Passenger Trains > Silver star menu removed

Looks like Amtrak remove the menu off website

Posted from iPhone

KansasCityChief Wrote:
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> Looks like Amtrak remove the menu off website
>
> Posted from iPhone
They have to save money you know, as silly as this sounds, I wish I could make some of these politicians in Washington ride this train and hope that they become hungry on the trip. All long distance trains should have quality food service.

M&Ms, Snickers, pizza, wraps, dogs, burgers and booze. All the basic food groups.
https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/327/330/Silver-Star-Cafe-Menu-0417.pdf

Right, let's run a diner for the 25 people on board who actually used it.

Do you know for sure that your once or twice experience was typical ?
I rode the Star from Trenton to Alexandria about 6 or 7 years ago, and the diner was full for lunch after Philly.

Does the Silver Star lounge offer the same type of service as the Cardinal and Lake Shore? While not quite the same as full diner, the table service in the Lake Shore's Amfleet II car Is quite a step up from Amtrak's snack bar offerings.

Dave

Silver Star does not offer the table service, but it is supposed to offer enhance meal options beyond the usual burgers, etc. BUT if the Star is treated like 449 of April 7, the food service company may just "forget" to stock the enhanced meal options.

At least on the posted menu there were options like Meat Lasagna .... but the attendant apologized for the missing items. YES, he took inventory for the train as he set up but he said there were no options for adding additional stock. So that meant all the way to Chicago (including hooking up with 49 in Albany) those who did not want too eat in the diner had none of those enhanced options.

(we sleeper passengers were told we could have any and all of whatever non-alcoholic items we wanted)

I also miss the days when the sleeper passengers on 449 were given table service for lunch .... now it is just fend for yourself at the cafe counter and find a table, etc.

ctillnc Wrote:
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> Right, let's run a diner for the 25 people on
> board who actually used i

Umm I don't think so. I've ridden the Florida trains since 1977, multiple times a year, and never seen so few people in the diners. Literally or figuratively...

KansasCityChief Wrote:
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> Looks like Amtrak remove the menu off website
>
> Posted from iPhone

Yet, the Silver Star Dining Car menu is available on Amtrak's site. Hmmmm.

Will be riding 91 tomorrow, and will see what I can find out onboard.

Posted from Android

bioyans Wrote:
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> KansasCityChief Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Looks like Amtrak remove the menu off website
>
> >
> > Posted from iPhone
>
> Yet, the Silver Star Dining Car menu is available
> on Amtrak's site. Hmmmm.
>
> Will be riding 91 tomorrow, and will see what I
> can find out onboard.
>
> Posted from Android

Train 91/92 (Silver Star) is supposed to have a regular "café" car. No Diner-Lite like the Cardinal or Lake Shore Limited. Definitely no full service diner. Just the regular café food one would find on the NEC or other trains of the like. Doing anything more would seem to distort the "experiment" Amtrak has going on between the Star and Meteor. Different food service. Different price structure (sleeper car price separated from any meal pricing)etc.

Good luck for those passengers on train 91/92 and those staff members who work it.

There was a "Silver Service" menu listed, and this was I guess for the Silver Meteor, and listed under Silver Meteor. I hope the "special items" and new menus work out because Amtrak needs to do something to offer better food if they want people to buy it. Problem is they price themselves right out of the market now! First entrée $36 - course I think it is a combo of steak and shrimp, which would be a premium item!

I just checked the amtrak web site. here is the Silver Star (aka Silver Starvation) cafe menu. https://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/327/330/Silver-Star-Cafe-Menu-0417.pdf

Thank you for posting the link...
The Beer selection is more than pedestrian, worthy actually; the wine, better than most airline coach offerings, I will drink the Cabernet, the others pleasant enough...
The rest of the offerings -- I do not think so, I will return to my assigned seat only with an adult beverage...

Lark Wrote:
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> The rest of the offerings -- I do not think so, I
> will return to my assigned seat only with an adult
> beverage...

Onboard the Star now, and I put my Amtrak Autumn Express souvenir insulated lunch bag to good use (even the head end crew got them as part of our lunch ... Lol). Enjoying a cold one, with a Wawa Italian hoagie. Sure beats an Amdog!

Posted from Android

bioyans Wrote:
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> Lark Wrote:
> -------------------------------
> > The rest of the offerings -- I do not think so,
> I
> > will return to my assigned seat only with an
> adult
> > beverage...
>
> Onboard the Star now, and I put my Amtrak Autumn
> Express souvenir insulated lunch bag to good use
> (even the head end crew got them as part of our
> lunch ... Lol). Enjoying a cold one, with a Wawa
> Italian hoagie. Sure beats an Amdog!
>
> Posted from Android

I like the "Amdogs". Hebrew National puts out a good product in terms of hotdogs. Even though they're on the children's menu in the dining car, I'll order one for a light lunch.

> Umm I don't think so. I've ridden the Florida
> trains since 1977, multiple times a year, and
> never seen so few people in the diners. Literally
> or figuratively...

I can't count the number of times I've ridden the southbound Star out of DC. I've been in the diner at dinnertime during prime hour when there were only two passengers in it... my son and I. I've never been in the Star diner when it was more than half full.

ctillnc Wrote:
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> > Umm I don't think so. I've ridden the Florida
> > trains since 1977, multiple times a year, and
> > never seen so few people in the diners.
> Literally
> > or figuratively...
>
> I can't count the number of times I've ridden the
> southbound Star out of DC. I've been in the diner
> at dinnertime during prime hour when there were
> only two passengers in it... my son and I. I've
> never been in the Star diner when it was more than
> half full.

What do you think is the cause of this? I have certainly seen this myself so I don't doubt you, but I honestly can't figure it out.

I can't say the same for the Meteor and Crescent. In matter of fact the busiest I EVER saw the Meteor for dinner was when it was coming into Philadelphia (when it used to leave NYP at 7:01 pm). Even the Crescent serving lunch at 10:30 am was busier than the Star's dinner. It doesn't seem to make too much sense to me, UNLESS the Star is truly hunkered down as a series of multiple corridor trains and those aboard have already taken their meals before boarding the train or will have a meal when getting off the train. Thus the only ones in the diner are Tampa to Northeast riders - of what few exist. Any of the other "through passengers" from Miami to NYP or Charleston/Savannah to NYP are taking the Meteor to get a full service dinner.........

When the Star started stopping at Tampa directly, it became a major turnover point. Some onboard crew member mentioned it was one of the busier station stops for the Star. Frankly, I don't think Amtrak has any clue as to its current Florida ridership, except the Auto Train.