are all kind of put off by his behavior. I decided to keep my mouth shut and try not to make it worse and then be in the doghouse with GF.

The guy started of by monopolizing the conversation and then attempted to bait me into a debate. I forgot the topics but I was intentional in avoiding confrontation.

After his third attempt my gf and the other lady double teamed him. They took over the conversation and interrupted him every time he opened his mouth. GF, knowing my expertise on trains, let the other lady know so they included me enough in the conversation to show support for me and continue enjoying their conversation. I sat back to watch.

The drunk guy was flustered and shut down. At the end of the meal the other lady Thank us profusely for the enjoyable conversation. Then she told the drunk guy he was an a**hole. She also reported him to the LSA and returned to her room in the sleeper.

 

[Maglev]

For the most part, I have found my dining companions to be pleasant but ordinary. I remember a few people with interesting occupations, and some who tried to be big-shots. A few times, people were unpleasant. One memory stands out for me, of two young guys traveling west on the Empire Builder in January, who were going to somehow try to make it on their own. They had some sort of cabin lined up. Anyway, when we all sat down at the the table, the younger of the two was completely mystified by the cloth napkin. After his friend told him what it was, he gave it a slow, sensuous wipe across his lips while smiling broadly. They were traveling in coach, and I and the other passenger in a sleeper gave them our desserts.

It reminds me that when I was in the fourth grade, my dad gave me an IQ test designed for eighth graders. I got every question right, except for one analogy question I got wrong because I had never heard of a cloth napkin.

 

[trainman74]

Eww. I would hate that as a coach passenger. I can pay for my own food and don’t need a judgemental handout from someone across the table from me.

I assume it would only be offered to a table mate with whom one has been having a decent chat, and it can therefore be brought up in the conversation: "Oh, hey, since I'm a sleeping car passenger, I get a free dessert, but I don't really need one right now (patting stomach). Would you be interested in taking mine?" That allows the coach passenger to politely decline (or accept), and I think it's more in the territory of "friendly gesture" than "judgmental handout."

 

[LookingGlassTie]

My one and only dining experience (so far) was on the 97 Silver Meteor between Richmond and Orlando back in July 2017.

I was a coach passenger and I was seated in the diner for breakfast with a nice older couple who were going to Miami. They had boarded the train in Charleston, SC and were sleeper passengers. We had a very nice conversation.

 

[Seaboard92]

One of my other enjoyable table mates was a folk singer from Chicago in the 1960s and 70s. We had an amazing conversation about Arlo Guthrie and Bob Dylan.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I would order that dessert at lunch and give it to someone at the table who might be traveling in coach...

Eww. I would hate that as a coach passenger. I can pay for my own food...

And I, on the other hand, always accept free food...

I've noticed that many people have strong opinions on when and how food should be offered and accepted. I know I've offended people by turning down their food but I've also been caught off guard by some rather presumptive offerings. To me food is a personal decision and although I can choose what I try I cannot choose what I like or dislike.

The meal continued pleasantly enough and through conversation we all learned the young lady was relocating after an abusive relationship and didn't "trust" men.

If I distrusted an entire gender I'd choose to eat in my room or at my seat rather than make a scene or ask the attendant to help me discriminate. I wish I could be more compassionate but in the era of guilt by association there is no limit to the harm a neurotic person can cause. Better safe than sorry and it sounds like you did the right thing.

 

[Steve4031]

I've noticed that many people have strong opinions on when and how food should be offered and accepted. I know I've offended people by turning down their food but I've also been caught off guard by some rather presumptive offerings. To me food is a personal decision and although I can choose what I try I cannot choose what I like or dislike.


If I distrusted an entire gender I'd choose to eat in my room or at my seat rather than make a scene or ask the attendant to help me discriminate. I wish I could be more compassionate but in the era of guilt by association there is no limit to the harm a neurotic person can cause. Better safe than sorry and it sounds like you did the right thing.

It is quite possible she did not know she could do that. Someone in that situation would just be trying to survive the trip. They are using the train to get from point A to B. They could care less about the conventions of rail travel.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

It is quite possible she did not know she could do that. Someone in that situation would just be trying to survive the trip. They are using the train to get from point A to B. They could care less about the conventions of rail travel.

So tell your attendant that you distrust other passengers and struggle to function in mixed company. At that point they can discuss your options and offer to bring your food to you. Resist the urge to pretend nothing is wrong until someone with a different gender shows up and then break out the Karen card.

 

[me_little_me]

Like most of y'all I love the conversations and since we always ate late in the schedules, have extended them often. After reading 20CR idea about offering not wanted desert, I thought, thats a great idea I never thought about. I never eat the desert and felt bad about never offering....That was until I read C-Zs response. I thought , well, glad I didn't. Then along comes Barb Stout on a different train with her reply. Again, that's what I loved about the dining car experience. I never had The Mussels on the menu, that's a bummer.

The desert tastes terrible but I like the sand which is there. (Sorry!)

 

[20th Century Rider]

Here's a topic I haven't seen much of on this forum... when lifelong friendships are made on the train!

It's certainly not beyond reality that truly wonderful things happen during a train journey. We meet people and promise to keep in touch but most times that never materializes. We get off the train and move on... forgoing many opportunities to maintain contact and build long lasting friendships. So this may actually be an unusual story...


Was on the SW Chief heading to LA and upon walking past the first bedroom the door was open... and I said a friendly hello. We met at lunch a bit later and continued to exchanged stories about our lives and backgrounds. It seemed that the topics of interest were endless. They were coming out west to see their adult daughter living near Flagstaff AZ; by the time we got there we had exchanged email and text addresses. Was given a home made pot scrubber as a momento... I was so sad to see them get off.


Our communications continued; and for the next Christmas I received a big sturdy box in the mail... in it was a bag of noodles that were made in the church women's group... along with a beautiful card. The postage on the box was almost $9 - which brought tears. Then I created a graphics message and framed it... sending it back. It arrived with the glass broken but it arrived! Posted below.


We have been corresponding for many years... and this has turned into a lifelong friendship. They are aging... as are we all, but am encouraging them to come out to the Oregon Coast for a visit. And I too… would like to visit them in Indiana. Now there's covid... but we are all hoping the reunite once again.


I wonder how many on this forum have made life long friends from a casual acquaintance on a train??? For sure, there's nothing in the entire world as special as traveling on a train!

 

[oregon pioneer]

Here's a topic I haven't seen much of on this forum... when lifelong friendships are made on the train!

That was such a good question I had to start a thread for the topic! I hope you don't mind (I started it with your post).

 

[Willbridge]

I'm jealous! Why can't we have trains that go everywhere... here???

Every time I look in the 1916 Official Guide reprint the same thought quickly occurs.

 

[Cal]

Well, this is less of the food or the people I was with, but the crew. Recently on the Empire Builder I was eating dinner, and a conversation started with the LSA and a coach attendant who was in the car. The LSA had been on the railroad since the 70s, and had some great stories. We spent quite a bit of time in the dining car that night, and it was great.