posted
Hi, The SW Chief leaves LA at 6:45 pm. Is dinner served that night in the dining car? Thanks!
Posts: 45 | From: San Diego, CA | Registered: May 2002
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posted
When I rode the Southwest Chief in Feb '02, they had a limited seating for dinner out of Los Angeles that ended once the train left Fullerton as shortly after I boarded, the announcement was made that the dining car would reopen for breakfast the following morning. Something similar to this is also done out of Chicago on the Lake Shore Limited.
Posts: 113 | From: Buffalo, NY | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
I've been wondering about this too. Is there a standard serving time for all Amtrak meals? Is it based on the Standard Time of the departure location or the arrival location. (my stomach always knows what time it is) And what if your train arrives/departs on the cusp of the dinner/lunch/breakfast?
Posts: 5 | From: Madison, NJ, USA | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
If the train runs a few hours before the meal and a few hours after, then the meal times are pretty standard. However, if the train terminates or arrives within a couple of hours of a mealtime, then it depends on the train. Typically an evening departure for a train might only have one sitting for dinner. A morning arrival might mean an early finish to breakfast. Meals may also be interrupted for service stops (eg Denver on the eastbound Zephyr - if it's on time!).
All depends on the train and the time.
Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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"limited seating for dinner out of Los Angeles that ended once the train left Fullerton"
as stated above. I agree. This past April 9th I got on at Fullerton eastbound and got the impression there was either no time left for the dining car or very limited. (suggestion; if you have time there is a great hamburger place, northeast of the station across the back street but on Harbor. My son reminded me we went to it's early 'incarnation' out by whatever they call the Autonetics plant area now-off La Palma. something about 'wood' in it's name.)
Or you can sit in the patio on the platform and eavesdrop on 'train conversations' and see some trains stopping and passing.
posted
One time I was on the CZ westbound and we were running 4 hours late. The train wasn't scheduled to serve dinner because it was scheduled to arrive in Emeryville a little after 6:00pm. They didn't serve dinner even though we didn't get in until 10:00. They served lunch late until about 4:00pm, which didn't cut it. The lounge cafe closed at Sacramento, and by then she was out of food anyway. We had a late lunch at 1:30, and by 10:00 we were very hungry. I didn't eat until almost midnight at my in-laws house.
On that same trip two family members transferred to the Starlight, which was also running very late. They boarded after both the diner and lounge cafe closed so they got nothing until breakfast.
It was the one bad part of an otherwise excellent trip.
The March 2003 issue of Western Rail Passenger review had an article by Bruce Richardson about an experiment with 24 hour dining car service on the Sunset Limited. Overnight they had a skeleton crew of one chef and one server with a limited late night menu. Passengers liked it because they could eat on their personal schedule and not on Amtrak's. Servers liked it because it spread the workload over a wider time frame and they could pace themselves better. Dining car patronage increased and servers took home record high tips. Reservations were no longer needed because the car never filled up completely at any given time. Alas, despite these successes, the experiment was killed by senior Amtrak management. Go figure.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
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In December 2000, I boarded a very late w/b Sunset Limited in San Antonio, I believe we finally left about 1:00 pm as opposed to the advertised at about 3 am. The train service manager (may they rest in peace) ordered 24 hour service in the dining car, as well as giving out small bottles of wine to the sleeping car passengers--there were very few complaints. I have long been of the view that free liquor to the first class goes a long way in soothing upset and angry passengers. Just hope your passengers are not teetotalers.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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Occasionally the AMTRAK crew will order "box lunches" (usually Kentucky Fried Chicken) someplace enroute if the train is running late when they will not be able to serve lunch or dinner before the final scheduled stop. Sometimes the box lunches are only for 1st class passengers; sometimes they are for everybody
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
Genereally speaking, the diner will not serve an evening meal if it is after 9PM. This is frequently a problem for passengers boarding at Denver on a a late #6. Many expect the diner to be open, but if the train doesn't depart until 9 or later, the diner will not serve them.
Posts: 181 | From: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
As of this June, when my Mom and sisters took the "Chief", out of LAX/Fullerton, the menu is limited as it says on the schedule.
In years past, the diner would usually offer all of the items on the menu the first night (#4). But now, only two choices are offered. And dessert is also severly limited. Maybe this was just a rare occasion, but it seems logical if Amtrak wants to cut costs.
So beware if you were planning to eat your favorite Amtrak dish on the Chief the first night out. It might not be offered.
Posts: 579 | From: San Bernardino Subdivison | Registered: Dec 2001
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