Amtrak: ‘Traditional Dining’ Returns to Silver Meteor, Silver Star
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Traditional dining will be offered as an exclusive, complimentary amenity for riders traveling in First Class private rooms on Amtrak’s Silver Meteor and Silver Star. (Amtrak Photograph of Rigatoni Bolognese, a Dinner Option)
Amtrak is now offering “traditional dining” to First Class private-room passengers of the Silver Meteor and Silver Star, which provide daily service between New York and Miami.
The train routes join six others with traditional dining service: Auto Train, California Zephyr, Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, Southwest Chief and Texas Eagle (for service between Los Angeles and San Antonio).
According to Amtrak’s June 27 announcement, traditional dining will be “an exclusive, complimentary amenity” for riders traveling in First Class private rooms. It will feature chef-prepared meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Such meals are not available to Coach passengers, who used to be able to purchase and eat meals in the dining car prior to Amtrak revamping its food service policies several years ago. These passengers are relegated to food purchased in the café car. Amtrak did not respond to a question as to why.
“Similar to our other traditional dining routes, the service includes a chef who prepares meals onboard for each seating,” Amtrak Senior Public Relations Manager Kimberly Woods told Railway Age. The chef uses “the full capabilities of the Viewliner II diner galley,“ she said, noting the expansion of traditional dining to the Silver Meteor and Silver Star “was made possible following a successful hiring effort to add chefs to our Miami crew base.”
The service is delivered with “a mix of plastics—including the plate—non-plastics, including metal cutlery, and glassware,” similar to the other traditional dining routes, Woods said. Also provided: white linen tablecloths.
The new menu offers vegetarian and vegan options; selections for children; and a complimentary alcoholic drink with dinner. According to Amtrak, it also includes a number of rider favorites, such as Amtrak Signature Railroad French Toast and Three Egg Omelet for breakfast; Monte Cristo Grilled Sandwich, Natural Angus Burger, and Vegan Chili Bowl for lunch; and Amtrak Signature Flat Iron Steak, Atlantic Salmon and Rigatoni Bolognese for dinner.
Café service, also featuring a newly updated menu, will be available onboard for all riders, with a variety of meals, snacks and beverages for sale.
“We are making significant improvements throughout our network to create a modern and dynamic travel experience,” Amtrak Vice President Product Development Fred Gazzolo said. “Traveling by train offers a one-of-a-kind journey, and the addition of this new service on two legacy routes is something we think our First Class customers will enjoy.”
The addition of traditional dining onboard the Silver Meteor and Silver Star follows last month’s debut of a new dining menu for First Class riders of Acela trains traveling on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Boston and Washington, D.C. That new menu was developed by Amtrak in partnership with STARR Restaurant Group.
In a related development, the Amtrak Food & Beverage Working Group in May sent recommendations to Congress following a year-long analysis of the railroad’s onboard service.
Editor’s Comment: What would former Florida Republican Congressman John Mica think of all this—not that we care. – William C. Vantuono
