Or take the SM and the connecting bus service to TPA...
Wow. You'd really go to that length and spend that much money on a rental car (not to mention the extra money you'd spend on the Amtrak steaks) to prove a point?
Two hour bus ride or Amtrak cafe food?
How is he spending money on Amtrak steaks if meals are included? And he's not avoiding the Star just to prove a point - some people want actual food when they're stuck on a train for 25+ hours.
Volks, how say we cut Mr. Lonestar some slack.
Fare is more expensive.
Technically the cafe is serving actual food. But the offerings are hardly worthy of being called 'full meals'. For me, taking the Star would be a 31 hour ride (I go almost end to end). I don't want to be eating microwave pizza ad cup noodles, for that long. I would probably have to bring a bunch of snacks in a cooler, and have some meals delivered to the train.
I don't see Amtrak eliminating the diner on any of the other long distance trains because that would, for the most part, leave rail passengers with no alternative in the markets those trains serve. They did it with the Silver Star because they knew that those who still want a diner can take the Silver Meteor instead, as the two trains follow mostly the same route. Amtrak wanted to offer passengers two different ways of paying for meals on the Silver Service trains. This way, you can either have meals included in the sleeper fare on the SM, or you can pay for your meals as you go on the SS.
This comparison oversimplifies the cost difference by comparing, I think, the same or similar bucket levels. Because the coach fares for the SS and SM are the same, fare differences are due solely to sleeper differences. And, as seen below, full route fare differences for a Roomette could be as little as $72 or as much as $415. For Bedrooms, the differences range from $293 to $889. And the sleeper upcharges to DLB are same as those to MIA.
I know that. My point was that the lowest roomette bucket on the Star is $60 cheaper than the Meteor.
A minor point, but the lowest Roomette bucket on the Star ($187) is $72 cheaper than the lowest Roomette bucket on the Meteor ($259). See Post #40. Do the math.
Although I never tried a hot entree, I looked at the ingredient list and opted not to try. I have food allergies and the list contained ingredients I did not want to consume. Although I did not look for the entrees the last time I was on the Star (January 2018), I did not see the hot entrees offered. They may be been discontinued, but I am not sure. I do know that the sandwich menu had changed since the last time I had traveled on the Star.
I believe they cancelled the tray meals on the Star after a few months, due to low demand.
