For George - People Really Hate the New Amtrak Meals

[taiwan_girl]

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.

[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.

[Catseye3]

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.

[George K]

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

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

[George K]

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

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

Steak....

Breakfast

More Steak

[taiwan_girl]

Those meals look pretty good.

[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.

[Catseye3]

@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.

[George K]

The new menus:

[George K]

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

[bachophile]

[George K]

@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.