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

[Rail Freak]

Fingers crossed, but so far the only good change IMO is Coke for Pepsi!

LOL! I'm a Pepsi man, but I really enjoy them both,as long as there's a little shot of Jim Beam

The new Viewliner dining cars, as of now, are still used on the Silver Meteor and the Crescent and are referred to as "Sleeper Lounges."

How many more are in available inventory, Penny? Thanx ,this topic I've been very interested in!

 

[Rasputin]

The new Viewliner dining cars, as of now, are still used on the Silver Meteor and the Crescent and are referred to as "Sleeper Lounges."

I still think they should be called picnic table cars.

 

[Manny T]

I recently took the Cardinal from Chicago to Baltimore in a sleeper. That gave me the "opportunity" to sample 3 "contemporary" entrees plus breakfast in one 24 hour period.

Bottom line, without giving an item by item breakdown (that's been done), it was disgusting, the worst culinary experience I could ever imagine, something that no leisure traveler in the USA should be subjected to, let alone at premium prices. Even if an individual item was good (e.g. the blondie was good--but not 3 within 24 hours), the repetition would destroy the enjoyment.

For my return trip, I spent $20 dollars on food items at the Walgreens in the basement of Union Station (D.C.) and ate far far better than in Andersonville.

I will continue to take sleepers, but will bring food until the situation improves.

 

[Steve4031]

I will not pay for sleeper travel on these trains. I’ve twice chosen to fly to nyc to avoid contemporary dining.

 

[JRR]

This fall we rode the Crescent to NYP from Greenville SC to NYP. We get up early even after a very late pickup in Greenville and got to breakfast right at 6:30 AM. There was one gentleman ahead of us and he got the last breakfast sandwich. The attendant told me that they had almost all been used up by the passengers leaving NO. My wife got the last banana! The attached pictures show the skimpy offerings.

 

[tonys96]

Yuck.

 

[Rasputin]

Looks far worse than your standard low budget hotel free breakfast.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Looks far worse than your standard low budget hotel free breakfast.

It's honestly kind of crazy to think that Amtrak is struggling to keep up with the likes of Hampton, Holiday Inn, and Super 8's rudimentary offerings. It's also extremely unfortunate that Anderson wasted no time in squandering political capital attempting to turn the Southwest Chief into a broken bus route instead of joining forces with Amtrak's supporters to push back against the Mica Meal directives.

 

[bretton88]

It's honestly kind of crazy to think that Amtrak is struggling to keep up with the likes of Hampton, Holiday Inn, and Super 8's rudimentary offerings. It's also extremely unfortunate that Anderson wasted no time in squandering political capital attempting to turn the Southwest Chief into a broken bus route instead of joining forces with Amtrak's supporters to push back against the Mica Meal directives.

That's still better than a Super 8 (I've stayed in many of them recently). Having said that, you only pay 60$ for a Super 8 compared to many hundreds for a sleeper. So I'd like to see at least Holiday inn/ Hampton Inn quality, which quite frankly is where the previous service was at.

 

[MARC Rider]

That's still better than a Super 8 (I've stayed in many of them recently). Having said that, you only pay 60$ for a Super 8 compared to many hundreds for a sleeper. So I'd like to see at least Holiday inn/ Hampton Inn quality, which quite frankly is where the previous service was at.

Despite all the cutbacks, the remaining diner service on the western trains is better than Holiday Inn/Hampton Inn buffet breakfasts.

Comparing with cheap motel breakfasts is also sort of pointless, as your typical cheap motel doesn't provide transportation in addition to a place to sleep and a lousy buffet breakfast. A roomette provides you with that and gives you a place to sleep lying down in privacy and using the space occupied by 4 coach seats up in the cheap cars. No wonder it costs more than a Super 8.

 

[Rasputin]

I have had many very nice buffet breakfasts at budget hotels. At some the staff is very helpful and welcoming. I look forward to staying at these places and going to breakfast there. I do not look forward to the flex dining breakfast on Amtrak which seems like just something to endure.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Despite all the cutbacks, the remaining diner service on the western trains is better than Holiday Inn/Hampton Inn buffet breakfasts.

Despite all the cutbacks the Western trains still haven't gone through Anderson's flexi-contempo dining "upgrade" yet.

Comparing with cheap motel breakfasts is also sort of pointless, as your typical cheap motel doesn't provide transportation in addition to a place to sleep and a lousy buffet breakfast. A roomette provides you with that and gives you a place to sleep lying down in privacy and using the space occupied by 4 coach seats up in the cheap cars. No wonder it costs more than a Super 8.

Comparing Amtrak meals to Hampton or Holiday Inn gives readers a simple and obvious point of reference. Everyone views those meals differently but most people know what they look and taste like even if they've never traveled on Amtrak. That was the point of using them as a reference.

 

[bretton88]

Despite all the cutbacks, the remaining diner service on the western trains is better than Holiday Inn/Hampton Inn buffet breakfasts.

Comparing with cheap motel breakfasts is also sort of pointless, as your typical cheap motel doesn't provide transportation in addition to a place to sleep and a lousy buffet breakfast. A roomette provides you with that and gives you a place to sleep lying down in privacy and using the space occupied by 4 coach seats up in the cheap cars. No wonder it costs more than a Super 8.

Correct, I'm not saying that Amtrak should be priced like the hotel. You get a lot more with a sleeper ticket than just a bed. It's just an easy point of reference.

 

[user 14106]

There is talk on another unnamed message board that the “Starvation” will be no more as of May 1 with flex dining arriving for that train.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

The attached pictures show the skimpy offerings.

View attachment 16379View attachment 16380

Not even any milk for the cereal? We're expected to eat it dry, or using a bunch of half&half "creamers" ?

Give me a break!

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Not even any milk for the cereal? We're expected to eat it dry, or using a bunch of half&half "creamers" ?

Give me a break!

You can ask for milk from the attendant and hope they haven’t run out. Be warned, if you forgot to order milk for your cereal when you asked for your yogurt and go back to ask for milk the attendant may act extremely annoyed with you! (May or may not be speaking from personal experience... I didn’t dare ask if I could have a second yougurt! )

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Not even any milk for the cereal? We're expected to eat it dry, or using a bunch of half&half "creamers" ?

Give me a break!

The milk is in the fridge where it should be. I got milk for all my meals by asking the LSA. I did not have cereal, though.

 

[jis]

The milk is in the fridge where it should be. I got milk for all my meals by asking the LSA. I did not have cereal, though.

Yeah. I had no problem getting milk either, and I did have cereal at all breakfasts that I had in the Sleeper Lounges.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

For those who had the original version of contemporary dining (the salad boxes) how does this compare?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

For those who had the original version of contemporary dining (the salad boxes) how does this compare?

It's better. I prefer the Chicken Alfredo to the beef they had in the box meal. Plus I prefer the tray to the box. Though the box was a really nice one - one I might have saved if I had gotten it at a restaurant - it was a shame to toss it. The trays can be reused ... if people pay attention and place them in a stack where the LSA has set up to collect them.

 

[Qapla]

Although some sleeper passengers might not agree - I would be happy with a "lounge" car that had tables with chairs (not benches) with an area to get ice from an automated dispenser and a few microwaves to heat food I brought with me and a selection of "condiments" like salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, mustard, ketchup, relish (you know) ... and the lower fare for a sleeper without food.

 

[me_little_me]

The new Viewliner dining cars, as of now, are still used on the Silver Meteor and the Crescent and are referred to as "Sleeper Lounges."

Simplification, Penny. The truth is that they are being wasted as they are neither a diner nor a lounge. The cooking facilities are probably full of cobwebs; the seats are terrible benches for a lounge and mostly unused for "dining". They have become "Anderson's Folly Cars" and should be renamed as such from their present state capital names.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Simplification, Penny. The truth is that they are being wasted as they are neither a diner nor a lounge. The cooking facilities are probably full of cobwebs; the seats are terrible benches for a lounge and mostly unused for "dining". They have become "Anderson's Folly Cars" and should be renamed as such from their present state capital names.

That’s an exaggeration. The cooking facilities include the refrigerators and prep areas which are being used. The seats are quite comfortable for lounging and I think the booth seating is the best for a multi-purpose food service car.

 

[me_little_me]

That’s an exaggeration. The cooking facilities include the refrigerators and prep areas which are being used. The seats are quite comfortable for lounging and I think the booth seating is the best for a multi-purpose food service car.

That's where you have it wrong. "food service car". Neither food to some of us nor any relevance to service for others.

Obviously, you missed the sarcasm about the new Amtrak in my comment on Penny's accurate, succinct description. And in my comment to you.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I didn’t say edible food or good service!