One adult beverage “per trip”?

[Leex]

Dining car attendant on the Texas Eaglet (southbound) just announced that there is only one liquor beverage allowed per trip - not per meal. Is he correct?

 

[pennyk]

That has been my understanding - one alcoholic beverage per trip.

 

[Cal]

Unless on traditional dining train, where it's one per dinner. Right?

 

[TinCan782]

Unless on traditional dining train, where it's one per dinner. Right?

One per dinner is what I encountered last August.

 

[me_little_me]

Dining car attendant on the Texas Eaglet (southbound) just announced that there is only one liquor beverage allowed per trip - not per meal. Is he correct?

Please contact Amtrak via email (so you get a reply in writing) as you have personally experienced that statement from DCA. Then post the answer here.

Thanks. We'll all appreciate knowing what Amtrak says.

 

[MARC Rider]

When I rode the Cardinal in 2019, the policy was one free bottle of wine or beer per trip.

 

[Tlcooper44]

My experience on the Zephyr last year was one per person per trip.

 

[NYP2NFL01]

My understanding is that the “first” alcoholic beverage was complimentary for sleeper car passengers. Subsequent ones you pay for.

 

[PME]

I travelled in late May/early June on the Lake Shore Limited (NY), Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief, Cardinal - all routes end-to-end In a sleeper. My experience was one included alcoholic beverage / day, paid for anything beyond that.

 

[Triley]

It use to be one per trip, now it is one per dinner period. This applies whether in a train with flex dining or traditional dining.

 

[denmarks]

What are the choices? How do they keep track? Do you have to open the bottle at the meal or can you just keep it and take it home?

 

[pennyk]

What are the choices? How do they keep track? Do you have to open the bottle at the meal or can you just keep it and take it home?

They use individual servings

 

[Barb Stout]

It use to be one per trip, now it is one per dinner period. This applies whether in a train with flex dining or traditional dining.

Oh, that's nice.

 

[denmarks]

They use individual servings

Do you mean that they pour the drink or is there a mini bottle?

 

[MARC Rider]

The only

It use to be one per trip, now it is one per dinner period. This applies whether in a train with flex dining or traditional dining.

The only eastern train that has more than one dinner period is the eastbound Cardinal. Unless they also serve a second dinner on the Southbound Crescent under the new schedule.

 

[pennyk]

Do you mean that they pour the drink or is there a mini bottle?

mini bottles
(Live Photo FYI)
edit to add a photo of an almost depleted mini bottle of red wine

 

[Tlcooper44]

It use to be one per trip, now it is one per dinner period. This applies whether in a train with flex dining or traditional dining.

Wow, what a pleasant surprise. Looking forward even more to my EB trip in Feb.

 

[Dakota 400]

mini bottles

My opinion, now only having these mini bottles is an example of Amtrak potentially leaving money on the table. Being able to buy a half bottle of wine was something that I enjoyed and I saw other passengers doing the same.

 

[Triley]

They use individual servings

Do you mean that they pour the drink or is there a mini bottle?

mini bottles
(Live Photo FYI)
edit to add a photo of an almost depleted mini bottle of red wine View attachment 24913

My opinion, now only having these mini bottles is an example of Amtrak potentially leaving money on the table. Being able to buy a half bottle of wine was something that I enjoyed and I saw other passengers doing the same.

Western trains do wine (poured) by the glass, or by the full bottle.

 

[me_little_me]

It use to be one per trip, now it is one per dinner period. This applies whether in a train with flex dining or traditional dining.

Well, apparently the attendant on the train Leek (the OP) was on disagrees with you so do you have anything that says this is the case for the c**p food trains? After all, drink enough wine and anything can taste good.

 

[Triley]

Well, apparently the attendant on the train Leek (the OP) was on disagrees with you so do you have anything that says this is the case for the c**p food trains? After all, drink enough wine and anything can taste good.

Is good enough for you?

 

[Cal]

Is good enough for you?

Well, the Amtrak website shows false information about meals served on the trains. So maybe not.

I do, however, trust you and the actual menu.

 

[me_little_me]

Is good enough for you?

For me, sufficient evidence. Apparently for the attendant, their independent decision and failure to meet Amtrak's stated standard is grounds for a formal complaint asking that the attendant be retrained. Too long has this problem of attendants making up their own rules been ignored by management.

It was not me that got short-changed so it is not me who needs to decide whether a complaint is warranted. But if it were me, I would do so in an instant.

This so typical that one cannot attribute it to overwork, short staff, Covid or any excuse. But it can be attributed to management failures and negligence in doing their jobs - to see that employees understand and follow the standards.

 

[MARC Rider]

My opinion, now only having these mini bottles is an example of Amtrak potentially leaving money on the table. Being able to buy a half bottle of wine was something that I enjoyed and I saw other passengers doing the same.

They do sell half-bottle of wine (375 ml) in the NEC cafe cars. I'm sort of surprised they didn't have any for sale in the dining car on the Lake Shore Limited. I think they're something like $20, and I suspect you can buy a half bottle of equivalent brand at a liquor store for $10 or less. I just got a gin & tonic for my free drink, but if they had a half-decent half bottle, I'd consider buying that, too.

 

[Mailliw]

So does lunch count as a "dinner period" seeing how it has the exact same menu?