Meals on Amtrak services

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David Archer UK

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I am currently researching for a future trip on Amtrak sleeper services around the USA but up to now have always thought passengers had to pay for breakfasts, meals etc as extra on the journey. Am I wrong in this? Are meals included in the ticket price? We are planning to travel on Superliners in a two person bedroom.
 
All enroute meals in the dining car are included in the sleeping car fare for all passengers ticketed in sleepers. Alcoholic beverages are not included. This applies to all trains with sleepers except the Silver Star. The Silver Star no longer has a dining car and sleeper prices were reduced on that train, reflecting the withdrawl of the dining car.

Packaged/takeout food from the cafe car is not included..

Meals have been included in the sleeper fares since the mid 1980's
 
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Coach Passengers on the Auto Train have dining car meals included.

Coach Passengers on all Long Distance trains except for Auto Train, pay for meals in the dining car, and all snacks.

Business Class Passenger on the Auto Train receive 2 bottles of water, meals in the "Sleeper Class" dining car, and a comfort kit.

Business Class Passengers on the Coast Starlight receive 2 bottles of water, a coupon for a certain amount ($6.50?) off a purchase in the dining car or the lounge car.

Business Class Passengers on the Crescent and Cardinal receive a non-alcohol beverage only.

Sleeping Car Passengers on all trains except the Silver Star (as noted above) receive meals in the dining car for free which includes side salads at lunch and dinner, desserts at lunch and dinner, non-alcoholic beverages at all meals, and "extra" cost items such as a side of bacon at breakfast, bacon or cheese on a burger at lunch, etc.

Sleeping Car Passengers also get complimentary coffee and juice in the morning, and at least 2 bottles of water per trip. (Some Sleeper attendants offer bottled water throughout the trip, some refuse to give you more than 2.)

That should cover it for the Long Distance trips.
 
Thank you very much everyone. That is great to hear and we are really looking forward to our USA and Canada train adventures. Somehow we got the idea that all food was extra so this is a bit of a bonus for our holiday budget. Thanks again......David Archer UK
 
Note: in the Sleeper, you can have the SCA bring your meal to your room at no charge (except tip). Many people prefer to eat in their rooms. The Sleeping Car passengers plus the Business Class passengers get access to the ML in CHI, LAX, PDX, Acela Lounge in BOS, NYP, PHL, WAS, and Sleeper waiting lounges in MSP, NOL, STL.
 
It is my understanding Amtrak stopped providing the juice a few years ago. Many TA-SCs buy the juice so it's available for their passengers.

Some TA-SCs don't provide juice.

Also, at breakfast you can have coffee & juice.

Here are the dining car menus:

https://www.amtrak.com/meal-choices-and-menus-at-a-glance
On the three Silver Meteor trips I've taken in the past 6 months, there has always been juice. And it's always the same brand and flavors (apple, orange, cranberry). That seems to indicate to me that Amtrak itself is providing the juice.
 
On the Superliner Sleepers,I've only seen the Orangish Colored Juice like substance(Worst so called Juice Ever, even Vodka doesn't help it be palatable!) since the Boardman Nickel and Dime Cuts.

The Diner still has Cranberry Cocktail,Apple Juice and the Orangeish Stuff @ Breakfast.
 
It is my understanding Amtrak stopped providing the juice a few years ago. Many TA-SCs buy the juice so it's available for their passengers.

Some TA-SCs don't provide juice.
On the three Silver Meteor trips I've taken in the past 6 months, there has always been juice. And it's always the same brand and flavors (apple, orange, cranberry). That seems to indicate to me that Amtrak itself is providing the juice.
I was referring to juice being available in sleeper cars, in reference to post #3.

No doubt, Amtrak still offers juice in the dining & lounge cars
 
It is my understanding Amtrak stopped providing the juice a few years ago. Many TA-SCs buy the juice so it's available for their passengers.

Some TA-SCs don't provide juice.
On the three Silver Meteor trips I've taken in the past 6 months, there has always been juice. And it's always the same brand and flavors (apple, orange, cranberry). That seems to indicate to me that Amtrak itself is providing the juice.
I was referring to juice being available in sleeper cars, in reference to post #3.No doubt, Amtrak still offers juice in the dining & lounge cars
I was also referring to the sleepers.
 
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When I was on the Silver Star last summer, I got complimentary coffee from the cafe car (although I had to pay for my juice and breakfast sandwich). I don't know if that was because the train was 3 hours late leaving Orlando or because coffee is complimentary regardless. I was a coach passenger, if that matters.
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2017 July on the Empire Builder from SEA to CHI. Apple and Orange Juice of good quality was available in my Sleeping Car. Cranberry Juice: no, I don't recall seeing that being available unless one was in the Dining Car.
 
Every time I have been on the Silver Meteor the Sleeping Car Attendant always had coffee and juice available. Several times I did flavor it with my favorite “flavoring!”

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On my last loop trips, all western LD trains, Juice was available about half the time, maybe more, but it was just warm from the box, so was diluted after melting the ice.
 
While the op's question has long been answered, I would point out that in my opinion, the Amtrak food service is not brilliant. Think slightly sub par Wetherspoons to get an idea! Food quality on VIA rail, Canada was much better...

Ed.
 
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Food on Via Canadian is a big selling point, local sourced, cooked by chefs on board. Amtrak has Congress doing what it can to give the traveling public the cheapest edible food, hoping some day people can travel coast without eating on Amtrak.
 
2017 July on the Empire Builder from SEA to CHI. Apple and Orange Juice of good quality was available in my Sleeping Car.
Good quality?

Let's spend a moment to consider the options.

#1 Fresh Squeezed/Pressed Juice

#2 Regional Refrigerated Juice

#3 Seasonal Regionally Bottled Juice

#4 Non-seasonal Commercial Refrigerated Juice

#5 Non-seasonal Commercial Pantry Juice

#6 Non-seasonal Frozen Juice Concentrate

#7 Non-seasonal Name Brand Juice-Like Cocktail

#8 Non-seasonal Off Brand Juice-Like Cocktail <-- Amtrak's "Juice"

Amtrak's version is near the bottom of any rational quality list.
 
On the Superliner Sleepers,I've only seen the Orangish Colored Juice like substance(Worst so called Juice Ever, even Vodka doesn't help it be palatable!) since the Boardman Nickel and Dime Cuts.

The Diner still has Cranberry Cocktail,Apple Juice and the Orangeish Stuff @ Breakfast.
The orangeish stuff in the diner is Tropicana.
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On the Superliner Sleepers,I've only seen the Orangish Colored Juice like substance(Worst so called Juice Ever, even Vodka doesn't help it be palatable!) since the Boardman Nickel and Dime Cuts. The Diner still has Cranberry Cocktail,Apple Juice and the Orangeish Stuff @ Breakfast.
The orangeish stuff in the diner is Tropicana.
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You're probably both right. Tropicana has devolved into a low grade generic juice line over the years. Their original juice product was rebranded as "Pure Premium" and everything else moved to generic juice concentrate. Most of their non-orange Pure Premium juices have also been reduced to intermediate concentrate as well. I can still remember when Tropicana Twister was made from real fruit juice sold in glass bottles instead of neon colored artificially flavored corn syrup sold in plastic jugs.
 
The warm diluted juice?? Came out of a generic white box I think. I gave up on it, getting a better taste in the DC which may have been the same, but maybe if kept cool it tastes better.
 
Food on Via Canadian is a big selling point, local sourced, cooked by chefs on board. Amtrak has Congress doing what it can to give the traveling public the cheapest edible food, hoping some day people can travel coast without eating on Amtrak.
Local sourced by way of Sysco... Not that Sysco and Aramark can't provide good food but still. Ha.
 
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