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On my ride back home about a week ago, the diner was completely booked any a majority of people wouldn't have had the option to eat in it even if they wanted to. I'm sure all the sleeper people got in, but I think few if anyone in coach did. This was for dinner. At least I was able to get in for breakfast, during which they sold out on several items. On the way out I got lucky and was one of the coach people who were asked for dinner reservations before they were used up (less then half the coach passengers even got this option). At least there was the snack car in the bottom of the observation lounge. Even this, was sold out of several items before Minot (the train of course had many people on all the way to Chicago yet). Fortunately the cheeseburger wasn't one of the items they were sold out on (though the pizza was). I wonder if people who waited to eat later that night or the following morning ran into a not so pleasant surprise. They know in advance how many people will be on the train, shouldn't they have some idea how much food is required per passenger after all these years of service?
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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I could give a trite answer such as "if you want to eat, go Sleeper", but that would really be disrespectful on my part.
I would like to think that by now, Amtrak would have sufficient "models" to anticipate the demand for any Food & Beverage item. Lest we forget, the Empire builder is reserved in both classes. Surely, they know (or should know) how many Coach passengers will choose to patronize the Diner for any given passenger load.
In my experience, I think Coach patronage appears mostly to be with the "shorts" i.e. Wolf Point-Havre; i really doubt if too many "end to end" Coach riders will be there (exception: Mr. Builder, a fan, who wanted to "try it out").
On the flip side, though, if the food dees not sell, it must be condemmed. That does not look pretty on a manager's Responsibility Report.
It also leaves the gate wide open for employee theft. Good luck assessing discipline; "Undue Temptation" has been sucessfully used as a defense by employees "caught in the act" appealing discipline assessed "off the property".
[This message has been edited by Gilbert B Norman (edited 07-19-2004).]
clwood Member # 3297
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Last summer my kids and I rode the Empire Builder from La Crosse to Seattle, in a sleeper. We got dinner both nights, but when we boarded in La Crosse they were already out of steak and another entree. The next night they were out of macaroni and cheese, not a minor issue when travelling with two small children. The morning we arrived in Seattle they were out of almost everything. The waiter sat down across from our table and told us what he still had, and allowed us to have whatever we liked. I remember we had some scrambled egg beaters and some yogurt. We were late into Seattle, no lunch was offered of course, again not a laughing matter when travelling with small children who'd had little to eat for breakfast. I didn't care for it either, considering what I'd paid for the trip. Having learned my lesson, I brought lots of provisions this year on our one-night trip in first class.
It amazes me that this happens. Figuring in extra food to cover unexpected business is part of the management of a restaurant. Some of it will be wasted-- that's part of overhead. Getting rid of extra stuff is why stationary restaurants have "specials." Their employees steal, too. Their storage space isn't unlimited, either, especially on pricey, big-city real estate. They don't have to throw all their food away every couple of days, but a quality place won't keep it long, either. It's all part of the cost of doing business. Anthony Bourdain's book "Kitchen Confidential" is an interesting look at some of these issues.
EmpireBuilder Member # 2036
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Well not everyone can afford an extra $800 for a sleeper as opposed to putting up with sleeping in a coach seat only one night each way and maybe spending $50 extra per person on food as a result. Once you subtract that it's still like $700 extra for a round trip...and I don't know many people who would spend $350 a night for a hotel room. And there were a surprising number of people who traveled further than I did (including those with a small baby, but that's a different rant itself).
SilverStar092 Member # 2652
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On our Empire Builder trip just after the July 4th weekend, the diner rarely seemed to be full. Yet the steward cut off meal reservations after only 30 minutes. We were at lunch at 12:30pm when he turned away people saying they were "too late"!
Mr. Toy Member # 311
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I've said this before, and I'll say it again. Inadequate food service is the biggest single blunder Amtrak can make. Well fed passengers are happy passengers, and they can overlook other minor problems. Poorly fed passengers will be annoyed by every little tiny service glitch.
For example.... At the conclusion of our 2000 Zephyr trip Amtrak failed to provide dinner even though we did not arrive into Emeryville until 10:00pm. We went 9 hours with nothing more than a muffin and I was very upset when it took another hour to get our baggage at the end of the line. I was so hungry and cranky that I started yelling at the baggage handlers. That is not something I would normally do, but I was at the end of my rope.(Otherwise it was a wonderful trip.)
I really think there needs to be some sort of 24 hour food service. There was an experiment on the Sunset years ago with 24 hour diner service. It was allegedly successful from the passengers point of view, but I don't know how it worked from the accountant's perspective.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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A big difference, Ms. Wood, is that in any restaurant away from Las Vegas (most unionized hospitality industry I think anywhere), all that is needed to be rid of a suspect employee is Donald Trump to utter his famous words.
royaltrain Member # 622
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I really don't know why Amtrak cannot properly stock its dining cars. Via Rail is able to keep The Canadian fully stocked for a run of some 72 hours. I have ridden this train many times and I have never seen passengers sent away hungry. It surely can't be that difficult to figure out how many passengers are on the train, and the likelihood that most of them will want to eat. I know from experience that when I travel Amtrak emergency provisions are a necessity, but on Via dependable dining car service is always assured.
scannergeek Member # 3378
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Unfortunately, this issue is not new. I remember about 10 years ago going on the SW Chief from LA to Chicago. They ran out of several items in the dining car on the last meal (lunch) before Chicago.
Also I remember a travelogue in Trains several years ago where the writer had to settle for a plate of green beans (he was traveling in a sleeper)
I don't get it either. You would think that someone could get a simple computer program going that would print out "You need X meals..."
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