Amtrak launches new menu items aboard select trains — including hot meals, nonalcoholic beverages and vegan options
There's good news for Amtrak riders in the Northeast, along with travelers on Amtrak's long-distance routes: They'll be the first to see a variety of new food and beverage options available on board, including bacon-and-cheese egg bites, a vegan noodle bowl and a smoked-turkey-and-havarti sandwich.
Enhanced menu options are currently available for passengers on Northeast Corridor and long-distance trains.
The new items are available for purchase in the Amtrak Cafe cars, offering riders 30% more options among hot meals, snacks, salads, sandwiches, bites, nonalcoholic beverages and even vegan offerings, a decision Amtrak said was in response to customer feedback.
“Making changes to our menu based on customer feedback reflects Amtrak’s commitment to enhancing their travel experience, as passengers know we are listening to their requests for improvement,” said Robert Jordan, Amtrak's vice president of operations and customer services, in a statement on Aug. 17. “In this time of rising costs, we are proud to offer our customers high-quality items on our menu at reduced prices.”
Amtrak confirmed prices for the majority of food and beverages on board would remain the same while noting a $.50-$1.50 reduction in the prices of all sandwiches and salads on all Acela and Northeast Regional trains. Breakfast items range from $3.50-$6, while lunch and dinner items are between $5 and $7.50.
Customers can also expect more breakfast options, including a bialy egg sandwich, Amtrak's take on the traditional New York City breakfast sandwich, usually served on a bagel.
Bialys are baked, not boiled, and instead of holes, bialys have a depression in the middle, often filled with cooked onions, garlic or poppy seeds. Travelers can also expect to see bacon-and-cheese egg bites as well as seasonal fruit such as mango among the breakfast options.
Among the new lunch and dinner items are a new smoked-turkey-and-havarti sandwich and two vegan options, including a vegan Asian-inspired noodle bowl and a vegan blue-corn tamale. The availability of items suitable for vegans and vegetarians traveling via Amtrak has historically lacked in terms of options, but the addition of another salad to the menu appears to be a step in addressing such.
Related: Vegan and gluten-free food guide to London
Snack offerings include a cheese plate, fresh crudites, beef jerky and pistachios.
There are also new nonalcoholic beverage options, such as pomegranate juice and expanded hot and iced coffee selections from La Colombe, which Amtrak first introduced at its new full-service bar in its Metropolitan Lounge in New York City's Penn Station in January.
Passengers can see a menu of what's available to purchase on board from their seats, specifically on all trains along the Northeast Corridor, including the Acela, Northeast Regional, Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express, which run from Boston to Washington, D.C. The menu will also be available to travelers on Amtrak's 15 long-distance trains, such as the Capitol Limited, Cardinal and California Zephyr.
To search the full menu for a specific train, see here.
Interested in more Amtrak news?
Related: NYC’s hottest new bar? Amtrak’s Metropolitan Lounge
Related: First look at Acela’s spiffy new trains
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- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.