A new spectrum of updated meal options is coming to Amtrak routes across the Northeast. Starting last week, passengers on the Acela Express and Northeast Regional trains were able to purchase a handful of new menu items in cafe cars including gluten-free and vegetarian selections. Amtrak has further partnered with Boar’s head to bring new fresh sandwiches to the routes.
Amtrak’s catering changes were made to better-fit with the changing demographic of younger, more modern travelers. According to YouGov and countless other research groups, compared to traditional travelers, younger consumers respond better to individualized, boutique service when making purchase decisions. In the catering space, this means that fresher, higher quality and premium food will play more of a prominent role in sales as the younger segment grows into the traveling and commuting class.
Already, this approach is appearing in other travel segments. All three legacy air carriers have invested heavily in in-flight catering with the knowledge that better-curated meals will result in more sales and stronger overall ancillary revenue; it’s not uncommon to see a celebrity chef planning out an airline’s meal service or a flashy press release announcing new menu items.
The catering updates also come as part of an overall campaign that Amtrak has embarked on to improve the passenger experience and stay competitive in an industry that faces fierce competition from both air and regional bus travel. Late last year, the train operator announced that it would refurbish passenger cars in the Northeast Regional trains to bring in new seat cushions, carpeting and lighting. Under new leadership from Richard Anderson, the former CEO of Delta Air Lines, Amtrak also plans to improve on-time performance, expand Wi-Fi options and also update its facilities.
Even with the improvements on the way though, there’s much left to do at Amtrak. In recent years, the train operator has struggled to stay competitive as low-cost and regional carriers have made air travel both faster and more affordable than terrestrial routes. On-time performance and customer service have also been problematic. According to Amtrak’s own data, only 67% of trains on some routes – Michigan, for example – have been on time in the last twelve months. By comparison, air travel regularly reports on-time performance of about 80%. Often, Amtrak’s fares are also higher than competitive airfares.
With a new CEO at the helm, it’s quite possible that Amtrak may be able to start turning the ship around – and based on some of the recent improvement, that’s already starting to happen. For many though, it will still be some time before the train is a better option than a plane between Boston and Washington D.C.
