D is for Dining Car
The dining car is one of the highlights of riding the train, especially if your meals are pre-paid with a sleeping car ticket. Even with a pre-paid meal ticket, train etiquette recommends tipping the dining car staff. You can do so after each meal or once for the entire day.
The menu is varied, and I’ve linked to the Southbound Coast Starlight menu. While you can get alcoholic beverages with your meal, you will pay for it even with a sleeping car ticket. If you prefer, a vegetarian selection is available for each meal.
The different thing about Amtrak’s dining car is seating. Don’t expect to enter the car and be able to have a cozy, private dinner for two. For dinner, a dining car attendant will come through the train taking reservations for seating times in, I think, fifteen minute increments. When your seating time is called to the car, you wait at the entrance to be called to a table. If you have four in your party, you will likely get a table to yourselves. If you have less than four, you’ll be seated with someone else.
Regular train travelers tend to enjoy this social time. You won’t usually have to eat with the same people more than once, which can be a blessing or a disappointment. We’ve generally enjoyed chatting with the people we’ve been seated with; however, on at least two occasions, our dining companions were disappointing to the point of being rude. We’re not great socializers, but we do make an effort in the dining car.
If you are unable to physically go to the dining car, your car attendant will take your order and bring your meal to you. In theory, they will do this for anyone, but the practice is discouraged, and I’ve traveled the whole time without ever seeing my car attendant (this is not supposed to happen, but in reality, it does). I recommend embracing this cultural event if you are able to do so.
I’ve travelled on trains but not the way you described. I like the helpful tips intend to stop by again.
I love dining cars on trains, although it’s been a long time. They have a special atmosphere..
A few years ago my husband and I traveled by train from Chicago to Los Angeles. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip, except we traveled the end of December and discovered we were traveling through the beautiful terrain at night and the flat, uninteresting terrain during the day. Next trip will be along the northern route in the late spring or early summer.
Maris, it’s tough to find the best terrain during daylight hours. I think it’s tough for Amtrak to get the schedule for that. We saw some nice views on the Westbound California Zephyr, the eastbound Southwest Chief. The northbound Coast Starlight didn’t let us see some of the gorgeous northern California sights. On the Empire Builder, you can catch a little of Glacier National Park.
I’ve never travelled by train longer than a couple hours. This would be fun, though.
Sort of like dining on the Love Boat. I think it would make the journey ever so much more interesting.
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I’m not crazy about eating with strangers. So I might take my meal delivered!
Interesting! They would never seat you with strangers at a restaurant… 🙂 I don’t usually use dining cars, then again, distances are not that great within Hungary…
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I always wanted to go on the dining car experience. I’ve ridden on zillions of trains in Italy and other parts of Europe, but the closest I’ve ever been to dining on a train is either taking something from home or else buy something from the food trolley (I think that’s what it’s called.) I hope I get a chance to try out a dining car someday. 😀
I vaguely remember the dining car when I rode via rail many many years ago. It was pretty sparse for people during the time we went so we were seated alone. We did speak to a mother and son who were on a much longer train journey that we were though. The Dining Car is definitely a place to meet fellow travelers!
I’ve never had the pleasure of eating in a dining car. I look forward to it someday. I have had some great train rides though. Thanks for a great A-to-Z article. Drop by and leave a thought or two at http://downhomethoughts.com when you get the chance.
Like Paula, I regard eating as something almost too personal to share with strangers, although I did break bread with a lot of dicey characters in LA. The infamous “lunch meeting.” Maybe, on a train, I would alternate meals in my “room” with meals in the dining car.
Even as much of a hermit as I am, I sort of enjoy eating in the dining car. Most people are good for the game. You have an easy conversation starter, “So how far are your riding?” or “Where did you get on?” The questions tend to flow from there. Sometimes you find yourself on other topics. Some people are more gregarious than others. I had a meal once with a man who spent the whole time on his cell phone. Not much conversation there. It’s better if you can “play the game.” You don’t have to be lifelong friends (although I’ve heard of it happening), but it can be fun to meet your fellow travelers.
I’m learning a lot about train travel! I have only taken short train trips, and those in Europe, not USA. Your posts are providing food for thought, though…may be a cool future trip…Gail