Amtrak Diner and Food Service Discussion

Gilbert B Norman wrote: https://m.ebay.com/itm/2-Southern-Pacif ... r=1&_rdt=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now everybody, time for a pop-quiz: guess who designed and outfitted these cars (rebuilt from "prewar" lightweight Sleepers) for SP?

ARA Services, Inc.

Guess who subsequently acquired this concern?

You guessed it: Aramark!!!

Guess who they hold a Food Service contract with today?

That's right: Amtrak!!!

Great. My sarcasm is potentially more accurate should we actually get an Amtrak Automat car with a rack of microwaves...

"Fresh Choices":

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/proj ... u-0518.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ugh, that looks absolutely terrible.

I don't know about this. It's kind of weird choices. Wonder how they made these selections.
Glad I like cheesecake, but even the Auto Train at least heated up a bagel for you.
So is that $16 wine a freebie? Maybe I could at least get a coloring book!

I'm glad that I'll always have my memories of diner car french toast.

What happened to the Bloody Mary?

So this is a Charcuterie Plate:

Not bad . . . . for an appetizer!Now where is my dinner?

bostontrainguy wrote:I don't know about this. It's kind of weird choices. Wonder how they made these selections.
Glad I like cheesecake, but even the Auto Train at least heated up a bagel for you.
So is that $16 wine a freebie? Maybe I could at least get a coloring book!

What'll you bet that later editions specify that the second drink must be priced equal to or greater than the first? I can foresee some entertaining interactions between passengers and staff over that one.

This certainly was not what my wife and I were expecting for meal service on Train #29 when we made our reservations for our July trip back in January. Not one single hot food option... The paragraph on the menu cover is particularly insulting: it is an attempt at placing whipped cream on a road apple and passing it off as an "enhancement". I do give credit to the Vice President of Customer Experience for placing their e-mail address on the back cover of the menu. This individual certainly will receive plenty of feedback and I suspect that little of it will be complimentary. Time will tell.

Lest we wonder (wiki):

Charcuterie (/ʃɑːrˌkuːtəˈriː/ or /ʃɑːrˈkuːtəri/; northern French: [ʃaʁkytˈʁi] or southern French: [ʃaʁkytəˈʁi], from chair "meat" and cuit "cooked") is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, ballotines, pâtés, and confit, primarily from pork.

Seems a bit broad. More like processed meats, as in cold cuts.

An excerpt from an email I sent to a friend in the UK who plans to come over here and ride some trains:

, you should be aware that Amtrak has made significant changes to the Dining service offered on both the Lake Shore and Capitol Limiteds .

While the meals are still complimentary, they are simply cold salads. The one that gets me is what they call Charcuterie, which I’ll place my bets at Ladbrokes is simply cold cuts. Breakfast is “Continental” – sounds like bagels. So the only thing hot is Coffee.

Oh but guess what; they will throw in a wine (125ml glass or 375ml half, they say not), or all the soda pop you can drink.

bostontrainguy wrote:So this is a Charcuterie Plate:

Not bad . . . . for an appetizer! Now where is my dinner?

Yeah, I'd need three or four of those!

Very nice of you to warn your friend, Mr. Norman. I'd suggest packing a hearty sandwich in a cooler bag... I did that on my recent PV ride down from Chicago to DC from one of the news stands in Union Station.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:"Fresh Choices":
https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/proj ... u-0518.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

An interesting menu. I'd like to see the calorie count for the items on this menu. The description suggests to me that the portion size is comparable to an appetizer and not a meal. I could imagine that some passengers boarding in Boston (at 12.50 PM ET) will be quite hungry by the time they arrive in Chicago (at 9.45 AM CT the following day) if this is all they are offered to eat.

I do give them credit for listing an email address [[email protected]] on the menu so that feedback may be given.