Some Do’s and Don’ts for Amtrak Dining Cars.
One of the most enjoyable things about train travel is the experience of having a nice meal with convivial company in an Amtrak dining car. I look forward to that experience on every long-distance train trip I’ve ever taken and have seldom been disappointed. For me, the biggest disappointment is to find myself eating alone because there aren’t many people in the diner and I’m seated alone.
It only takes one or two meals in an Amtrak diner before most passengers become aware that there’s a system in place. Once you figure that out and adapt to the system, things usually go pretty much like clockwork. Here’s how it all works:
Reservations. No reservations are necessary for breakfast, just show up. The diner usually starts serving at 6:30. Sometimes it’s also first come, first served for lunch; other times there will be reservations for specific seatings. Reservations are always required for the dinner meal. Someone from the dining car will go through the train handing out chits for specific seatings.
Don’t seat yourself. When it’s time for your seating and you head for the diner, wait at the entrance to the car until one of the dining car staff directs you to a table. On a moving train, the last thing the crew needs is to have passengers milling around in the narrow aisle.
The Order. As soon as you sit down, one of the servers will hand you an order form and, if your traveling in a sleeping car, will ask you to write down your car and room number and then sign it in the spaces provided at the bottom. There are little boxes on the form for the various menu items, but DO NOT check those. The servers have to check the boxes and they also make notes on the form.
Pay for the booze. Meals for sleeping car passengers are covered in the fare, and that includes coffee, tea and an assortment of soft drinks. Beer and wine are not included and you’ll have to pay for those.
Don’t dawdle too much. Enjoy your meal. Take your time. And by all means relax and get to know your dinner companions. You’re welcome to have a second cup of coffee if you want to. But be understanding when a server asks if you would mind wrapping things up so he can prepare the table for the next seating.
Tipping. Many sleeping car passengers think that they don’t need to tip in the dining car because the cost of their meals is included in their fares. Tipping is always discretionary, of course, but you should tip in an Amtrak dining car just as you would in any other restaurant. Use the prices appearing on the menu as your guide. Note, also, that the IRS assumes the staff is getting tips and they are taxed accordingly. Some dining car crews pool their tips, but others don’t. So I leave a tip after each meal. And, just as in a regular restaurant, if you should get mediocre or poor service adjust the gratuity up or down as appropriate.
Taking your meals in an Amtrak dining car is always enjoyable and it’s one of the pleasures that’s unique to train travel. Knowing the “rules” makes it easy, too.
if the last time to board for dinner to be included is 830pm and my train is schduelded to depart at 820pm, i assume i will get dinner but what happens if that train is late and i don’t board in time for the 830pm cut off because of delays? i assume some amount of leeway is allowed but how much? can’t find this information online
I apologize, but I’m not sure I understand the question. If you are booked into a sleeping car, you get dinner as long as you’re not boarding after the diner closes. If that should be the case, I guess you’re out of luck.
Is that correct about Dining Cars being removed? We have just booked (premium) NYC to LA on Lakeshore & Capitol in October and Agent says we will be in Dining Car for all meals
You will get a meal on the Lake Shore Limited, but it will be a cold plate of some kind, which you will be able to choose in advance, and it will be delivered to your accommodations. This is a new system which isn’t going to be implemented until June 1st, so I’m really not able to tell you how it’s all going to work.
You didn’t specify which train you had booked for the Chicago-Los Angeles portion of your trip, but there will be a full-service dining car on that train, whether it’s the Southwest Chief (my assumption) or the Texas Eagle.
I would appreciate it if you would email me after your journey and give me a report on the Lake Shore portion of your trip.
Dining cars are coming off the Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited in May. Sandwiches will be served to sleeping car passengers in their rooms. This could spread to western trains I fear.
The word is out, that’s for sure. Everyone is distressed at this latest downgrading of service, but it would certainly compound the felony if dining cars were removed from trains that are, for many of us, a two-night trip. I have learned that officials from RPA are trying to arrange a face-to-face with Richard Anderson to express our organization’s displeasure. I’ll report on the outcome of that meeting as soon as I hear anything.
getting on train in Wilmington de at about 5pm on the Meteor (train 97) for florida. would like to eat dinner 1 in the dinner at 5 and then a lighter dinner (No. 2) at the last seating. are both included in my sleeping car fare? or should I expect to get a bill for my 2nd dinner? karl of delaware
My best guess is that you will have to pay for one of the meals. I would discuss with the dining car steward when you go in for first sitting … which will probably not be as early as 5:00 p.m. Perhaps pay for a light meal in cafe car which will be open then. Enjoy main meal at later time.
Hi, Thanks for all the Information! If meals are included for all sleeping passengers, does that mean that they are unlimited?(If there’s enough time until the next diners arrive). Also if traveling with children, If they have a bigger appetite then the items on the Children’s Menu, can they select what they want to eat from the regular menu?
Ha! Sorry … at dinner, for example, you get a salad if you want one, your choice of one main dish from the menu, with sides (baked or mashed or rice plus a vegetable) plus desert. Coffee, tea or soft drinks plus all that is included in your sleeping car fare. Beer or win is extra. As far as I know, kids are not restricted to the children’s menu. I have never been rushed out of the dining car because the next seating is coming in. I have, on a few occasions, been asked to take our conversation to the lounge car if I’ve been chatting for a long time after we’ve finished eating.