Fine Onboard Food Service has always been a hallmark of U.S. Passenger Trains, profitability be damned. It is a sad irony that, even as Amtrak is taking delivery or brand new Viewliner Diners, they have eliminated hot meals onboard several of the Eastern Overnight trains they were bought to serve. This is more upsetting in light of higher prices charged for sleeping car accommodations.
While I was not overly impressed with the hot meals served onboard The Empire Builder 10 years ago, any box lunch would pale by comparison. Pretty soon, Delta Dick will have us all begging for peanuts onboard.