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Amtrak uses Aramark still for commissary services right?


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Yes. Not sure how strongly Mr. Anderson feels about their capabilities ... Seems as though they've provided what he's asked for.

Why can't Amtrak's new "contemporary dining" or whatever at least look like the meals in this thread:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/america ... ad-56.html

I've had excellent steak and shrimp in first class on American. Not all of the meals in the thread look that great, but at least they're served on china.

Seems like an unreasonable comparison given the difference in fares. We're talking about tickets on Amtrak for maybe $1,500 "all-in" vs. air fares in excess of $2,400 in some cases right?

gokeefe wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2019 7:09 pm Seems like an unreasonable comparison given the difference in fares. We're talking about tickets on Amtrak for maybe $1,500 "all-in" vs. air fares in excess of $2,400 in some cases right?

No, first-class tickets on airlines are often paid for at coach ticket prices and upgraded with complimentary frequent-flyer upgrades, and even when first class tickets are paid for entirely in cash, on domestic trips, the prices have come down significantly and are often only modestly higher than coach tickets (since airlines got sick of giving away free upgrades).

I was booking a round-trip ticket today that was $287 total in coach and $426 total in first class, for example (a total of 4 flights and 1400 miles round trip). On Amtrak, a sleeping car ticket for the same trip is $678 total. I booked the coach plane ticket, figuring that I'll get a free upgrade.

A very good read about the new Flex Dining.

https://www.wvgazettemail.com/life/trav ... 8b436.html

lordsigma12345 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 02, 2019 6:29 am It should be noted you still have the option of sitting at a table in the dining car, even with strangers like before, if you want to. While Im going to wait to judge until I taste the new meals, if you still want to chat with people in the diner, that is still possible and now you can actually go even when meals aren’t being served.

Have you ridden the trains since the changes? The two times I did, the diners were mostly empty.

On the larger subject of millennials, again, they/we are accused of killing/not liking a whole variety of things. Really, previous generations killed disposable income for millennials. Give them some decent pay and benefits and we'll see what they actually like (I'm on the border -- what some call Xennial). Very few people I know who are my age or younger make the kind of money they need to do to what they really want.

You know, I’m not opposed to changing the dining options, Amtrak for the most part has changed with the times in Food Service; I saw the changeover from the traditional dining car to fast causal on demand dining coming and I liked it actually.

What I don’t like about these changes is the inconsistency and offerings; I don’t think this is the fault of any particular person in management, I think it’s mostly trying to make things work with the commissary operator, Aramark.

I think Anderson wants to dump them and get a proven commissary operator onboard like LSG Sky Chefs or Gate Gourmet.


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AgentSkelly wrote: ↑Mon Nov 04, 2019 12:43 am You know, I’m not opposed to changing the dining options, Amtrak for the most part has changed with the times in Food Service; I saw the changeover from the traditional dining car to fast causal on demand dining coming and I liked it actually.

What I don’t like about these changes is the inconsistency and offerings; I don’t think this is the fault of any particular person in management, I think it’s mostly trying to make things work with the commissary operator, Aramark.

I think Anderson wants to dump them and get a proven commissary operator onboard like LSG Sky Chefs or Gate Gourmet.


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Amtrak used to use Gate Gourmet which was even worse. airlines do a lot of things well, food isn't one of them.

Suburban Station wrote: Amtrak used to use Gate Gourmet which was even worse. airlines do a lot of things well, food isn't one of them.

I remember that era. I thought it was no worse than Aramark but had other options.

LSG has quite the non-airline food service business to keep its airport commissaries busy. I think they already provide food to DB...

Delaware North would be my best bet here, but they would need to open up their own operations in some regions or subcontract it.


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Also, Aramark (and Sysco and their ilk) have different grades of food - whatever Amtrak pays for, from fruit snacks to filet mignon, Aramark can provide.

AgentSkelly wrote: ↑Mon Nov 04, 2019 12:43 amI think Anderson wants to dump them and get a proven commissary operator onboard like LSG Sky Chefs or Gate Gourmet.

I have been wondering the same thing myself. Aramark may claim that they can do anything "for a price" but as Maine found out with the Downeaster it's amazing what smaller more focused vendors will do to keep your business.

But can smaller providers fulfill a national network of stocking trains all over the country?

Potentially yes. There's certainly more than one national foodservice company. Or Amtrak could always build their own menu and require regional contractors to stock specific items or use certain recipes. It's not as if Aramark has a monopoly on Coca-Cola products. Furthermore Amtrak doesn't have specialty items that are only available locally.