New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-10
DINNER IN THE DINING CAR
THE ELABORATE SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS
NECESSARY.
INSPECTORS WHO TRAVEL TO OBSERVE THR
DETAILS OF THE FOOD AND SERVICE


The porter in white jacket and dark trousers
| who goes through the train usually makes the
proclamation three times in each car. and unless
| a passenger is very deaf he cannot be in doubt
| as to the dinner hour board railroad train.
| On some trains the tour of the cars is made
| several times and the cry is changed from
| first" to second" and finally to last" call for
| dinner. But there trains which the dining
| car is occupied to its full capacity before the
| train leaves the station, although nothing is
| served until the rain is in notion and while
| those who came first being served other
| passengers, equally anxious to take dinner but
| less thoughtful about securing places, stand In
| the vestibule Of the and wait their turn.
| When the tables all occupied and the
| chances for prompt service poor the vestibue
of dining car is good place to avoid. The
| old. experienced traveller, who is in a
hurry. who can always walt. may be there: but
| the infrequent traveller, who is usually the
| dissatisfied with the railroad, some member
| OF his family, may always be found in the group.
| and the walls because all the tables occu-
| pied are not pleasant to hear.
| I'VE don't mind the complaints OF the waiting
man." said the officer IN charge of one of the
| New York Central dining cars, because
| accustomed to them and we know that the dis
| satisfied man usually forgets all about his
| troubles his soup has been served.
| There complaints at the best managed no
tells, and so there are in our hotels on wheels
| for that is what dining in many
| spects."
| The man who takes his place at dining
| table does not realize what en- amount Of work
| must be done and how much money must be
| invested to make the service possible. Table
| linen, glass silver, cutlery and kitchen utensils
| are kept in large quantities. and the number Of
| pieces needed delivered requsition to
| nd oh n hpy he fo
| an individual AS they show signs of
| are broken they replaced from the stock
| hand so that the quantity and the quality al
ways remain the same. The silver is charged to
the walters duty at the tables and is re
| turned and accounted for after each trip
| "Our breakase is greater than it is at ordinary
hotel tables" said ]. T. Mckee superntend-
| ent of the service, but considering the fact
| that some Of our meals served at the
| rate of sxty-five miles an hour that is no won
| der. We lose very little by theft. but occasion
ally foreign passenger will take a coffee spoon
| or toothpick holder as a souvenir of the trip
To keep the well supplied with these an
| ticles is a comparatively easy task but the diff
| cult part of the business is the food.
| We strive to the same class of meals
as may find in any first class hotel. and in
| order to do purchase the best find"
said Mr. Mckee, We run the station restaurants
| at Poughkeepsie. Albany. Utica Syracuse.
| Rochester. Buffalo and Suspension Bridge. and
! at those places do all baking. that
| with the exception of waffles and buns bake
| nothing the trains: but everything else
| our bills of fare is prepared on board"
| The commissary department has officers at
| the principal stations. who buy everything that
is required and the meats. groceries, fruit. etc.
are kept on hand subject to the call of the din
ing room service Every article, down to the
smallest is charged TO the car. and
the article is used it is placed TO the cars credit.
so that at the end OF the run the steward in
charge knows how many pounds of roast. how
much soup. how many oranges how much ice
cream. coffee. bread anything else has been
consumed, and the difference in dollars and
| cents between what remains and what was on
hand at the beginning of the trip gives the
! actual cost OF the m nals served. The meals
dining people show that the actual cost OF
the food is about 30 cents. To this must be
added the pay Of the crew. salaries Of officers.
| coal. ice. laundry. the wear and tear the
linen china, silver, etc. cleaning the and
| overhauling the kitchen at frequent intervals
| The cars. the supply stocks and everything
pertaining to the service are inspected regularly
by officers who appointed for that purpose.
but there other inspections OF which the
dining crew has no knowledge. Passengers
take their places at the tables whose only OBJ
|