Amtrak Traditional Dining: What You Need To Know

Dining in an Amtrak traditional dining car is one of my favorite aspects of long-distance train travel. Meals are complimentary for sleeping car passengers, and coach passengers can usually purchase them too.

But traditional dining is more than a meal; it’s a chance to connect with fellow travelers. Communal seating means you’ll often share a table, strike up a conversation, and enjoy the ever-changing scenery together. Some of the people I’ve met in dining cars are still friends today! Prefer some privacy? Sleeper passengers can have meals delivered to their room.

Whether this is your first trip or your hundredth, here’s what you need to know about dining car meals.

Amtrak Traditional Dining at a Glance

Kev’s Experience With Amtrak Traditional Dining

In 2014, I had my first meal in an Amtrak dining car while traveling through Iowa on the California Zephyr. I enjoyed chicken during that trip. Over the years, I have made many wonderful memories and had numerous interesting conversations while enjoying meals on the train.

I’ve enjoyed many wonderful meals, a few decent ones, and far too many desserts! One long-term friendship started over lunch while riding the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle (Hi, Sean and David).

Mealtimes also break up a long trip and give me a reason to leave my room or coach seat.

The dining car is the train’s heart and soul, where people gather for a common goal: food!

Kev

A Quick Note Before You Dig In

Amtrak’s menus, prices, offerings, and procedures frequently change, sometimes without notice. This information reflects current operations as of October 2026. For the most up-to-date details about your specific train, check with the onboard staff if anything looks different.

Popular menu items might run out on longer trips, especially near the end of the route.

Food Services on Amtrak Long-Distance Trains

All Amtrak long-distance trains feature a café car accessible to all passengers; however, it closes overnight and during meal breaks. For passengers in sleeping cars, meal service varies by train: traditional dining or Flexible Dining.

Amtrak Traditional Dining is on these trains:

• Auto Train (Lorton, VA – Sanford, FL)
• California Zephyr (Emeryville, CA – Chicago, IL)
• Coast Starlight (Los Angeles, CA – Seattle, WA)
• Empire Builder (Seattle, WA/Portland, OR – Chicago, IL)
  • Traditional dining services are not available between Portland, OR, and Spokane, WA. Instead, Amtrak delivers a meal to your room.
• Floridian (Chicago, IL – Miami, FL)
• Silver Meteor (New York, NY – Miami, FL)
• Southwest Chief (Los Angeles, CA – Chicago, IL)
• Sunset Limited (Los Angeles, CA – New Orleans, LA)

Coach passengers can purchase meals in the dining car, but space may be limited, and reservations are not guaranteed. The Auto Train does not provide traditional dining options for coach passengers. See coach dining prices below.

Amtrak Flexible Dining is on these trains:

Sleeping car passengers on these trains receive Amtrak’s Flexible Dining.

• Cardinal (New York, NY – Chicago, IL)
• City of New Orleans (New Orleans, LA – Chicago, IL)
• Crescent (New York, NY – New Orleans, LA)
• Lake Shore Limited (New York, NY/Boston, MA – Chicago, IL)
  • On the Boston section (trains 448/449), meals between Boston and Albany are served from the café car.
• Texas Eagle (San Antonio, TX – Chicago, IL)
  • Through-car passengers continuing to or from Los Angeles ride with the Sunset Limited west of San Antonio and get traditional dining on that stretch.

Learn more about Amtrak’s Flex Dining on this page.

How Much Do Meals Cost for Coach Passengers in the Dining Car?

Coach passengers pay a fixed price for dining car meals. You can pay with cash or card, like at a restaurant.

• Breakfast: $20
• Lunch: $25
• Dinner: $45
• Kids’ meals: $20

Meals include non-alcoholic drinks and extras. With dinner, your first adult beverage is complimentary; you can purchase additional drinks.

What’s on the Amtrak Dining Car Menu?

Amtrak’s menus change seasonally, and some trains serve as test kitchens, featuring new items before they appear on the regular menu.

Breakfast

Here’s what to expect:

• Classic options:
  • Rotating entrées, such as pancakes or French toast
  • An omelet is usually available
  • Selections change throughout the year
• Lighter choice: A continental breakfast for those who prefer something simpler
• Add-ons: Breakfast meats at no extra cost
• Beverages: Coffee, tea, milk, and juice. You can have more than one!

Kev’s Tip: Refill your coffee before returning to your room. The coffee in the dining car tastes better than that in the sleeper cars, or there may not even be coffee in your sleeper car.

Lunch

The lunch menu is available year-round and includes some seasonal selections.

• Classic favorites:
  • Burgers, with cheese or bacon at no extra cost
  • Hot sandwiches on most trains
  • Some routes offer unique options, such as chili bowls or chili over baked potatoes.
• Lighter option: Fresh salads
• Included with your meal: Dessert and, on most routes, a side salad

Dinner

• Courses by train type:
  • Superliner trains: Three courses: appetizer, main course, and dessert
  • Viewliner trains: Two courses: main course and dessert
• Main course options: Classic dishes like beef, chicken, and fish or seafood, plus vegetarian options. For a lighter meal, you can often order from the lunch menu.
• Kids’ menu: Available at lunch and dinner, with favorites like grilled cheese, chicken breast, hot dogs, and macaroni and cheese. Adults can often order from it for a lighter option.

Can Amtrak Accommodate Dietary Restrictions?

Amtrak can accommodate some dietary needs, but the options differ by route, and certain special meals require advance notice.

Special Meals with Advance Notice

These meals require calling 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) in advance:

• Kosher meals: Available on overnight trains with 72 hours’ notice. They’re prepared under rabbinical supervision and sealed until delivery.
• Vegan meals: Traditional dining trains require 72 hours’ notice. Limited quantities may be available without notice on café and Flexible Dining trains.

Kev’s Tip: When you make your onboard dining reservation, mention your pre-ordered special meal so the dining car staff knows it’s yours.

What Amtrak Doesn’t Provide

Amtrak doesn’t offer meals specifically labeled low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-sodium, gluten-free, wheat-free, or peanut-free. Since most meals aren’t fully prepared onboard, the chef can’t modify ingredients. Some traditional dining and café options may naturally fit your needs, so ask your server or café attendant for guidance.

Food Allergies

Amtrak can’t guarantee an allergen-free environment. If you have severe allergies, bring all necessary medications and be prepared to self-administer them. Dining staff can provide ingredient information, but cross-contamination is always possible in the onboard kitchen.

The Practical Reality

For many passengers with dietary restrictions, bringing your own food is the easiest solution. Café cars typically offer vegetarian options such as cheese plates and salads, but vegan and allergy-friendly choices can be limited.

If you have diabetes or another condition with specific nutritional needs, bring enough food to cover delays or limited onboard supplies.

For the latest details, see Amtrak’s Special Dietary Requirements page.

What Drinks Are Served in the Amtrak Dining Car?

Options may vary, but this list provides a general idea of what to expect.

Hot beverages

• Regular and decaf coffee. The dining car serves drip coffee, while some sleeper cars have percolated coffee.
• Hot tea

Cold beverages

• Milk (soy or other plant-based milk may be available on request)
• Orange juice
• Unsweetened iced tea
• Bottled spring or sparkling water
• Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and ginger ale

Alcohol

• Beer: Coors Light, Corona Extra, Stella Artois, Heineken, Stone IPA, and on some trains, Space Dust IPA
• Spirits: Tanqueray Gin, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Bacardi Rum, and Maker’s Mark Bourbon
• Wine: Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay, Scheid Sauvignon Blanc, and Ryder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Sample Amtrak Dining Car Menus

Superliner Trains (California Zephyr, Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited)

The menu is the same on all Superliner trains with traditional dining, except the Auto Train, which has its own. Here’s the Auto Train sample menu.

Silver Meteor & Floridian

Where Is the Dining Car on an Amtrak Train?

On most trains, the dining car is located in the middle, positioned between the sleeper cars and the Sightseer Lounge or café car. Passengers in sleeper cars usually have a short walk, while coach passengers must walk through the lounge first.

Empire Builder: The train cars, from front to back, are: Seattle sleepers, dining car, coaches, Sightseer Lounge/café, and finally the Portland sleeper at the rear. Passengers in the Seattle sleeper are situated right next to the dining car. If you’re in the Portland sleeper, you’ll need to walk through other cars to reach the dining area.

What Time Are Meals Served in the Amtrak Dining Car?

Here is the typical dining car schedule. Meal times generally follow local time, but please confirm the schedule with your onboard crew.

• Breakfast: 6:30–10:00 am (last seating at 9:30 am; first-come, first-served)
• Lunch: 11:30 am–3:00 pm (last seating at 2:30 pm; reservations may be required)
• Dinner: 5:00–9:30 pm (last seating at 8:30 pm; reservations required)

A few things to keep in mind:

• Watch the time zone on the eastbound Floridian. In my experience, the first dinner after leaving Chicago follows Central Time, even after the train crosses into Eastern Time. Confirm with the crew so you know when to head to the dining car.
• Let your phone keep track. Most phones and smartwatches adjust to local time automatically if that setting is enabled. Keep any time-zone instructions from the crew in mind, especially on the Floridian.
• Meal timing can change. Your train’s schedule and any delays can affect serving hours and which meals are offered. An extra meal during a delay isn’t guaranteed, so bring a few snacks just in case.
• If you miss a meal, check the café car. You can purchase snacks and light meals during its operating hours. Café purchases cost extra, even if you have a sleeping car ticket, and the café closes overnight and for attendant breaks.
• Ask whether to wait for an announcement. On Western trains, I usually hear announcements calling each seating. On Eastern trains, I’ve often headed to the dining car at my reserved time. Practices vary, so when I make my first meal reservation, I ask whether to wait for a call or arrive at the scheduled time.

Do You Need a Dining Car Reservation?

Reservations are required for dinner and often for lunch, but rarely needed for breakfast.

Your reservation time may vary. If the crew is calling for seating, your “6:30” reservation might not be called until 6:45 or later. Please listen for your seating time and follow the crew’s instructions.

Sleeping Car Passengers

Making reservations is easy for sleeper passengers. The dining car steward or the car attendant will come through the sleeper car to take reservations, often following an announcement.

• At least one person in your party needs to be in your room to confirm the reservation.
• On some trains, the steward gives you a reminder slip.
• If you board after the steward has come through, your car attendant may be able to make the reservation for you.

Coach Passengers

The dining car steward will explain how reservations work on your train. They typically walk through the lounge and coach cars until all spots are filled, or they may ask coach passengers to come to the dining car.

Coach passengers aren’t guaranteed a reservation, but the café car is open to everyone whenever it’s in service.

Entering Amtrak’s Traditional Dining Cars

The common practice for eating in an Amtrak Dining Car

• When you arrive at the dining car, please wait to be seated.
• The steward will direct you to your seat unless instructed otherwise.
• Amtrak often practices communal seating.
  • If your party has fewer than four people, you may share a table with other travelers.
• They often take your whole order at once.

Meals on the Empire Builder’s Portland Section

The Empire Builder’s dining car operates with the Seattle section, while the café car operates with the Portland section. The two sections join or separate in Spokane, WA.

If you’re traveling in a sleeping car between Portland and Spokane, here’s what to expect:

• Eastbound from Portland (Train 28): Your sleeping car attendant provides dinner in your room. After your section joins the Seattle section overnight in Spokane, you’ll have access to the dining car for the rest of your trip.
• Westbound toward Portland (Train 27): You’ll have access to the dining car before the sections separate overnight in Spokane. Your sleeping car attendant will provide breakfast for the rest of the trip to Portland.

Ask your sleeping car attendant about meal timing and the available selections. These meals are included with your sleeping car ticket; purchases from the Portland section’s café cost extra.

Tipping & Amtrak’s Traditional Dining

Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory. Many passengers base their tips on the menu prices or estimated meal costs.

If I have the same staff throughout longer trips, I may choose to tip at the end of the day, but it’s entirely up to you. Do what feels appropriate for your experience.

Learn more about tipping on Amtrak here.

Amtrak Dining Car FAQ

Amtrak Traditional Dining Wrap-Up

Eating on the train can be one of the most memorable aspects of your Amtrak journey, and it certainly has been for me! The menus change frequently, and Amtrak sometimes tests new dishes before adding them to the regular menu, so there’s always something new to try.

Want a quick way to see which trains have traditional dining, Flexible Dining, or café service? Join my free newsletter, and I’ll send you my Quick Reference Guide to Amtrak Long-Distance Trains.

Safe Travels and Happy Planning!

Kev