Passenger Trains > Breaking News: Cafe service provided at seats on Illini

News (to me, at least) from on board Amtrak's northbound Illini last night -- 392(16) -- where cafe service at your seat was offered by the friendly and efficient cafe attendant, Jason, after the train departed Rantoul. 

He made an announcement (that I could not understand very well), came throug the aisle taking orders, then returned and delievered the orders to the custoemers at their seats.

I asked for Baked Alaska and brandy. Jason was kind enough to make it seem like he thought my joke was funny.

Hats off to him and Amtrak if this is now a standard practice.

I experienced the same service on the CHI-QCY Carl Sanburg #381 a few weeks ago. I didn't order anything because I had already visited the cafe for a coffee. A good idea would be [Mr. Anderson and highly skilled marketing group...ahem!...are you reading?] put a cafe menu in each seat pocket so those who want to order can make up their minds before the cafe attendant reaches them. Oooops, that would cost $$$$ to print,  and then the menus would sometimes need to be replenished. Which means extra effort from onboard 'service' personnel. Maaaaybe I should retract my idea. ANYWAY, I do like the 'extra service' touch and hope it might continue.
Silver View Mike

"Hats off to...Amtrak if this is now a standard practice..."

Is it known whether the service was conceived and initiated and is financed by the State? 

Remember that Amtrak is a contract operator only and as a standard practice will do what the State says, and pays for.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/19 10:25 by GenePoon.

Tell me how this could possibly work.- from a practical standpoint.

How could a cafe attendant take food and drink orders -- say from 20 people in a coach, then walk back to the cafe to get it, and then return to the coach and deliver 20 orders.?
And while he is making deliveries - the Cafe car would be unattended.

Supposedly, at-seat service is being offered on the non-stop Acela -- but I assume the have a cart similar to the airlines.

Can anyone help me understand. (I doubt at-service is officially available to coach passengers on any Amtrak train)

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/19 10:57 by ronald321.

The passenger count was low and the attendant was able to accomplish this feat by usining initiative and a fantastic attitude.

With more passengers a rolling cart would be very useful. The timing of the service--towards the end of the trip when almost no one goes to the cafe car--promoted sales that otherwise would likely have not occurred.

ronald321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tell me how this could possibly work.- from a
> practical standpoint.
>
> How could a cafe attendant take food and drink
> orders -- say from 20 people in a coach, then walk
> back to the cafe to get it, and then return to the
> coach and deliver 20 orders.?
> And while he is making deliveries - the Cafe car
> would be unattended.
>
> Supposedly, at-seat service is being offered on
> the non-stop Acela -- but I assume the have a cart
> similar to the airlines.
>
> Can anyone help me understand. (I doubt at-service
> is officially available to coach passengers on any
> Amtrak train)
>
>  

About 15 years ago on VIA Rail, I boarded a coach, not 1st class, from Brockville to Ottawa. He lifted my ticket, and 5 minutes later, he returned, asked me "would you me to bring you like anything from the snackbar, sir" ? Nice touch. Normally they just roll the cart through at various time intervals.

Thanks, StuporChief

I understand better now.  I thought it was something official -- the "Breaking News" tag-line sent me down the wrong track, you might say.

Wow!  Employee  inititive!!

ronald321 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tell me how this could possibly work.- from a
> practical standpoint.
>
> How could a cafe attendant take food and drink
> orders -- say from 20 people in a coach, then walk
> back to the cafe to get it, and then return to the
> coach and deliver 20 orders.?
> And while he is making deliveries - the Cafe car
> would be unattended.
>
> Supposedly, at-seat service is being offered on
> the non-stop Acela -- but I assume the have a cart
> similar to the airlines.
>
> Can anyone help me understand. (I doubt at-service
> is officially available to coach passengers on any
> Amtrak train)
>
Ride most any ICE train in Germany and you'll see, at least in first class.  But two people serve a lot of people,  one in the diner and the other taking/delivering orders.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/19 12:39 by utwazoo.

Didn't there used to be a very popular cart service on the Hiawatha trains? Why was that done away with?

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/17/19 14:22 by Tower_A-20.

It was a great convenience, and there was a really great service attendant/magician/comedian who ran it.

I'm not sure why but I believe Wisconsin stopped the funding.,
Tower_A-20 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Didn't there used to be a very popular cart
> service on the Hiawatha trains? Why was that done
> away with?
>
> Posted from iPhone

Tower_A-20 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Didn't there used to be a very popular cart
> service on the Hiawatha trains? Why was that done
> away with?

Governor Walker wanted to save $200K that Amtrak was charging. 

Stuporchief,
    I boarded that same train last night at Champaign. I got to my seat and got a beverage from the snack car. There was a garbled announcement on the intrcom from the snack attendent, I think his name was Jason, and I thought he was making an announcement that he was closing down. But within several minutes he was walking throught the cars writing down passengers orders! I was stunned. He actually showed the initiative to serve passengers in their seats.
   Bravo to you Jason and thank you for bringing back customer service. 

An attendant on the Vermonter used to do take orders from those in business class - take orders and then deliver. But it only happened when activity at the cafe counter was light to non-existant. Southbound out of Essex Junction/Burlington back in August, the attendant brought me water and a bagel that I had ordered, after being asked what I would like. 

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> An attendant on the Vermonter used to do take orders from those in business class - take orders and then deliver. But it only happened when
> activity at the cafe counter was light to non-existant. Southbound out of Essex Junction/Burlington back in August, the attendant
> brought me water and a bagel that I had ordered, after being asked what I would like. 

I've had the same thing a couple of times on the Lakeshore Ltd business class (1/2 cafe car, 1/2 BC with 2/1 seating).  Each time, it happend departing ALB on train #448 before she announced the cafe was open on the PA.  It seems to be based on the initiative of the cafe attendant and hopes of getting a generous tip.  

Marty was quite the character on the Hiawatha trains!  A club car would have worked just as well.  What's a club car?  LOL!

run8 Wrote:
 .....within several minutes he was
> walking through the cars writing down passengers
> orders! I was stunned. He actually showed the
> initiative to serve passengers in their seats.
>    Bravo to you Jason ......

Why do I have the feeling that Amtrak after reading this will fire [ or discipline / transfer  etc ] Jason ?

SZ

I had the same thought.

What a coincidence!

run8 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Stuporchief,
>     I boarded that same train last night at
> Champaign. I got to my seat and got a beverage
> from the snack car. There was a garbled
> announcement on the intrcom from the snack
> attendent, I think his name was Jason, and I
> thought he was making an announcement that he was
> closing down. But within several minutes he was
> walking throught the cars writing down passengers
> orders! I was stunned. He actually showed the
> initiative to serve passengers in their seats.
>    Bravo to you Jason and thank you for bringing
> back customer service.