Several dining questions

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Sbburkett

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Haven’t been on Amtrak in almost ten years and will be taking a trip on the Silver Meteor near the end of July.

I’ve heard about the change of dining service for the Silver Star, and I wanted to make sure this change ONLY affected the Silver Star. The Silver Meteor (which is what we are booked on) will still have the dining car, correct?

(I noticed an alert symbol next to the Silver Meteor, but it looks like only the Star is affected by this).

Secondly, for those passengers in sleeping accommodations who have their meals included, what exactly does a “meal” consist of? For example, does it include a drink, does it include a “side” at breakfast? Does it include dessert at dinner?

Finally, I’ve heard about being able to have your meal in your room (a roomette in this case). How do you ask for this or arrange for this? Just mention it to the car’s attendant?

Thanks for the help!
 
Haven’t been on Amtrak in almost ten years and will be taking a trip on the Silver Meteor near the end of July.

I’ve heard about the change of dining service for the Silver Star, and I wanted to make sure this change ONLY affected the Silver Star. The Silver Meteor (which is what we are booked on) will still have the dining car, correct?

(I noticed an alert symbol next to the Silver Meteor, but it looks like only the Star is affected by this).

Secondly, for those passengers in sleeping accommodations who have their meals included, what exactly does a “meal” consist of? For example, does it include a drink, does it include a “side” at breakfast? Does it include dessert at dinner?

Finally, I’ve heard about being able to have your meal in your room (a roomette in this case). How do you ask for this or arrange for this? Just mention it to the car’s attendant?

Thanks for the help!
"YES" it's only the STAR for the test.

Meal is entree, salad, bread, dessert, non-alc beverage. Breakfast you can get a side of meat, no charge, with your entree, if desired, etc.

Anything on the menu is included for Meteor Sleeper pax. (pay for alc)

LOWER your expectations, the food and SERVICE (Paper, plastic, plastic, plastic, plastic, plastic, almost non of which is recycled) compared to ten years ago has gone downhill IMHO, by at least 50%

"YES" to get a meal served "upstairs", (in your room) ask your Train Attendant-Sleeper, (TAS) as early as you can, before the next meal, or as soon as you get on the train, and tip accordingly.
 
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Thanks for the information. I had found the menu on-line but just wasn't sure what was included.

Sorry to hear the quality of the dining experience has gone downhill in the last ten years--riding in the dining car while riding was one of the highlights of the train part of the trip.
 
Unlike some others I find dining still above average,,,,,

Don't forget to tip the dining staff as appropriate

enjoy the ride,,, no TSA in your future
 
Thanks for the information. I had found the menu on-line but just wasn't sure what was included.

Sorry to hear the quality of the dining experience has gone downhill in the last ten years--riding in the dining car while riding was one of the highlights of the train part of the trip.
I find the food quality as well. The plastic ware, table coverings and frsh flowers on the table. All cost cutting measures. The experience is still quality to me.The experience of dining on the train is still quality with presentations still high.
 
I'll be eating in my lower level roomette, due to disabilities making stairs difficult for me. Should I ask that my meals be delivered at a certain time, or have them delivered when the TSA (?) can get them to me?

Thanks
 
Unlike some others I find dining still above average,,,,,
what average? are we measuring against hot lunch in my grade school cafeteria in the 1950's or against amtrak meal service of a few years ago which included regional specialties(shrimp and grits on the crescent, bison meat loaf on the eb), different menus for each train and differing offerings from day to day on the same train, an interesting menu in the ppc, real dishes, real desserts. what do you take as your benchmark?
 
Unlike some others I find dining still above average,,,,,

Don't forget to tip the dining staff as appropriate
As do I...we enjoy the Amtrak dining experience as part of the overal fun....
It's what you make it. I make it fun.

Don't forget tipping is optional. Not necessarily appropriate and certainly not required. Those are well paying positions, not minimum wage as most land based eateries are. So, don't forget, there is nothing wrong with NOT tipping.
 
One man's meat is another man's poison,,,,

In my opinion a meal has three components

The meal itself

The staff who prepare and deliver it

The setting for the restaurant

Amtrak is NOT Commander's Palace in NOLA, which is about as good as I have ever had

Amtrak is not Applebee's where I would condemn my ex wife to eat for eternity (wait, that would be too cruel)

Amtrak is below the former and way above the latter

hence above average for me

Yes the regional stuff was great, no argument from me there

But the railway steak is above average, as are most of the biff and muffy entrees She Who Must Be Obeyed enjoys

I only get plates and silverware about half the time

The staff who have served me are at about 80%, well above average

Need I discuss the virtues of the setting? I think not

hence above average
 
Don't forget tipping is optional. Not necessarily appropriate and certainly not required. Those are well paying positions, not minimum wage as most land based eateries are. So, don't forget, there is nothing wrong with NOT tipping.
Yes, they are well paid positions compared to land based eateries. But they are also not comparable jobs to land based eateries. In most cases land based waiter/waitresses have bus boys to help clear tables. They only work 1 or 2 meals; not 3 meals. That means that their shift is much shorter than an Amtrak workers who is basically up from 6 AM through 10 to 11 PM. And then the land based worker goes home to friends & family while the Amtrak worker heads to a tiny compartment on the train or a hotel room.

And those land based workers never have to worry about the restaurant suddenly bouncing over a switch while they're carrying 4 hot coffee's. Finally, they also don't have to get training on how to safely evacuate a train and what to do in an emergency.

So again, there really is no comparison between a land based food service worker and an Amtrak food service worker.
 
Alan nailed it. I tip for good service, regardless of how much someone makes, whether that be a server, my hairdresser, or a bartender. Their income doesn't factor into my decision to tip.
 
I was recently on the Crescent and Silver Star. Both dining cars had truly exceptional helpful and friendly staff. Extra tips from me as they definitely deserved it.
 
I take several train trips each year. I rarely ever get a meal in my room as I enjoy the experience of the dining car. Have met some terrific people and great staff. I always tip and am generous if I get real good service which is hit and miss. I like breakfast and dinner desserts the best. The rest of the food is marginal to me.
 
Tipping on Amtrak is not required. It's okay to NOT tip.

Military personal work very hard for me. Risking their life for me. Sleeping in the dirt far away from home and their families for months on end. At a pay rate far less than an Amtrak diner employee.

I thank them for their service, but I don't tip them. It's not required.

Cyber bullying posters into tipping on Amtrak is sad.
 
Tipping on Amtrak is not required. It's okay to NOT tip.

Military personal work very hard for me. Risking their life for me. Sleeping in the dirt far away from home and their families for months on end. At a pay rate far less than an Amtrak diner employee.

I thank them for their service, but I don't tip them. It's not required.

Cyber bullying posters into tipping on Amtrak is sad.
Nobody said anyone has to tip. We simply explained why we tip.

You have an odd definition of "bullying". :mellow:
 
Tipping on Amtrak is not required. It's okay to NOT tip.

Military personal work very hard for me. Risking their life for me. Sleeping in the dirt far away from home and their families for months on end. At a pay rate far less than an Amtrak diner employee.

I thank them for their service, but I don't tip them. It's not required.

Cyber bullying posters into tipping on Amtrak is sad.

Quite an odd comparison. But, yeah, you don't have to tip. Nobody here is forcing you to do anything.
 
You have an odd definition of "bullying". :mellow:
I fear we'd wimp out as bullys. None of the comments seemed 'bulling' enough.
heh.gif
 
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