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I am now prepared for my summer trip with my roomette sized luggage and roll of duct tape. My next question is about the food service. 40 years ago when we took the train, we ate in the dining car and had gloved waiters. We filled out our request on a slip of paper. I cannot remember whether we had long waits to get into dinner or not. Also I notice food costs are part of the Roomette price. Do they deliver food to the roomette? I would appreciate your helpful hints.
Posts: 5 | From: Tampa | Registered: Apr 2012
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No more filling out food orders, although I remember that too from pre-Amtrak days. You will be scheduled for meals by the attendant for your car who will come around and "take reservations." I'm pretty sure you can make arrangements to eat in your room. Enjoy your trip!
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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I have seen meals brought to sleeping car accommodations. Generally it has been for people with mobility issues but I believe you can request this service from your sleeping car attendant. A nice tip would be expected, of course, above what you might normally give.
The only time I have room service is on cruises where it is both free and convenient. A couple of dollars to whoever brings the food is always appreciated.
Frank in overcast and cool SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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As a sleeper passenger, you will still need to sign your name on the check (before ordering), as well as putting your car number and room number. So when you are seated in the diner, the waiter might ask you, "Coach or Sleeper?". This is because there is a different "tag" for each. At the bottom, you will sign your name and then put your car number and room number (make sure you know it before you leave your car). DO NOT fill in the ticket above your signature. You will see check boxes for the various items, but the waiters get very upset if you start checking off those boxes. So just tell them what you want, and let them do the checking.
Don't forget to leave a gratuity on the table. Since your meals are included in the price of your ticket, you will not receive a bill for your meal. So the trick is to look at the menu when you order and make a mental note of what the cost of your meal would be if you were to receive a bill at the end. Then, just tip appropriately based upon the cost that you noted earlier.
The waiters will definitely not be gloved! You might get a great waiter, and you might get a not-so-great waiter. There's no way to predict it. You can always adjust your tip based upon the service you receive.
The food is no longer cooked fresh on-board the train. It is prepared off-site in a commercial kitchen (just like the airlines), and then most of the food is reheated in a convection oven on-board the train. There are a few exceptions to this, such as cooked-to-order eggs at breakfast, and steak at dinner. But for the most part, it's all pre-cooked and reheated. I can give you one word of advice in advance: DO NOT order the "country fried steak". It is horrible---downright rotten. I haven't figured out why they brought this item back to the menu after they received so many complaints from it. But you will not be a happy camper if you order that item---it is very, very bad. The chicken is usually pretty good, as is the steak. In the morning, I like eggs, grits, and toast with coffee.
Normally, breakfast is first come-first served (no reservations required). They open at 6:30AM with no announcement, so if you're up and want to eat, just walk down to the diner. They sometimes take reservations for lunch, and ALWAYS take reservations for dinner. The dining car steward will make a PA announcement, and then he will walk through the car (starting with the sleepers) and will ask you what time, and then give you a little claim check with your time on it. On my last trip, for some weird reason they wanted to know what I was going to order! I did not care for this, as my mind might change by the time the meal rolls around. So take a look at the menu and know what you want in case you get asked during the reservation process.
Have fun!
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Pretty much what smitty195 said. Chicken usually pretty good, everything else...meh!
In partial defense of the country fried steak, my wife ate it on our CZ trip a few years back, and said it was ok. Understand, though, that she was comparing it to MY cooking because I pretty much do all of the cooking at home.
I do recall that I left a fairly decent tip after dinner the first night and was rewarded with a double dessert the second night which we ate in our bedroom. You reap what you sow on Amtrak!
Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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