Amtrak Flex Dining

Amtrak Flex Dining, also known as contemporary dining, offers prepackaged meals for passengers with sleeping accommodations on five of Amtrak’s long-distance trains. The meals are loaded onto the train at the originating station and warmed for passengers during their journey.

In addition to warm entrees, you can enjoy appropriate sides such as salads, dinner rolls, beverages, and an adult beverage during dinner.

While I don’t prefer this Amtrak meal program, it serves its purpose while I travel, and I have a few favorite options.

This article provides a summary of flex dining along with example menus.

Trains with Amtrak Flex Dining

You’re in the right place if your train is listed below.

Cardinal	City of New Orleans
Crescent	Lake Shore Limited
Texas Eagle*

If it isn’t, you need the traditional dining post. For regional trains or coach travel, refer to my Amtrak Café article.

What is Amtrak Flex Dining?

Amtrak’s Flex Dining program offers convenient and tasty meal options for sleeping car passengers. These meals are prepared off-site before the train’s departure, warmed on board, and included in your sleeping car reservation cost.

Meal Options
Flex Dining offers hot, ready-to-serve lunch and dinner options and hot and continental breakfast choices. Each meal includes appropriate sides and a beverage, ensuring a complete dining experience.

Beverages
Complimentary beverages include soft drinks, coffee, and hot or iced tea. Adult passengers can enjoy one alcoholic drink with dinner, and additional alcoholic beverages are available for purchase.

Dining Locations

• On trains like the Lake Shore Limited and Crescent, passengers can enjoy meals in the dining car, where food gets placed on plates for a more traditional dining experience.
• On other routes, meals are typically served in your room and delivered by your car attendant. If you’d prefer to dine elsewhere, let your attendant know.

Flex Dining makes onboard meals convenient and enjoyable while maintaining elegance for Amtrak’s sleeping-car passengers.

A Brief History Of Amtrak Flex Dining

Flex Dining, also known as Contemporary Dining, began as a pilot program on two routes—the Lake Shore Limited and the Capitol Limited— in June 2018. I’ve been eating Flex Dining meals since then, and while they aren’t my favorite, they’ve improved in some ways and still have room for growth in others.

Why Did Flex Dining Start?

Many people forget the reasons behind introducing Flex Dining meals on Amtrak.

In 2017, Congress passed legislation to reduce food costs and waste on Amtrak trains. By implementing Flex Dining on select routes, Amtrak could continue offering traditional dining on two-night trains like the California Zephyr and Empire Builder. (Note: This legislation is no longer in effect.)

Even before Flex Dining, not all trains offered traditional dining.

When I started riding Amtrak long-distance trains in 2013, routes such as the Cardinal and the City of New Orleans did not offer Flex Dining. However, Flex Dining has improved the previous meal options available on those routes at that time.

Early Flex Meals

Amtrak’s first “contemporary” meals were served in wooden boxes that resembled bento boxes. Initially, these meals did not include any hot food options, as shown in the photo above. While the wooden boxes were an innovative concept, they were bulky and took up a significant amount of space on the table.

During this time, the sleeper lounge attendant would place the boxed meals in a reusable bag, allowing passengers to enjoy them in the Sleeper Lounge or return them to their rooms.

In October 2019, Amtrak introduced Contemporary Dining 2.0, marking the foundation of the current program. This updated version replaced the wooden boxes with plated hot meals, a much-appreciated improvement.

Flex Dining During the Pandemic

This meal service was expanded to every train as a precautionary measure during the pandemic. Today, Amtrak has reinstated Traditional Dining on many routes, but Flex Dining remains available on a select few trains.

Flex Dining Today

Nowadays, Flex Dining meals have quasi-specific times, but there’s still flexibility for those who come at different times. Both lunch and dinner provide the same choices.

Negative experiences can lead to positive outcomes, and one pleasant result is that Amtrak now offers a complimentary adult beverage with dinner on its long-distance system.

On the Cardinal and City of New Orleans, sleeping-car attendants bring meals to passengers’ rooms, but there’s also the option to eat in the café car or dining car, depending on your preference.

Amtrak Flex Dining beverages

As you have read before, beverages come with your meals. This section will give you an idea of what to expect on your journey.

Be aware that if a drink becomes popular along the way, it could run out, so having a plan B can come in handy if you need to pivot.

Cold beverages

• Milk
  • Plant-based milk is often available on request.
  • Orange juice
  • Iced tea
  • Bottled spring or sparkling water
  • The train serves Coke products, including regular and diet, Sprite, and ginger Ale.

Hot beverages

• Regular and decaffeinated coffee
• Hot tea – If I remember right, it’s black tea, but more options may be available.

Acholic beverages

These selections can change anytime, but this will give you a general idea.

• Beer
  • Michelob Ultra, Corona Extra, Sella Artois, Blue Moon Gelgain White, Stone IPA, and Star Dust IPA.
• Wines
  • La Marca Prosecco, Ryder Estate Chardonnay, or Cabernet Sauvignon
• Spirits
  • Tanqueray Gin, Barcardi Run, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, and Woodford Reserve Bourbon Whiskey.

Amtrak Flex Dining Menus

Amtrak’s meal options change seasonally, but the core choices remain consistent: beef, chicken, seafood, and vegetarian dishes are available for lunch and dinner.

For breakfast, there are often three hot selections in addition to continental options, providing a variety of choices to start your day.

Menus are typically provided in every room, allowing you to plan your selections. For a complete dining experience, lunch and dinner usually include a side salad, a roll, and dessert.

If the menus don’t appear on your screen, click the download button to view them.

Amtrak Flex Dining Menu

This menu applies to all Flex Dining Trains except the City of New Orleans, which is listed below.

City Of New Orleans Flex Menu

Amtrak Flex Dining Meal Times

Since Amtrak introduced Flex Dining, meal times have changed.

Trains now have designated meal times because the café car attendant has multiple responsibilities. Most café car attendants serve coach passengers while simultaneously preparing meals for sleeping car passengers from the café car.

Car attendants manage reservations for these trains and inform passengers about their dining options.

Sleeping car attendants will tell you when the café is open for breakfast the night before. You can grab breakfast in the café or dining car on a first-come, first-served basis, but this can vary on some trains.

If you board the train after making reservations, you can still get your meal, but you should chat with your car attendant. If there is a Sleeping Car Lounge, you have more flexibility.

Average Amtrak Meal Times

Ask the onboard staff for hours of operation for meal service or any other questions. If you are looking for a snack, check out the café car; however, food and drinks in the café are at your expense.

Where You’ll Eat Your Amtrak Flex Dining Meals

On trains, where the café car is the sole food car, Amtrak often encourages people to have their meals in their accommodations due to space limitations in the café. However, if you want to leave your room, you can eat at the café car.

Amtrak Flex Dining Wrap-Up

While Flex Dining isn’t everyone’s favorite, I’ve found the most recent meals on the train to be tasty and effective in serving their purpose.

It’s excellent that Amtrak has expanded its offerings, moving from cold options to mostly hot meals—a welcome change for those who prefer warm dishes.

That said, I think the wooden boxes are a neat concept.

Over the years, the Flex Dining program has evolved, enhancing its flexibility. It’s now more accommodating for passengers boarding late trains or those disembarking during peak meal hours.

Looking at Amtrak’s history, dining trains like the City of New Orleans and the Cardinal may continue to use Flex Dining.

Since I started riding Amtrak long-distance trains in 2013, these routes have never provided Traditional Dining. However, the current Flex Dining meals significantly improve what was previously served aboard the City of New Orleans.

Safe Travels!

Kev

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