Dining Car Jobs

For many cross-country train passengers, the dining car is the most important car on the train. Providing snacks and meals for passengers, the dining car offers a place to enjoy food and socialize. Dining car jobs are filled by employees with experience in the food service sector. Trains that travel across the country may employ many stewards and other staff in the dining car, while trains with several stops or those that serve only snacks instead of meals, may only employ a single steward.

Stewards

Trained in food service and food preparation with quality customer service skills, stewards can serve snacks and large meals to passengers on trains. Other responsibilities include:

  • Preparing food
  • Clean up and dishwashing
  • Help stock the dining car

Stewards not only have to hustle to serve the meals and snacks, they also have to clean up, wash the dishes and restock the train while train is at a stop. Some train companies have outsourced some duties, such as preparing the food and meals and washing the dishes, to outside companies, leaving only the responsibility of serving the food to the stewards. Even on trains where this is the case, the staff of stewards are required to have excellent people skills, organizational ability and a willingness to travel.

Supervisor

Dining car supervisors are responsible for the safe and efficient food handing and serving practices of the staff of the dining car. They also:

  • Order food, condiments, and other supplies
  • Plan healthy and nutritious menus for the journey that correspond with the length of trip, amount of passengers on the train, appeal to the majority of passengers, and can be prepared in a quick and efficient manner
  • Keep track of the linens, pots, pans, and utensils
  • Ensure that the train has enough linens, cookware, and utensils for the duration of the journey

Regardless of their role as steward or supervisor, each employee in a position in the dining car must have patience and excellent communication skills in order to meet the needs of the passengers in the dining car of the train, especially for extended rail journeys.

People who work in the dining cars have important roles. However, like the conductor, brakemen, and other railroad workers, they are at risk of suffering injuries should the train crash. If you were injured while working in a dining car, you may be entitled to compensation. For more information, contact our FELA law firm today.