More on Amtrak Food Service

First, let’s be clear that the opinions I share with you are based on just a few meals served under very different conditions.

There are still just two people—the chef and a helper— working in the lower level of the Superliner dining car. That’s barely enough now, but will be inadequate when this pandemic ends, the menus expand, and more people return to travel by train.

We’ve been told that there are plans to return to real china plates and dishes and stainless steel silverware. When that change occurs, a third crew member down below will become essential.

The current menu has a good variety of dishes and there is some attention given to garnishes. (For example, I guess that’s what one would call the bits of strawberries and the dollops of whipped cream added to the French Toast.) It doesn’t sound like much, but someone has to do the actual food preparation . . . someone will have to wash those dishes and all the silverware.

A third person added to the dining car staff is not only another salary and benefits to be paid, it’s another roomette from the inventory that cannot be sold. Still, I hope the Amtrak brain trust figures a way to get it done, because it’s the little extra touches that will keep us coming back and will attract new business.

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More on Amtrak Food Service.

First, let’s be clear that the opinions I share with you are based on just a few meals served under very different conditions.

There are still just two people—the chef and a helper— working in the lower level of the Superliner dining car. That’s barely enough now, but will be inadequate when this pandemic ends, the menus expand, and more people return to travel by train.

We’ve been told that there are plans to return to real china plates and dishes and stainless steel silverware. When that change occurs, a third crew member down below will become essential.

The current menu has a good variety of dishes and there is some attention given to garnishes. (For example, I guess that’s what one would call the bits of strawberries and the dollops of whipped cream added to the French Toast.) It doesn’t sound like much, but someone has to do the actual food preparation . . . someone have to wash those dishes and all the silverware.

A third person added to the dining car staff is not only another salary and benefits to be paid, it’s another roomette from the inventory that cannot be sold. Still, I hope the Amtrak brain trust figures a way to get it done, because it’s the little extra touches—the pieces of berries and the dollops of whipped cream—that will keep us coming back and will attract new business.
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First, let’s be clear that the opinions I share with you are based on just a few meals served under very different conditions.

There are still just two people—the chef and a helper— working in the lower level of the Superliner dining car. That’s barely enough now, but will be inadequate when this pandemic ends, the menus expand, and more people return to travel by train.

We’ve been told that there are plans to return to real china plates and dishes and stainless steel silverware. When that change occurs, a third crew member down below will become essential.