"The Points Guy" takes a Viewliner II sleeper.

[MARC Rider]

Hope you had fun with your 6 M&Ms.

You know, I really shouldn't have eaten them. The caffeine in the chocolate kept me up for the rest of the flight, and I wasn't able to get any sleep.

 

[jis]

You know, I really shouldn't have eaten them. The caffeine in the chocolate kept me up for the rest of the flight, and I wasn't able to get any sleep.

I hate it when that happens. Although it is not something that I cannot cure with a stiff drink or two.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

It's kind of interesting that the reviewer considers Flex meals to be the equivalent of International business class airline meals. I have no experience with international business class food, but my experience on an international flight taught me that Flex meals are far superior to what I was served in coach. Thus, I could believe that the Flex meals are the equivalent of what's served in international airline business class..

I think Flex Meals come close to being as good as run of the mill domestic first class airline meals,

I personally think that the average domestic first class meals are much better than Amtrak flex.

 

[MisterUptempo]

View attachment 22286

Here's the "midnight snack" served over the Arctic Ocean. There was one, repeat one, very thin slice of turkey.

If they gave you any more turkey they'd never wake you up, with all that Tryptophan coursing through your veins. Consider it a public service.

 

[NEPATrainTraveler]

Very interesting review. It was nice to see a positive review of Amtrak. One thing that caught my interest is that he mentioned that at 5' 9", he just about fit into the lower bunk of the Viewliner roomette. I'm 6' 2" myself, so I probably wouldn't fit at all without curling up. It made me think of posts I have seen of tall people having trouble sleeping in roomettes due to not fitting in the bed and preferring to sleep in coach instead because of this.

Looking at the menu for the flex meals, I will say that there is stuff that looks good to me, though the reviews on flex meals on this site would make me think twice. I'm surprised to see TPG give a positive review for the flex meals due to the high amount of negative reviews I have seen from members here.

 

[Old MM]

This is the second report I've seen that salads are back. (That alone makes a measurable difference in meal quality.)

https://thepointsguy.com/news/train-vs-plane-florida-to-washington-dc/

Good capture of how a train journey can make memories. He was kind in his description of the food, and it clearly wasn't the most important aspect of the trip.

 

[Old MM]

Very interesting review. It was nice to see a positive review of Amtrak. One thing that caught my interest is that he mentioned that at 5' 9", he just about fit into the lower bunk of the Viewliner roomette. I'm 6' 2" myself, so I probably wouldn't fit at all without curling up. It made me think of posts I have seen of tall people having trouble sleeping in roomettes due to not fitting in the bed and preferring to sleep in coach instead because of this.

My son is even taller, and he is quite comfortable in the lower bunk of a roomette, he can't stretch out, but gets a good night's sleep with no complaints.

 

[user 1215]

Imagine if he got the Flat Iron steak.

Does kinda read like an ad for look how good "our crappy expensive food" is. But it was positive and that's the best advertising for Amtrak, compensated or not, I've seen in a while.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Very interesting review. It was nice to see a positive review of Amtrak. One thing that caught my interest is that he mentioned that at 5' 9", he just about fit into the lower bunk of the Viewliner roomette. I'm 6' 2" myself, so I probably wouldn't fit at all without curling up. It made me think of posts I have seen of tall people having trouble sleeping in roomettes due to not fitting in the bed and preferring to sleep in coach instead because of this.

Looking at the menu for the flex meals, I will say that there is stuff that looks good to me, though the reviews on flex meals on this site would make me think twice. I'm surprised to see TPG give a positive review for the flex meals due to the high amount of negative reviews I have seen from members here.

I’m 6’1 and I’m quite comfortable in a roomette bed. As for the flex meals... a picture says a thousand words...

 

[jiml]

I think Flex Meals come close to being as good as run of the mill domestic first class airline meals, but there are exceptional better domestic first class meals than the Flex Meals around.

I don't know which international airlines the Points Guy flies, but in my experience the Business Class meals on even the US3 are far superior to anything that Amtrak serves these days. As a starter there is a difference between a 5 course meal and a 1.5 course meal, the former with within reason unlimited alcoholic beverages and different ones for the meal and the post meal.

Agreed. Unless he's using current offerings as a basis for comparison, most domestic airlines had actually stepped up their game pre-Covid - more variety, fresher preparation and nicer presentation based on trips on AA, AC, DL and UA in 2018-19. Of course in the last 15 months it's been a race to the bottom, with only a few carriers returning to their IBC standards and even fewer domestically. An example is British Airways' now-infamous box meals:

 

[cocojacoby]

I loved this report. I took my kids to the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone on two separate Amtrak trips years ago and the memories are happy and strong. Do I remember the food? No

 

[MARC Rider]

I hate it when that happens. Although it is not something that I cannot cure with a stiff drink or two.

Well, even in coach, they had unlimited free beer (a decent selection of craft brews) and wine (drinkable plonk.) I did partake, although I should report that red wine doesn't go very well with M&Ms.

 

[cocojacoby]

Well, even in coach, they had unlimited free beer (a decent selection of craft brews) and wine (drinkable plonk.) I did partake, although I should report that red wine doesn't go very well with M&Ms.

Everyone knows it's beer that goes well with chocolate. Try it!

 

[jebr]

Does kinda read like an ad for look how good "our crappy expensive food" is. But it was positive and that's the best advertising for Amtrak, compensated or not, I've seen in a while.

Yeah - it's definitely a good boost for Amtrak and likely introduces it to people who wouldn't consider it otherwise.

I don't think it's been paid for by Amtrak though - while I have plenty of qualms with TPG, they will generally state when someone has paid directly for the trip. There's also no link to amtrak.com, nor any mention of the AGR credit card (in fact, the author goes and shills the Chase Sapphire Reserve instead!) If we start seeing some blogs from them with links to the AGR credit card, though, I'd expect that to be a sign that they're getting some money from Amtrak and/or BoA (if only from some good kickbacks from each sign up.)

 

[jis]

There's also no link to amtrak.com, nor any mention of the AGR credit card (in fact, the author goes and shills the Chase Sapphire Reserve instead!)

Oh the irony of it! Once upon a time the AGR Credit Card was a Chase Card, and it was a very good one at that. Mine got converted to a Chase Freedom Card which I still have, when AGR went over to BofA. Of course Chase Sapphire Reserve is a card in a different category entirely, and pretty expensive at that too. But indeed an excellent card if one wants to afford it.

 

[20th Century Rider]

FYI, those salads are TINY. Less than half the size of the pre-flex side salads served at dinner.

That's right... it's the 3" 2 oz flex salad after they took away the carrot shavings. To the 'Points Guy' traveling once on the train is a novelty... and the new cars are impressive... but try having the same stuff on the TE [minus the observation car] with it's older equipment... and his reaction would have probably been different.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Back to the roomettes. Can’t recall the size but it 6’2” or 6’4”.

I am 6’6”, I can and do sleep well in a roomette. Before making the bed, pull off the seat backs head portion, easy after the seat has been place in the bed position. Reach under to pull up, there two sections of Velcro. Pull it out and lift it up. The top is two metal hook. Clean the area of the wall that the seat back was at. It will be quite dirty but a wet towel/wash rag will take of it. Try not to fling the dirt around. Place the head back anywhere you can, make the bed with the mattress and sheets. With out those seat back your roomette has the full 6’4”ish area to sleep in. When you don’t remove them you have a hard seat back taking up too much space just above your mattress.

This is how I make space for me. Try it, you like it too.

 

[Gary Behling]

I think Flex Meals come close to being as good as run of the mill domestic first class airline meals, but there are exceptional better domestic first class meals than the Flex Meals around.

I don't know which international airlines the Points Guy flies, but in my experience the Business Class meals on even the US3 are far superior to anything that Amtrak serves these days. As a starter there is a difference between a 5 course meal and a 1.5 course meal, the former with within reason unlimited alcoholic beverages and different ones for the meal and the post meal.

I see that even Aeroflot serves better meals even in their international Premium Economy (which is not even business class) than Amtrak does to the highest paying passengers. Frankly, the Points Guy lost a huge amount of credibility at least in my eyes with that single statement, irrespective of whether he is on the uptake from Amtrak or not.

Am I the only one around here who misses the Amtrak cheesecake?

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

No, but the toffee crunch blondie takes the sting out of the missing cheesecake.

 

[Mailliw]

View attachment 22284
International Economy dinner -- United Airlines, Beijing commissary. It was edible, if a bit high on the carbs. The "breakfast" they served -- some kind of omelet and sausage, was not.

View attachment 22285
International economy dinner -- United Airlines, from Washington-Dulles commissary.

View attachment 22286

Here's the "midnight snack" served over the Arctic Ocean. There was one, repeat one, very thin slice of turkey.

Here's what I ate on Phillipines Airlines in Premium Economy. I think it was the same menu as Economy. Everything was really good and of course Filipino customer service is fantastic.

 

[cocojacoby]

I'm going to assume that Amtrak and the airlines have the same basic ways to heat up a prepackaged food item. Since everything else is pretty much a fixed cost, paying a dollar or two more for a better food product when you are charging over a thousand dollars for a bedroom and over $500 for a roomette seems pretty reasonable. I would think Amtrak has options for better meal selections or even a better catering service, but I don't know the price differential between a so-so meal and a really good one. It does seem that the airlines do however.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Amtrak was toying with changing venders. However nothing occurred.

https://www.newrest.eu
Newrest was one of the companies.

The standard issue is the lack of follow up by management, with add bonus of poor accounting practices.

 

[Palmetto]

Referencing the photos by Mailliw above: Philippine Airlines has nothing over Amtrak when it comes to meals, IMO. I would imagine that Business Class fares better.

 

[MARC Rider]

Referencing the photos by Mailliw above: Philippine Airlines has nothing over Amtrak when it comes to meals, IMO. I would imagine that Business Class fares better.

I think he was comparing the Philippine Airlines coach meals with the coach meals served to me on United. I have no doubt that the Philippine airline meals were better, but unfortunately, Philippine Airlines doesn't serve BWI Airport, or fly to places where I usually fly, so it might I might as well be reading about the gourmet railroad food served on crack trains like the Broadway Limited, which, at least, did run through Baltimore once upon a time.

 

[Rasputin]

Unfortunately, I cannot tell much about food just from a photo, except maybe portion size. The problem is that I have had some delicious meals which were not eye-appealing and I have had some eye-appealing meals which were not delicious. It is the taste that counts.

I have only experienced the new dining regime once and that was on 48 in 2019. If someone had entered the "dining car" carrying a Whopper and fries I would have jumped at an even trade, hands down.