Now you know

[Henry Kisor]

At lunch today on No. 5 approaching Colfax, a dining car service attendant was heard to say to a fresh new hire right off the extra board when the crowd for lunch suddenly got busy:

"No, no, no, don't seat a new couple with another that's just been served. That's against the rules. Both couples must order at the same time. The first couple should be left alone to eat their meal. That's called a 'widow table.' It doesn't matter how busy it is."

The dining car crew was excellent. I wonder if a slipshod crew would allow widows to be violated, or whatever the term is.

 

[neroden]

OK, I don't know where this policy comes from (or if it's even a real policy). But if it's causing customers to be turned away ("It doesn't matter how busy it is") then it's a bad policy and needs to be revoked if possible.

 

[Bjartmarr]

OK, I don't know where this policy comes from (or if it's even a real policy). But if it's causing customers to be turned away ("It doesn't matter how busy it is") then it's a bad policy and needs to be revoked if possible.

Makes sense to me. In normal polite society, one does not begin eating until everybody at the table has been served. So serving diners at one table at different times is likely to be awkward and uncomfortable. If the first couple starts eating anyways and finishes their meal and leaves, then you're left with a widow table again. Better to sync up all diners at a table.

In any case, if diners are efficiently seated, there should be at most one widow table per seating. So it's not like you would end up with a whole car full of widow tables.

 

[the_traveler]

I have been on many trains where later diners were seated with those already eating, especially at the later times of breakfast.

 

[Henry Kisor]

I should add that lunch (first come first served) was called at 11:45 rather than the customary noon. Why, I don't know. Only about four and a half tables were seated until about 12:15, when a sudden rush began and the diner began to fill up, so the LSA had to take reservations. My wife and I occupied that half table, and we were well into the meal when the extra-board guy attempted to seat a couple across from us. The couple did not seem offended and I suspect were relieved that they didn't have to sit across from us while we ate.

In our experience, lunch is served for as long as everybody needs to be fed.

 

[Rotndi]

I was recently seated as a fourth at a table where three people were finishing their meal (in a quite empty car, I might add). The three soon left, and I spent my meal at a table of dirty dishes. When I complained the LSA said "Hey, don't you like to make friends?"

 

[oregon pioneer]

Now I know why I ate breakfast alone the last time I was on the LSL. I had expressed a desire to have some company, and couldn't understand why subsequent diners were seated at other tables. I should simply have refused to order until I had some company (or taken some reading material along "just in case").

 

[chakk]

I don't think the people who were about to be seated with the OP were denied food. Rather, they were simply placed at another table where no one had yet been served. Perhaps a new empty table, or one at which the others seated had just recently arrived. Seems oerfectly appropriate to me.

 

[Acela150]

The LSA who had told the new guy or gal the policy IMO is in the wrong in the first place. Lunch and Dinner are by Ressy's. I'd be fine with waiting for breakfast while someone else is eating across from me. I've done it plenty of times. So the fault goes the head LSA.

 

[the_traveler]

Dinner is always by res only. Lunch may or may not be so, I've seen both.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Amtrak:

Where every OBS gets to make their own rules.

:wacko: :wacko: :wacko: :wacko: :wacko: :wacko:

(I've seen this on VIA numerous times as well, BTW, though they can be more easily 'reminded' of actual policy.)

 

[KmH]

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1248539615772

Amtrak notes that times may vary depending on train operation, but the published Lunch hours are between 11:30 and 3:00.

 

[Henry Kisor]

Is this table-widow issue discussed in the employee handbook? If not, then the individual crew could follow its own policy. Which, I believe, is a good one.

 

[Guest]

Makes sense to me. In normal polite society, one does not begin eating until everybody at the table has been served. So serving diners at one table at different times is likely to be awkward and uncomfortable. If the first couple starts eating anyways and finishes their meal and leaves, then you're left with a widow table again. Better to sync up all diners at a table.

In any case, if diners are efficiently seated, there should be at most one widow table per seating. So it's not like you would end up with a whole car full of widow tables.

+1

From my experiences, they will tend to allow passengers to stand waiting a bit, with the hope that a full table will soon show up. The LSA doesn't immediately seat just one person as soon as they show up, and "forfeit" the other 3 seats at the table.

 

[amamba]

I have been on many trains where later diners were seated with those already eating, especially at the later times of breakfast.

this has happened to me many times at breakfast as well.

 

[amamba]

The LSA who had told the new guy or gal the policy IMO is in the wrong in the first place. Lunch and Dinner are by Ressy's. I'd be fine with waiting for breakfast while someone else is eating across from me. I've done it plenty of times. So the fault goes the head LSA.

lunch isn't always by reservation. I think it depends on the LSA and pax load.

 

[Sauve850]

Ive always been seated right away when entering diner from a sleeper. Sometimes Im seated alone (first) or sometimes Im last to be seated with others. If Im eating and others join late I order another coffee for breakfast or tea for lunch. If its dinner I wait on dessert for them.

It doesn't matter to me how they work it as I always get a meal and meet folks even if its just for a short while.

 

[Thirdrail7]

If this take root, the "blue book" will expand to 843 pages! :giggle:

 

[neroden]

I'm not picky as long as it doesn't result in customers being turned away or waiting for loooong periods. The comment "no matter how busy it is" would indicate otherwise.

 

[Henry Kisor]

Just back from the Left Coast on No. 6. This time the dining car crew seated us one morning with a couple who was finishing up their breakfast, and the other morning seated a couple of singletons with us as we were finishing up ours. This crew was just as professional and cheerful as the one coming out on No. 5 who wouldn't seat anyone with widows. Which was the better crew? That, I am sure, depends on one's subjective view.

 

[FormerOBS]

Both crews were probably fine. I'm not aware of a strict rule about timing the seating of passengers so that hey can eat together. It's a very nice, thoughtful gesture, but it might not always be desirable, or even practical, if seats are at a premium and the diner is busy.

Tom