Amtrak needs a new wine vendor

[Hal]

If AGR can be "better engineered" after 15 years, so can the Pepsi/Coke choice. I prefer the real thing.

So you prefer Mexican Coke?

The vendors give a good deal for exclusivity. They also throw in the non rev soft drinks. Amtrak and the vendor have a contract. Giving exclusively saves Amtrak money. That is why all the soft drinks are Pepsi products. They currently have the contract. So if you prefer Coke, stinks to be you......

On the other hand if most of your customers mainly want Coke products but all you've stocked are Pepsi products then it also sucks to be Amtrak. You can make several common cocktails with Coke but who ever heard of a Pepsi cocktail?

Someone is going to be unhappy whatever choice of products Amtrak makes since someones preference is going to be left out.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Why not have Coke and Pepsi like all non-soft drink owned eating joints and all Grocery stores have?

Amtrak Food and drink service is like that skit in the Greek Cafe with John Belushi from SNL! ( Cheeseburger! Cheeseburger! Pepsi, No Coke! Pepsi!)

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Why not have Coke and Pepsi like all non-soft drink owned eating joints and all Grocery stores have?

I don't think I've ever seen a restaurant that offers both. while im sure they exist somewhere, I would bet that at least 98% of all restaurants, snack bars, etc. Have an exclusive deal with one or another bottling company. Generally the local bottling company offers the machine and servicing of the machine for free, in return for the exclusive agreement. (At least that's how it works down here in the south!).

Gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores have a totally different type of agreement. My understanding is that many times the local bottling companies have a set cooler space they stock with their products. That's why you'll see all the coke owned brands grouped together sometimes. Naturally that's not always the case... But a lot of times it is.

 

[Eric S]

Why not have Coke and Pepsi like all non-soft drink owned eating joints and all Grocery stores have?

I don't think I've ever seen a restaurant that offers both. while im sure they exist somewhere, I would bet that at least 98% of all restaurants, snack bars, etc. Have an exclusive deal with one or another bottling company. Generally the local bottling company offers the machine and servicing of the machine for free, in return for the exclusive agreement. (At least that's how it works down here in the south!).

This. How many "eating joints" serve both Coke and Pepsi products? And how many places are owned by Coke or Pepsi (or related companies) anymore? KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell were once owned by PepsiCo but were spun off in, what, the 1990s? These exclusive agreements with either Coke or Pepsi are frustrating to those who prefer the other choice but are exceptionally common.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

If AGR can be "better engineered" after 15 years, so can the Pepsi/Coke choice. I prefer the real thing.

So you prefer Mexican Coke?

The vendors give a good deal for exclusivity. They also throw in the non rev soft drinks. Amtrak and the vendor have a contract. Giving exclusively saves Amtrak money. That is why all the soft drinks are Pepsi products. They currently have the contract. So if you prefer Coke, stinks to be you......

On the other hand if most of your customers mainly want Coke products but all you've stocked are Pepsi products then it also sucks to be Amtrak. You can make several common cocktails with Coke but who ever heard of a Pepsi cocktail?

Someone is going to be unhappy whatever choice of products Amtrak makes since someones preference is going to be left out.

That's true but my point is that alcohol is a huge profit center and selling more of it suffers from lack of Coca-Cola as a common and easy mixer. Where I live the cola wars ended over a decade ago and now Coke products are basically everywhere. Even United Airlines switched and they were one of the last holdouts within my sphere of awareness. Amtrak and Yum Brands are the only places I've seen with Pepsi exclusive contracts in several years now.

 

[Triley]

If AGR can be "better engineered" after 15 years, so can the Pepsi/Coke choice. I prefer the real thing.

So you prefer Mexican Coke?

The vendors give a good deal for exclusivity. They also throw in the non rev soft drinks. Amtrak and the vendor have a contract. Giving exclusively saves Amtrak money. That is why all the soft drinks are Pepsi products. They currently have the contract. So if you prefer Coke, stinks to be you......

On the other hand if most of your customers mainly want Coke products but all you've stocked are Pepsi products then it also sucks to be Amtrak. You can make several common cocktails with Coke but who ever heard of a Pepsi cocktail?

Someone is going to be unhappy whatever choice of products Amtrak makes since someones preference is going to be left out.

That's true but my point is that alcohol is a huge profit center and selling more of it suffers from lack of Coca-Cola as a common and easy mixer. Where I live the cola wars ended over a decade ago and now Coke products are basically everywhere. Even United Airlines switched and they were one of the last holdouts within my sphere of awareness. Amtrak and Yum Brands are the only places I've seen with Pepsi exclusive contracts in several years now.

Point in case, I have had customers walk away from a purchase because of having to use Pepsi as a mixer.

I'm no Pepsi lover, in fact you will frequently see me running out to a vending machine on the platform in New Haven provided we're on-time/early and I have no one at the counter, but even I find it a bit surprising that someone wouldn't just use the Pepsi as a mixer or swap to another mixer. Oh well. Creatures of habit I suppose.

 

[MARC Rider]

I enjoyed a half bottle of cabernet sauvignon from the Hahn winery on the Empire Builder. Nothing wrong with that one.

IMG_5722.jpg

Oh yes, I've had the Hahn half bottle. That's not bad. But a half bottle is too much for a short NEC ride where I'm going to be driving home from the station.

 

[MARC Rider]

If AGR can be "better engineered" after 15 years, so can the Pepsi/Coke choice. I prefer the real thing.

So you prefer Mexican Coke?

The vendors give a good deal for exclusivity. They also throw in the non rev soft drinks. Amtrak and the vendor have a contract. Giving exclusively saves Amtrak money. That is why all the soft drinks are Pepsi products. They currently have the contract. So if you prefer Coke, stinks to be you......

On the other hand if most of your customers mainly want Coke products but all you've stocked are Pepsi products then it also sucks to be Amtrak. You can make several common cocktails with Coke but who ever heard of a Pepsi cocktail?

Someone is going to be unhappy whatever choice of products Amtrak makes since someones preference is going to be left out.

That's true but my point is that alcohol is a huge profit center and selling more of it suffers from lack of Coca-Cola as a common and easy mixer. Where I live the cola wars ended over a decade ago and now Coke products are basically everywhere. Even United Airlines switched and they were one of the last holdouts within my sphere of awareness. Amtrak and Yum Brands are the only places I've seen with Pepsi exclusive contracts in several years now.

Hmm. Maybe the cheap wholesale price from the exclusive deal is part of the reason why the NEC cafe cars still make money and why the rest of the F&B doesn't bleed more money than they do now.

 

[Alexandria Nick]

Why not have Coke and Pepsi like all non-soft drink owned eating joints and all Grocery stores have?

I don't think I've ever seen a restaurant that offers both. while im sure they exist somewhere, I would bet that at least 98% of all restaurants, snack bars, etc. Have an exclusive deal with one or another bottling company. Generally the local bottling company offers the machine and servicing of the machine for free, in return for the exclusive agreement. (At least that's how it works down here in the south!).

This. How many "eating joints" serve both Coke and Pepsi products? And how many places are owned by Coke or Pepsi (or related companies) anymore? KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell were once owned by PepsiCo but were spun off in, what, the 1990s? These exclusive agreements with either Coke or Pepsi are frustrating to those who prefer the other choice but are exceptionally common.

I've seen exactly two places, in two different states, separated by 20 years, that had both Coke and Pepsi. Both were large Mexican eateries. Neither are in business any more.

 

[CCC1007]

I have seen almost no restaurants that have both, but many large venues and gas stations that I have been in have both. The large venues here in Montana might be an exception to the rule though.

 

[neroden]

If AGR can be "better engineered" after 15 years, so can the Pepsi/Coke choice. I prefer the real thing.

So you prefer Mexican Coke?

Surely to be the *real thing* we would have to go back to the original 1886 formula which contained cocaine. ;-) It also contained small amounts of alcohol.
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/food-matters/i-d-like-to-make-the-world-a-coke-attempting-the-original-coca-cola-formula/