Wine and Cheese Tasting Status

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ChuckL

Service Attendant
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
101
Location
Redford, Michigan
A few years ago, I traveled on the Wolverine, SWC, Pacific Surfliner, CS and EB. I'll be taking the same journey in one month. Wine and Cheese tasting and the opportunity to purchase the sampled wines was offered to sleeping car passengers on the CS and EB at that time. Is this still available, or has Amtrak eliminated this?
 
It's available for a charge on the CS. No longer available on the EB.
I guess 1 out of two trains is better than none. It really is a nice way to pass the time while enjoying the ride. Since they charge for it, I can't imagine it was much, if any cost to Amtrak. I wonder why it was discontinued on the EB.
 
It's available for a charge on the CS. No longer available on the EB.
I guess 1 out of two trains is better than none. It really is a nice way to pass the time while enjoying the ride. Since they charge for it, I can't imagine it was much, if any cost to Amtrak. I wonder why it was discontinued on the EB.
It's not always available on the CS either. Seems to depend on the mood and motivation of the PPC attendant. If it's important to you be sure to ask about it early on to make it clear to the PPC attendant that you're interested and looking forward to it. If nobody mentions it they're less likely to host the event. So far as I can tell nobody else is there to ensure the wine tasting actually occurs. Also, be aware that the wines and cheese that were on offer in the past seemed to be much higher quality than the brands they sell now. I went from happily purchasing full bottles of wine in the past to struggling to finish the tasting pour today. On my last CS trip no wine service was offered at all and I didn't even miss it.
 
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What a shame. Thanks for the tip on letting the PPC attendant know of my interest in the tasting. If it's offered, I hope that the wine is better than what you had, but I'm not holding my breath. [emoji40]
 
The daily wine tasting on The Canadian was a home run compared to those on Amtrak trains I've participated in. If Amtrak has de-emphasized wine tastings, no big loss.
 
We enjoyed the Wine Tastings in the Ocean last month. There were two (12 noon and 3:30) and they were conducted by the Park Car attendant.

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Wine got pulled generally a few years ago because John Mica (R-FL) threw one of his food and beverage temper tantrums about giving away free wine. This included the Startlight, the Builder and the wine and cheese plate on the Lakeshore. The greatest outcry about it was the Starlight, and they figured out how to do it as a profit center after a few months and reinstated a version of it. Minus the cheese, if you want cheese, you go to to the Sightseer and buy a cheese plate and bring it back.

I agree it is nowhere near as good as it used to be.
 
It was on the CS yesterday, and they announced it several times. They had quite a few people actually spring money for it. (Not me--it would have to be chocolate! :p )
 
Thanks to both of you! Sounds like they're making it difficult. I'll probably still go just for old memories sake and thoughts of better times. What will get cut or abbreviated next?

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Thanks to both of you! Sounds like they're making it difficult. I'll probably still go just for old memories sake and thoughts of better times. What will get cut or abbreviated next?

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It seems that the New,Management is actually trying to improve service and the food on Amtrak, and slowly re-instating the little extras that the 60 Mass Bean Counters ramed througb during their misguided Nickel and Dime cuts during Boardmans last days.
 
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Thanks to both of you! Sounds like they're making it difficult. I'll probably still go just for old memories sake and thoughts of better times. What will get cut or abbreviated next?

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It seems that the New,Management is actually trying to improve service and the food on Amtrak, and slowly re-instating the little extras that the 60 Mass Bean Counters ramed througb during their misguided Nickel and Dime cuts during Boardmans last days.[emoji41][emoji11]
Let's hope so!!! [emoji106] [emoji577] $$$

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As I have mentioned before, the errant CFO who was a Mica plant and was responsible for the mayhem, including removing the Diner service from the SS and not even attempting to do an LSL style backfill service, is gone. So there is some hope.

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I'll be on the Starlight next week. I have ridden it several times when the tasting was free and they included cheese and crackers. I will bring my own supply. Can't see paying extra

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I still enjoy the wine tasting from time to time. The wines are almost always high production wines, but it's fun that many of them are from along the Starlight's route. I've never had an attendant skip the tasting and I ride the Starlight about once a month LA-Oakland, but I don't doubt that happens. In fact, there is usually more demand than space, so I always get a ticket to join right away if I think I'll be interested. The cost is minimal and it's something to do. Almost always the PPC attendant will sell the cheese plate as well, which reminds me of a cheese plate from Safeway.

I say go in with minimal expectations and you just might enjoy yourself.
 
I still enjoy the wine tasting from time to time. The wines are almost always high production wines, but it's fun that many of them are from along the Starlight's route. I've never had an attendant skip the tasting and I ride the Starlight about once a month LA-Oakland, but I don't doubt that happens. In fact, there is usually more demand than space, so I always get a ticket to join right away if I think I'll be interested. The cost is minimal and it's something to do. Almost always the PPC attendant will sell the cheese plate as well, which reminds me of a cheese plate from Safeway.

I say go in with minimal expectations and you just might enjoy yourself.
That's exactly what I'll do. Thanks for the tip on getting a ticket early!

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The wine and cheese tasting was also eliminated from the Autotrain. IMO cheapening/eliminating the food service does little to nothing to improve the bottom line. I read that 85% of Amtraks revenue goes to employee salaries and benefits. The prior Amtrak administration pushed a move to profitability by cutting the food service but it was a ruse to help Joe Boardman ride out his days to retirement..Fact is that no public transportation system has ever made or will make a profit. Train transportation's importance is that it serves a vital role in supporting the economy. .
 
I read that 85% of Amtraks revenue goes to employee salaries and benefits.
Luckily, one does not have to simply believe everything they read. As of the July monthly report, Amtrak projects that 2017 revenue will be about $3.272 billion, with labor expenses $2.065 billion, or 63%.
 
I read that 85% of Amtraks revenue goes to employee salaries and benefits.
Luckily, one does not have to simply believe everything they read. As of the July monthly report, Amtrak projects that 2017 revenue will be about $3.272 billion, with labor expenses $2.065 billion, or 63%.
Still, if you add to that 63% the various other inflexible costs (fuel, payments to host railroads, rent at certain stations...) there's not a whole lot of discrectionary costs that can be trimmed, if you're looking to cut costs.
 
I read that 85% of Amtraks revenue goes to employee salaries and benefits.
Luckily, one does not have to simply believe everything they read. As of the July monthly report, Amtrak projects that 2017 revenue will be about $3.272 billion, with labor expenses $2.065 billion, or 63%.
Still, if you add to that 63% the various other inflexible costs (fuel, payments to host railroads, rent at certain stations...) there's not a whole lot of discretionary costs that can be trimmed, if you're looking to cut costs.
Good to have some solid numbers and you presented a clearer explanation than I did, that there are not many cuts to be made to increase Amtraks profitability or decrease its loss. Washington seems to forget that Amtrak being part of our vital transportation network was created to serve the American people . IMO the petty cuts and rapidly rising ticket prices do not improve the ridership. I would like to know how much was saved by taking the small flower off the dining car tables? Lets do the math; one flower at probably 60 cents each x 18 tables = $10.80 per car. Since the flowers were only replaced daily they would be used for two or three meal sittings. Lets assume two meal sittings and serving 300-500 meals a day The $10.80 flower cost adds approximately 2-3 1/2 cents to each meal.. Big savings huh?
 
When I got on the Canadian on the way to Toronto, they served champagne and hors d’oeuvres in the dome cars!

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Good to have some solid numbers and you presented a clearer explanation than I did, that there are not many cuts to be made to increase Amtraks profitability or decrease its loss. Washington seems to forget that Amtrak being part of our vital transportation network was created to serve the American people . IMO the petty cuts and rapidly rising ticket prices do not improve the ridership. I would like to know how much was saved by taking the small flower off the dining car tables? Lets do the math; one flower at probably 60 cents each x 18 tables = $10.80 per car. Since the flowers were only replaced daily they would be used for two or three meal sittings. Lets assume two meal sittings and serving 300-500 meals a day The $10.80 flower cost adds approximately 2-3 1/2 cents to each meal.. Big savings huh?
You'd also have to account (potentially) for any labor costs in obtaining/maintaining the flowers at each table. I'm not sure if there was a huge effect on on-board labor, but there may be costs to obtaining and prepping them that are above the cost of the flower itself. (I'm also not sure where the 60 cents comes from or if it's just a guesstimate.) Also, a small expense can add up over time or could be applied to other expenses. Frankly, the flower itself, while nice, isn't even worth the extra few cents a plate it may cost (assuming the cost is that low.) I'd rather see money be spent towards going green (or going back to green practices) like using real plates instead of disposable plates, using a linen tablecloth instead of paper ones, and utilizing recycling and organics recycling/industrial composting for waste disposal. (These may actually save money in the long run, as recycling and compost disposal may be cheaper than landfill disposal, and plates and paper tablecloths would not need to be purchased for each meal.) Once that's done, put any extra budget into improving the food quality (personally I think the food is acceptable, if not amazing) and perhaps adding some on-board receptions for people to experience during down times or periods where there's no meal service.

Since I'm a millennial and used to killing things (at least if the media is to be believed,) I'm fine with killing the AmFlower permanently. ;)
 
Back to the current state of the wine and cheese tastings, it was on the CS yesterday, and had a good turnout (not me--still holding out for a chocolate tasting! :p )
 
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