BCL
Engineer
At a hotel there are a lot of different services that are not separately charged: included meals, maid service, toiletries, concierge, lobby, maintenance, etc. However, it's a lot easier to attempt to quantify "profit" with a dining car where there are prices and where payment is collected. It doesn't help with the accounting when meals are included with sleepers or where the meals are included like on the Auto Train.Hi,
I agree with you. My family stayed at Embassy Suites in Orlando, Florida nine years ago because we are a family of six and the included "free" breakfast buffet. I am sure that the buffet losses money if looked at as a separate accounting line item, just as some congressmen want to look at Amtraks food service. However, the hotel and it's "free" breakfast buffet are still in business making a profit when one looks at the hotel's overall income. Just like Amtraks dining cars, not everyone ate at the "free" buffet every day and people don't complain.
Congress should treat Amtraks food service just like the private FOR PROFIT hotel business looks at food service. Congress many times has said that Amtrak should run more like private businesses, so it's ironic when Congress punishes Amtrak when they try to run their food service like the private hotel industry.
I'm wondering how the justification for Amtrak lounges is made. It's mostly a sleeper and loyalty club amenity. I suppose a dollar amount could be assigned to points used for ClubAcela passes. However, it's not like airline clubs where the membership fees (even via points) can be quantified.