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I will be taking the City from CHI to NOL (sleeper) on the 26th of this month. Does any one know what the "New Food Service" is, what the hours are and what have they changed the diner if anything? Thanks, Trainut
notelvis Member # 3071
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Lot's of posts about the new food service to be found. A good read would be Chris Guenzler's April 2006 trip report.
Essentially, the meal service has been changed to food that is prepared off the train, brought on-board, and reheated. The number of meal choices has been reduced and some things, such as steak, are not available at all having been replaced by some sort of beef stew kind of option. Meals are served on plastic plates which simulate railroad china. In doing this Amtrak has been able to slash dining car staffing to 1 chef (for warming the food) and 2 servers.
The quality and quantity of the meal portions has diminished although we're now beginning to get reports that the simplified meals are beginning to improve and are 'better than expected' (though no one has said "better than before" yet.) The dinner meal seems to be the most changed, lunch the least.
Meal hours are pretty much about the same but there may be some experimenting with reservation times going on from train to train.
Let us know what you experience on your trip!
sojourner Member # 3134
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As far as I noticed in my experiences, the quantity of the meal portions has not diminished; the quantity of SELECTIONS has diminished.
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