"Chipotle-style quick-service station" dining car?

[tommylicious]

Gross but I think inevitable. Chemical TV dinnerz from Chinese chemical conglomerate.

I remember reading in one of the history books on passenger rail, that back in the 1950's there were lunch cars that offered counter service and ones that offered buffet style lunches. The counter lunch service may have lasted but the buffet probably did not. I believe the book was called "Dining by Rail". One thing that we can say for sure is that prices are sky high and that food service on Amtrak trains is at an all time low. If it keeps going like this, why before you know it, they will be serving Banquet $1 microwave "chemical" TV dinners.

 

[VentureForth]

I thought that Amtrak was only using pink slime for their burgers, but I guess it was too expensive.

 

[Eric S]

Gross but I think inevitable. Chemical TV dinnerz from Chinese chemical conglomerate.

Quite the obsession with China you seem to have...

 

[A Voice]

If it keeps going like this, why before you know it, they will be serving Banquet $1 microwave "chemical" TV dinners.

Gross but I think inevitable. Chemical TV dinnerz from Chinese chemical conglomerate.

Ok, I'll bite. What is "chemical" about Banquet frozen dinners?

 

[tommylicious]

more appropriate question is.....what's not?

If it keeps going like this, why before you know it, they will be serving Banquet $1 microwave "chemical" TV dinners.

Gross but I think inevitable. Chemical TV dinnerz from Chinese chemical conglomerate.

Ok, I'll bite. What is "chemical" about Banquet frozen dinners?

 

[tommylicious]

http://fastfoodnationhonorsproject.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/9/8/13989062/1900971.jpeg?452

 

[jis]

http://fastfoodnationhonorsproject.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/9/8/13989062/1900971.jpeg?452

And this proves exactly what?

 

[tommylicious]

Well that's what you're gonna see in there, but sloshing around more.

http://fastfoodnationhonorsproject.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/9/8/13989062/1900971.jpeg?452

And this proves exactly what?

 

[jis]

Well that's what you're gonna see in there, but sloshing around more.

http://fastfoodnationhonorsproject.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/9/8/13989062/1900971.jpeg?452

And this proves exactly what?

Oh, I thought you were going to justify your use of the word "chemical". My mistake. I guess not.

Incidentally preparation of any Sausage in a Sausage factory looks a bit sloshy like that too, and yet I have not seen anyone complain about Sausages. That is true of any processed meat product in general.

 

[Alexandria Nick]

I sure would enjoy a quick turn sandwich on the train. Sometimes I'd love just a club sandwich on the train, but alas.

Also, I'm only 35 and I answer the phone "ahoy-hoy" about 60% of the time.

 

[desertflyer]

If it keeps going like this, why before you know it, they will be serving Banquet $1 microwave "chemical" TV dinners.

Gross but I think inevitable. Chemical TV dinnerz from Chinese chemical conglomerate.

Ok, I'll bite. What is "chemical" about Banquet frozen dinners?

Ingredient list from a Banquet Salisbury Steak Meal:

Gravy (Water, Modified Food Starch, Flavorings, Monosodium Glutamate, Salt, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein with Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Caramel Color, Dried Whey), Water, Salisbury Steak Patty (Beef, Pork, Water, Dehydrated Onion, Textured Soy Flour, Bread Crumbs {Bleached Wheat Flour [Enriched with Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid}, Durum Flour, Leavening {Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate}, Yeast], Soy Protein Concentrate, Salt, Caramel Color, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Flavoring), Corn, Dehydrated Potatoes (Potatoes, Mono- and Diglycerides from Vegetable Oil, Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bisulfite, Citric Acid, BHT), Soybean Oil, Salt, Whey Protein Concentrate, Sugar.

I guess it's up to you what you consider "chemical."

 

[Alexandria Nick]

Technically, they're all chemicals. If we started calling sodium bisfulite "fabolor" and started calling sugar "O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructofuranoside," would it change what they are? Assigning something a common name doesn't...really mean anything. Its the whole dihydrogen monoxide thing all over again.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Technically, they're all chemicals. If we started calling sodium bisfulite "fabolor" and started calling sugar "O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructofuranoside," would it change what they are? Assigning something a common name doesn't...really mean anything. Its the whole dihydrogen monoxide thing all over again.

dihydrogen monoxide - people have died from that, you know.

 

[ABQFloridian]

National Menus are in effect on LD Trains and as is usually the case, Amtrak is wofefully behind on the Marketing blurbs, it's been several years since the Q and the Red Beans and, Rice were served in the Diner on the Eagle and the CONO!

That's really pathetic, honestly, that the people doing Amtrak's marketing aren't even aware of the reality of the product they're selling. I understand the budgetary issues behind why we can't have good equipment and wholesome food, but what possible excuse is there for false advertising?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Laziness of the Staff,Lack of Leadership and the IT Department being moved to Atlanta are part of the reasons!

 

[Ryan]

Technically, they're all chemicals. If we started calling sodium bisfulite "fabolor" and started calling sugar "O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructofuranoside," would it change what they are? Assigning something a common name doesn't...really mean anything. Its the whole dihydrogen monoxide thing all over again.

dihydrogen monoxide - people have died from that, you know.

100% of people exposed to DHMO die.

 

[BCL]

Technically, they're all chemicals. If we started calling sodium bisfulite "fabolor" and started calling sugar "O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructofuranoside," would it change what they are? Assigning something a common name doesn't...really mean anything. Its the whole dihydrogen monoxide thing all over again.

I remember the Breyer's commercials with Fred Newman used to make fun of all those ingredients in ice cream with the long names. One said that you shouldn't trust it if it had an ingredient with a name longer than two syllables. They made an exception for strawberry since most people would know what it means. They also had a series of commercials where kids were trying to pronounce words like carrageenan, diglycerides, or polysorbate 80.

However, too much DHMO and you're not going to be able to breathe. Unless you're a frog.

 

[bretton88]

Interesting that Amtrak's blog post used the phrase "Chipotle-style" as a reference point. Did Chipotle pay for the product-placement? If not, I have to wonder why Amtrak would use for its example a restaurant that is widely known for a recent E-Coli outbreak that briefly shut the entire chain down.

Chipotle is pretty much the most successful "fast casual" type place and is still quite popular. I think it is an odd choice for a train model... I think a Panera bread type menu and model (order food, get drinks and snacks at the counter, prepared food brought to your table) would work much better in an Amtrak environment.

I suspect they used Chipotle as the reference point because it has more brand cachet than Panera. But I could see quick serve as an interesting option for Amtrak. I wonder if the idea is to combine the cafe and the diner into one. If the food was good enough, people probably wouldn't miss the old setup. You could then have a small counter or vending machines in the lounge still sell things like drinks and snacks in between meals.

 

[Skyline]

A Chipotle-style food service would be GREAT as a replacement for the snack bar in lounge cars or on sections of LD trains that don't have a full-service diner (examples: EB and LSL splits). Hopefully they wouldn't make it self-serve to save $$$. You kinda oughta have skilled staff persons accustomed to working on a wobbly train dishing up the food if you want to avoid a messy car and food landing on passengers instead of plates.

But as a replacement for real dining car service ... not so much.

 

[bretton88]

A Chipotle-style food service would be GREAT as a replacement for the snack bar in lounge cars or on sections of LD trains that don't have a full-service diner (examples: EB and LSL splits). Hopefully they wouldn't make it self-serve to save $$$. You kinda oughta have skilled staff persons accustomed to working on a wobbly train dishing up the food if you want to avoid a messy car and food landing on passengers instead of plates.

But as a replacement for real dining car service ... not so much.

I think a Panera style quick serve could replace the diner. As long as you have fresh ingredients, it won't make people miss the diner. What I envision would be open diner car and lounge seating. You'd have 2 prep cooks and 2 service people up top. You can then use vending machines to replace the cafe car (Hello automat cars). Aramark (the current catering company) has commissaries in lots of cities, so Amtrak could restock en route to keep the food fresh. I feel like this would improve food quality and save Amtrak costs. Am I missing something?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yep, bids on the contracts and Union Opposition!(see the Failed Subway Expieriment on the NYP-ALB Trains!)

Good thinking however, it really needs improvement in all areas!

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

The problem with Subway NYP-ALB should not have anything to do with a quick service food. You can make it a problem or you can work with union to staff, and work it out.

 

[Alexandria Nick]

Technically, they're all chemicals. If we started calling sodium bisfulite "fabolor" and started calling sugar "O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructofuranoside," would it change what they are? Assigning something a common name doesn't...really mean anything. Its the whole dihydrogen monoxide thing all over again.

dihydrogen monoxide - people have died from that, you know.

100% of people exposed to DHMO die.

I've been trying to kick the habit for years, but BIG DHMO puts it in everything!

 

[bretton88]

Yep, bids on the contracts and Union Opposition!(see the Failed Subway Expieriment on the NYP-ALB Trains!)

Good thinking however, it really needs improvement in all areas!

While using a branded service wouldn't work for those reasons, would it work with existing unionized employees? Such as the Lead Dining Attendant being one of the people on the line, etc? Or can Amtrak not arbitrarily layoff staff such as a cafe Attendant?
Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[A Voice]

A Chipotle-style food service would be GREAT as a replacement for the snack bar in lounge cars or on sections of LD trains that don't have a full-service diner (examples: EB and LSL splits). Hopefully they wouldn't make it self-serve to save $$$. You kinda oughta have skilled staff persons accustomed to working on a wobbly train dishing up the food if you want to avoid a messy car and food landing on passengers instead of plates.

But as a replacement for real dining car service ... not so much.

I think a Panera style quick serve could replace the diner. As long as you have fresh ingredients, it won't make people miss the diner. What I envision would be open diner car and lounge seating. You'd have 2 prep cooks and 2 service people up top. You can then use vending machines to replace the cafe car (Hello automat cars). Aramark (the current catering company) has commissaries in lots of cities, so Amtrak could restock en route to keep the food fresh. I feel like this would improve food quality and save Amtrak costs. Am I missing something?

Regardless of what form any "outside the box" thinking on onboard food service may take, absolutely positively NO vending machines. Staff the lounge; It's not just about the bad reputation of the 'automat' car, either. While Amtrak may not offer a true luxury level experience (probably not the type of dining most passengers are interested in anyway), it is important the service be far superior to what you would find at an interstate rest area. The primary competition to the long distance train is the automobile, where dining isn't from vending machines; It's from the McDonald's drive-thru, at least.