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The New Coffee Room

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  3. For George - People Really Hate the New Amtrak Meals

For George - People Really Hate the New Amtrak Meals

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  • taiwan_girlT Online
    taiwan_girlT Online
    taiwan_girl
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    Saw this article and thought of @George-K . Since Amtrak has started their revised meals, feedback has not been too good.

    125 Pages of Complaints on Amtrak meals

    I mentioned in the old forum board that last fall, I took the train from Chicago --> Los Angeles via the Southwest route. Excellent trip, (thanks to George for all the good advice pre trip) and the meals were very good. On that train and at that time, I am pretty sure that they were cooked to order.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • George KG Offline
      George KG Offline
      George K
      wrote on last edited by George K
      #2

      @taiwan_girl said in For George - People Really Hate the New Amtrak Meals:

      125 Pages of Complaints on Amtrak meals

      Sigh...

      Yeah.

      There's been a definite downgrade on meal service on some of Amtrak. Basically, all the Eastern trains (including the City of New Orleans) have this new meal "service." Western long-distance trains, like the Southwest Chief which you rode, the California Zephyr, the Empire Builder and the Coast Starlight still have traditional meals.

      Steaks are cooked to-order, and it's very restaurant-like.

      We hope to get to New Orleans early next year - I'll report on the dining experience once we do. However, the food on CONO (City of New Orleans) has been marginal, at best, every time we've ridden it (other than the first time in Fall of 2015. Since then, they eliminated the chef working downstairs, and everything is "reheat (microwave) and serve." Breakfast is horrible, and we avoid it, just going for lunch before our 3:30 PM arrival in NOLA. Dinner tastes like it came out of a can.

      It's sad.

      But, I still wouldn't travel any other way. I'm blessed to be in Chicago, in the center of the nation, where I can get to most big cities on Amtrak. My only complaint is that some towns I'd like to visit (like Cincinnati) have ungodly arrival times.

      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

      MikM 1 Reply Last reply
      • Catseye3C Offline
        Catseye3C Offline
        Catseye3
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        It makes me very sad to see your comments about the dining experience on board the City of New Orleans, since the song is one of my tippy top faves. Can't feature a microwave in amongst that train, no way.

        This makes no sense, I know. I just hate knowing it.

        Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

        1 Reply Last reply
        • George KG Offline
          George KG Offline
          George K
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          I forgot to link this. Here is the current menu for The Empire Builder:

          https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/menus/routes/Long-Distance-Dining-Car-Menu-0120.pdf

          Screen Shot 2020-06-11 at 7.17.10 AM.png

          However, this has been suspended through May 31. I don't know if traditional dining has resumed.

          "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

          The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

          1 Reply Last reply
          • George KG Offline
            George KG Offline
            George K
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Amtrak has restarted "full service" dining on the western routes.

            alt text
            Pan-roasted chicken breast with mushroom risotto, peas, carrots, and fava beans in a mushroom sauce.

            alt text

            alt text

            Steak....

            alt text

            Breakfast

            alt text

            More Steak

            "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

            The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

            1 Reply Last reply
            • taiwan_girlT Online
              taiwan_girlT Online
              taiwan_girl
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              Those meals look pretty good.

              1 Reply Last reply
              • George KG George K

                @taiwan_girl said in For George - People Really Hate the New Amtrak Meals:

                125 Pages of Complaints on Amtrak meals

                Sigh...

                Yeah.

                There's been a definite downgrade on meal service on some of Amtrak. Basically, all the Eastern trains (including the City of New Orleans) have this new meal "service." Western long-distance trains, like the Southwest Chief which you rode, the California Zephyr, the Empire Builder and the Coast Starlight still have traditional meals.

                Steaks are cooked to-order, and it's very restaurant-like.

                We hope to get to New Orleans early next year - I'll report on the dining experience once we do. However, the food on CONO (City of New Orleans) has been marginal, at best, every time we've ridden it (other than the first time in Fall of 2015. Since then, they eliminated the chef working downstairs, and everything is "reheat (microwave) and serve." Breakfast is horrible, and we avoid it, just going for lunch before our 3:30 PM arrival in NOLA. Dinner tastes like it came out of a can.

                It's sad.

                But, I still wouldn't travel any other way. I'm blessed to be in Chicago, in the center of the nation, where I can get to most big cities on Amtrak. My only complaint is that some towns I'd like to visit (like Cincinnati) have ungodly arrival times.

                MikM Offline
                MikM Offline
                Mik
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                @george-k said in For George - People Really Hate the New Amtrak Meals:

                @taiwan_girl said in For George - People Really Hate the New Amtrak Meals:

                But, I still wouldn't travel any other way. I'm blessed to be in Chicago, in the center of the nation, where I can get to most big cities on Amtrak. My only complaint is that some towns I'd like to visit (like Cincinnati) have ungodly arrival times.

                Suck it up, buttercup.

                “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill

                Catseye3C 1 Reply Last reply
                • MikM Mik

                  @george-k said in For George - People Really Hate the New Amtrak Meals:

                  @taiwan_girl said in For George - People Really Hate the New Amtrak Meals:

                  But, I still wouldn't travel any other way. I'm blessed to be in Chicago, in the center of the nation, where I can get to most big cities on Amtrak. My only complaint is that some towns I'd like to visit (like Cincinnati) have ungodly arrival times.

                  Suck it up, buttercup.

                  Catseye3C Offline
                  Catseye3C Offline
                  Catseye3
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  @mik said in For George - People Really Hate the New Amtrak Meals:

                  My only complaint is that some towns I'd like to visit (like Cincinnati) have ungodly arrival times.

                  Probably the only way Amtrak would consent to stopping there.

                  a18e0e45-c5b2-442a-bdc1-17c578e18d9b-image.png

                  Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • George KG Offline
                    George KG Offline
                    George K
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    The new menus:

                    207628053_10219323721830844_5807042409712579970_n.jpg

                    203866847_10219323721990848_2743579088383021425_n.jpg

                    "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                    The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • George KG Offline
                      George KG Offline
                      George K
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      Seen on FB today. Needless to say, the food has gotten better.

                      image.jpeg

                      image.jpeg

                      image.jpeg

                      image.jpeg

                      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      • bachophileB Offline
                        bachophileB Offline
                        bachophile
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        81b67a37-d263-479b-902e-d761e195bfa3-image.png

                        George KG 1 Reply Last reply
                        • bachophileB bachophile

                          81b67a37-d263-479b-902e-d761e195bfa3-image.png

                          George KG Offline
                          George KG Offline
                          George K
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          @bachophile I rode the New York Central "Pacemaker" from New York to Chicago.

                          I don't remember eating - it was an overnight train, with some significant delays.

                          "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                          The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

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