New dining options (flex dining) effective October 1, 2019

[user 14106]

Another day with no announcement from Amtrak. Are they only going to give Oct 1 ticket holders 30 days notice?

 

[Rasputin]

Another day with no announcement from Amtrak. Are they only going to give Oct 1 ticket holders 30 days notice?

Amtrak most likely considers it just a menu change so it doesn't feel obligated to give any notice. Besides Amtrak has indicated that it will be "higher quality meals" so Amtrak probably wants to provide its sleeping car passengers with a pleasant surprise at no extra cost.

 

[chrsjrcj]

And if you’re in coach you’re SOL.

 

[ScouseAndy]

The website is still promising dining for coach class passengers on long distance trains. I'd be mighty peeved if I was travelling post Oct 1st in coach and couldn't get a full meal rather than the microwave rubbish on offer in the cafe.

 

[Rasputin]

The website is still promising dining for coach class passengers on long distance trains. I'd be mighty peeved if I was travelling post Oct 1st in coach and couldn't get a full meal rather than the microwave rubbish on offer in the cafe.

On the eastern trains, prepare to be peeved.

 

[jiml]

The one time I’ve been on the Canadian most of the people I was with were Canadians and not tourists. One was a family going to pick up a new car from Tennessee taking the train from Unity, SK to Toronto. Some college students, other various rural travel. The only tourists I remember were in Prestige, and one Australian Father-Daughter.

The Canadian and the Ocean are far less "tourist trains" outside peak season. Most Canadians simply can't afford the inflated prices during the summer. I can fly in Business Class to Vancouver for a whole lot less than even the most basic sleeper accommodation on the Canadian. Off-peak and shoulder seasons are a much better deal. We're heading to Halifax on the Ocean in November only because of a huge discount during a VIA off-peak seat sale. Halifax is a wonderful place to visit in the summer, but if the need arose it's much cheaper to fly than take the train.

If you're spending US dollars you won't notice the summer "sticker shock" as much, but the difference between seasons is substantial.

 

[me_little_me]

Amtrak most likely considers it just a menu change so it doesn't feel obligated to give any notice. Besides Amtrak has indicated that it will be "higher quality meals" so Amtrak probably wants to provide its sleeping car passengers with a pleasant surprise at no extra cost.

I'm in a sleeper on the Crescent on Oct 1 & 2 so I guess I'll be "pleasantly" surprised. Or is that peasantly surprised? Or pestilencely surprised?

 

[user 14106]

I'm in a sleeper on the Crescent on Oct 1 & 2 so I guess I'll be "pleasantly" surprised. Or is that peasantly surprised? Or pestilencely surprised?

We shall see. Hopefully it will be an improvement over the LSL/CL. If they made the entrees decent and ditched the boxes/waste and went to a more traditional presentation with plates and silverware that would make it tolerable along with maybe pre selecting the entree to help with stocking.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

We shall see. Hopefully it will be an improvement over the LSL/CL. If they made the entrees decent and ditched the boxes/waste and went to a more traditional presentation with plates and silverware that would make it tolerable along with maybe pre selecting the entree to help with stocking.

Like how the airlines do it?

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

And if you’re in coach you’re SOL.

Those in coach have to pay extra for these meals in the first place. They're technically not losing anything except the opportunity to purchase "better" meals than the cafe menu (and will probably be overpriced just like those $25 Amtrak steaks).

 

[Rasputin]

Those in coach have to pay extra for these meals in the first place. They're technically not losing anything except the opportunity to purchase "better" meals than the cafe menu (and will probably be overpriced just like those $25 Amtrak steaks).

That's right. Coach passengers, be happy! Enjoy your pizza.

 

[user 14106]

Like how the airlines do it?

Sure. If they are going to emulate the airlines they should look to the ones that do it better for ideas.

 

[Palmetto]

Who puts out the Acela First meals, and can that also be done at end points throughout the system?

 

[user 14106]

Who puts out the Acela First meals, and can that also be done at end points throughout the system?

That’s what I always say! If they did an Acela first class like service on these contemporary diners I could live with it.

 

[bretton88]

I suspect that existing contracts are a big reason they can't do the Acela meals across the system. Does the NEC use Aramark as well?

 

[OBS]

I suspect that existing contracts are a big reason they can't do the Acela meals across the system. Does the NEC use Aramark as well?

The NEC does use Aramark. The Acela FC meals are made in airport catering kitchens, no reason it can't be done in any major airport Aramark kitchen...

 

[Winecliff Station]

Even Amtrak admits that the cafe cars as a group are profitable, and that most of them are profitable individually.

They're profitable.

The big problem, as for all restaurants, is *quantity*. The cafe cars are, mostly, managing sufficient turnover -- particularly on the routes with longer travel times. The Downeaster is a bit too short; doesn't cross mealtimes for enough people. The NY-Albany "short runs" might be too short too, but nobody's checked in years, so I'm betting they'd be profitable -- there's a shortage of cafe cars though, so I suspect Amtrak won't assign a cafe unless the state demands it or buys its own car.

The dining cars aren't managing sufficient turnover -- as ThirdRail points out, they used to be operating continuously all day long and filling all their tables. For various reasons ranging from shorter consists to understaffing, they're not doing that now. Frankly on routes with lower demand and more price-sensitive coach customers like the Texas Eagle, they could probably never do that.

On the Lake Shore Limited, with proper dining cars, they could have had much higher turnover, if they'd advertised properly to coach customers.


Stupidity.

I can't speak to all of the examples, but I can confirm along the lines of what you said that the NY-Albany removal of the cafe cars had nothing to do with profitability.....those trains that left NY during rush hour, particularly the 4:40 and 5:37, had lines of people ordering drinks and snacks that extended past the end of the cafe car. They were basically happy hour trains. What's worse is no coffee on the morning commute....I board in Rhinecliff at 5:55am and would be thrilled if they'd just have the coffee maker on. I've even jokingly offered to donate a Keurig.

 

[bretton88]

The NEC does use Aramark. The Acela FC meals are made in airport catering kitchens, no reason it can't be done in any major airport Aramark kitchen...

Well if they're the same contract, then I don't see why amtrak can't use similar for their LD trains.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Here’s an example of American Airlines Domestic First Class meal. I can’t say personally if it’s better than the current Amtrak box meals, but I know the Amtrak dining car meals are better, in my opinion.

 

[jis]

What? No dessert? American really has some catching up to do.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

What? No dessert? American really has some catching up to do.

Warm cookies came later. And warm bread came in a basket after the photo was taken.

 

[jis]

Warm cookies came later. And warm bread came in a basket after the photo was taken.

Oh no, I am talking of actual dessert, usually a wedge of cheesecake or some such. The warm cookies come later anyway in addition to that, at least on United.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Yeah, AA really needs to catch up with all those plated multi-course snack boxes on UA's domestic regional jets.

 

[velotrain]

This coach passenger will just bring his own food and beverage rather than pay high prices for Amtrak "food" of any sort.

 

[jis]

Yeah, AA really needs to catch up with all those plated multi-course snack boxes on UA's domestic regional jets.

I did not realize they serve anything on those RJs. Do they? Actually I have not set foot on a Regional Jet in quite a while since none of my usual travels involves one.

I was domestic first class on UA mainline flights longer than 2 hours. I should have made it clear I suppose.