Amtrak Bucks Inflation With Food Price Cuts, New Menu Options

Passengers looking to grab a bite on some Amtrak trains will now find cheaper options.

The rail corporation announced Wednesday that it’s slashing prices on sandwiches and salads by between $.50 and $1.50 for Acela and Northeast Regional trains. It’s also introducing new menus on Northeast Corridor and long-distance trains after receiving feedback from passengers.

“In this time of rising costs, we are proud to offer our customers high-quality items on our menu at reduced prices,” Robert Jordan, Amtrak’s vice president of operations and customer services, said in a statement Wednesday.

The new menu offers 30% more options, ranging from vegetable crudités to pomegranate juice and vegan Asian noodle bowls.

Photo: Mark Makela/Getty Images

A woman buys a coffee from an Amtrak cafe car on May 18, 2015.

Amtrak’s move runs counter to the trend of rising food costs. Prices paid to US producers for consumer foods spiked almost 16% through July — the highest jump since 1974.

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The change comes as Amtrak has struggled to manage its food service in the past, losing millions, which has been a focus of congressional hearings in the last decade.

Amtrak will see a surge of funding from the infrastructure law (Public Law 117-58) as it seeks to expand service. The law also requires Amtrak to establish a working group to recommend ways to improve the trains’ food and beverage service.

To contact the reporter on this story: Lillianna Byington in Washington at lbyington@bloombergindustry.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sarah Babbage at sbabbage@bgov.com; Robin Meszoly at rmeszoly@bgov.com