Looks like they are trying to outsource food service like the airlines do.
Check out the more information online section of the article. I couldn't create a link
I don't know how they could do that under existing union contracts but since they got away with eliminating meal service in diners on Capitol and Lakeshore Limited they might be able to do it on all dining cars....just have a caterer load precooked meals on diners at originating terminals and have them heated up and served by two or three waiters/waitresses so they could drastically reduce the size of the onboard staff. They would still have to pay decent wages and benefits to attract people who would have to spend a couple nights on the train but they could appease the conservative critics by reducing labor costs.
The airlines produce high quality meals for first class/business passengers (created by well known celebrity chefs who own their own restaurants) and serve them on better quality "china" than Amtrak now uses. Check out some of the airline websites to see what the major carriers offer so Amtrak could provide. Amtrak could also offer better quality but lower priced meals prepared by a caterer for sale to coach passengers to eat in the diner and better quality budget meals and snacks for people who use the cafe cars. The bistros on the Cascades feature better quality food than the cafe cars