THE NEW MENUS ARE HERE! THE NEW MENUS ARE HERE!

[SarahZ]

14(31) had the new menu but the selections were announced when the LSA started taking reservations. I was still able to get my bunt cake a la mode.

I'm excited to hear that the bundt cake a la mode is still available. The new menu just says "featured chocolate dessert", and it seems like the parfait has been a lot more common lately.

Oh, yes. I should have added that Brent was able to get the chocolate bundt cake on the SWC too. He was very happy.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

One last Coast Starlight update- they were out of the kid's mac'n'cheese by the first (11:30am) seating of lunch the second day of the trip, leaving my 9 year old with a choice of... a hot dog. The server groused about the newly limited menu in general, and kids menu in particular, especially with summer starting (lots more kids on board soon), and my daughter kind of cried (her second choice, in her head, was the grilled cheese... she KNOWS they run out of stuff so was prepared! But I had utterly failed to warn her about the reduced choices).

We did our best to be reasonable, agreeing that the reductions kinda sucked, and my kid and I ended up splitting an Angus burger and she was supplied with her own serving of potato chips at no additional charge.

This is especially inexcusable on a Flagship train such as the Starlight or Builder.

I don't think Amtrak has "flagship" trains anymore. They seem to be going out of their way to make almost every LD train just like all the others. Not by raising the standards of other trains but rather by chasing the least common denominator. Sounds like a recipe for success to me.

 

[neroden]

One last Coast Starlight update- they were out of the kid's mac'n'cheese by the first (11:30am) seating of lunch the second day of the trip, leaving my 9 year old with a choice of... a hot dog. The server groused about the newly limited menu in general, and kids menu in particular, especially with summer starting (lots more kids on board soon), and my daughter kind of cried (her second choice, in her head, was the grilled cheese... she KNOWS they run out of stuff so was prepared! But I had utterly failed to warn her about the reduced choices).

We did our best to be reasonable, agreeing that the reductions kinda sucked, and my kid and I ended up splitting an Angus burger and she was supplied with her own serving of potato chips at no additional charge.

Please remember to file a complaint with Amtrak. They will only change things back if they get boatloads of complaints. (You may even get a voucher.)

 

[tonys96]

One last Coast Starlight update- they were out of the kid's mac'n'cheese by the first (11:30am) seating of lunch the second day of the trip, leaving my 9 year old with a choice of... a hot dog. The server groused about the newly limited menu in general, and kids menu in particular, especially with summer starting (lots more kids on board soon), and my daughter kind of cried (her second choice, in her head, was the grilled cheese... she KNOWS they run out of stuff so was prepared! But I had utterly failed to warn her about the reduced choices). We did our best to be reasonable, agreeing that the reductions kinda sucked, and my kid and I ended up splitting an Angus burger and she was supplied with her own serving of potato chips at no additional charge.

This is especially inexcusable on a Flagship train such as the Starlight or Builder.

I don't think Amtrak has "flagship" trains anymore. They seem to be going out of their way to make almost every LD train just like all the others. Not by raising the standards of other trains but rather by chasing the least common denominator. Sounds like a recipe for success to me.

That was my perception at the very first cut made.......in the" cuts amenities" thread.

Sad, and counter productive, unless the hidden agenda is to eliminate all LD train service.

 

[CHamilton]

I don't think Amtrak has "flagship" trains anymore.

Now that the wine and cheese tastings have gone away, they don't even have Flagship cheese

 

[Bob Dylan]

The only Flagship Trains left are Acela FC and riding in Beech Grove where they still have all of the amenities and the first class meals are served on Real China!(No simplified menus on this car!)

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Are you familiar with the dining operations on Beech Grove? I'd like details on them!

 

[me_little_me]

Don't know why that went through as guest

The forum is doing its part to help Amtrak save money in sympathy by not logging everyone in for posts. :giggle:

 

[jis]

Are you familiar with the dining operations on Beech Grove? I'd like details on them!

I would like to know too, if possible with some documentary evidence verifying the claims.

I don't think Amtrak has "flagship" trains anymore.

Now that the wine and cheese tastings have gone away, they don't even have Flagship cheese

The only cheese now is in the Mac 'n Cheese!

 

[yarrow]

Are you familiar with the dining operations on Beech Grove? I'd like details on them!

I would like to know too, if possible with some documentary evidence verifying the claims.

I don't think Amtrak has "flagship" trains anymore.

Now that the wine and cheese tastings have gone away, they don't even have Flagship cheese

The only cheese now is in the Mac 'n Cheese!

if they aren't out of it

 

[JoeBas]

if they aren't out of it

Won't SOMEONE PLEASE think of the children???

Seriously, I can imagine some health minded parents won't be happy when their only choice of meal for little Timmy is "Hot Dog" Lunch and Dinner for Days straight... yeesh.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

This makes it even more unfortunate that Amtrak apparently felt the need to run off the Burrito Lady.

Can't have homemade food competing with generic frozen AmChow.

THE NEW CUTS ARE HERE! THE NEW CUTS ARE HERE!

 

[SarahZ]

if they aren't out of it

Won't SOMEONE PLEASE think of the children???

Seriously, I can imagine some health minded parents won't be happy when their only choice of meal for little Timmy is "Hot Dog" Lunch and Dinner for Days straight... yeesh.

Because mac & cheese is so healthy? (I say that totally tongue-in-cheek because I love the stuff and eat it once per week.)

I've often thought it would be better if they had healthier options for kids, though - chicken wings (no breading) with apple slices, a smaller version of the steak, a smaller version of the burger, etc.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

And the Valu Foods by me has 4 Cups of Velveeta Mac & Cheese on sale this week for $1.79-that is actually a notch above the powdered stuff Maybe I should pick up a few extra 4-packs and send them to Mr. Boardman.......

 

[SarahZ]

And the Valu Foods by me has 4 Cups of Velveeta Mac & Cheese on sale this week for $1.79-that is actually a notch above the powdered stuff Maybe I should pick up a few extra 4-packs and send them to Mr. Boardman.......

I love their shells & cheese. I just had some last night.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Are you familiar with the dining operations on Beech Grove? I'd like details on them!

Finding info on the Menu and amenities on Beech Grove is like asking the CIA to tell you about "The Family Jewels!"
My info, which is admittedly almost a year old, came from an OBS that had worked Beech Grove and told me that the Menu was similar to FC Acelas Menu minus the Free Alcohol! They also said that fresh local items were picked up as the Car traveled the various Routes and that the VIPs riding were able to bring their own Wine and Spirits aboard as desired!

I wasn't told about what type of kitchen equipment was used, whether convection oven only or there was a flat top grill also??

The meals were served on real Amtrak China and Glass with cloth napkins and table cloths, flatware and real flowers on the table!

If cuts have been made it would be interesting to know,I wonder if Amtrak's PR/Govt Relations Dept would tell us this info or maybe Rep Mica has this info????

 

[Green Maned Lion]

FOIA?

 

[jis]

Suffice it to say that an FC Acela menu is a very corridor/airline FC like menu and would not be acceptable in an LD Dining Car as far as I can tell. It is quite reasonable for the bosses to be stuck with such rather than a full court Diner menu IMHO. Now as far as the flower goes, they better get rid of that ASAP. The rest one gets on Acela FC too I suppose.

Yeah GML, I was thinking that too. Time for another FOIA. "What does Boardman eat when he is on the Beech Grove and how is he served?"

 

[PerRock]

FOIA?

Freedom Of Information Act. Basically it's a law that states you have the right to request almost any document from a public entity, and for most cases they have to provide it to you. There is a list of items you can't request (or more they will deny) but in general most documents one request they have to provide you & within a specific period of time (depending on the type of request).

peter

Edit: Former_OBS do you know the exact name of the book that lists all the ingredients? Amtrak is pretty particular in the name of documents when filing a FOIA.

 

[pennyk]

I have been shown the book by some LSAs when I inform them of my garlic allergy (in advance of of the diner serving dinner). Not all ingredients are in the book, but it is helpful.

 

[Anderson]

Well, I got my first experience with the new menu on the Meteor this morning. Thoughts:
-Not missing the quiche at breakfast. I suspect that may have been terminated for want of takers.

-I am going to miss the Kung Pao Chicken and/or the soup at lunch.

-The dinner special is also going to be sort-of missed, since sometimes that was pretty darn good (not that I would pick it unless I was sick of steak).

 

[JoeBas]

if they aren't out of it

Won't SOMEONE PLEASE think of the children???

Seriously, I can imagine some health minded parents won't be happy when their only choice of meal for little Timmy is "Hot Dog" Lunch and Dinner for Days straight... yeesh.

Because mac & cheese is so healthy? (I say that totally tongue-in-cheek because I love the stuff and eat it once per week.)

I've often thought it would be better if they had healthier options for kids, though - chicken wings (no breading) with apple slices, a smaller version of the steak, a smaller version of the burger, etc.

Note: I in no way meant to infer that Macs and Cheese was healthier, I was conflating two issues - 1) The fact that there is NO healthy option, and 2) The fact that, as parents of two kids, I can tell you from extensive experience that if you tell a kid they're eating the same thing for lunch and dinner for days on end (because the other option sold out), the whining will be an unpleasant experience for EVERYONE involved in the dining car.

It's too bad they don't have a way to bottle that, and send it to whatever HUHA bean counter came up with this cockamamie idea.

 

[frugalist]

Rumor has it that this is the next version of the dining car menu (with prices multiplied by 10):

 

[Bob Dylan]

Brilliant!

 

[PerRock]

Multiply those prices 4-fold to be more accurate!

peter