Are pre-paid food vouchers worthwhile on the Alaska Railroad?

[piratesmate]

We will be taking several trips on the Alaska railroad. They told me I can buy pre-paid vouchers for meals - $14 breakfast, $18-19 for lunch, $35 for dinner. These prices include non-alcoholic drinks, food, tax, tip. Lunch also includes soup. Dinner includes dessert and I think salad.

 

The woman I spoke with at the RR couldn't tell me what individual prices are for the various menu items, so I can't tell if these are a good deal.

 

Will the vouchers save us money, or should I just buy food on the train as we go? Thanks.

[melodyina]

Will the vouchers save us money, or should I just buy food on the train as we go? Thanks.

 

Hello, this is my experience with prepaid food vouchers from last year. I had a gift certificate and my train fare was less than the gift certificate so I got the balance in food vouchers (no other option). On the train - they have the same value as cash, and don't save you any money on your purchases. You cannot cash in your unspent vouchers. I think they would be a nice gift to send to someone, but for my own personal use I don't see the benefit. Food prices range from $2 cookies on up.

 

Personally - I would pack my own snacks on board rather than purchase items from their snack bar. Their restaurant items looked great, but the train wasn't serving anything but breakfast on my trip, and we had already ate.

[Budget Queen]

In the past, Alaska RR had their current menus online. It may still be last years, but would maybe give you an idea?

[cruisin'mama]

Last summer the breakfast menu consisted of 4 items, three were $12 and one was $14.

[PennyAgain]

Federal funding for the Alaska Railroad has been sharply cut. Expect higher prices than in 2011.

 

The vouchers are no advantage to Americans, but are often bought by people overseas who have a limit of how much cash they can take out of their own countries....which is why they exisit in addition to giving value for the excess amounts of gift certificates.

 

The food is very good.

[piratesmate]

From OP (original poster) -

Evidently there are 2 types of vouchers. One is that you give the railroad a certain amount of money and they give you a voucher for that amount of cash. You just don't get any money back if you don't spend it all. I don't see any reason for us to do that.

 

I'm talking about a different type of voucher - for example, I give them $35 and they give me a dinner voucher. This will cover anything I want to order off the menu (even if it's a $30 entree), plus a non-alcoholic drink, salad or soup and possibly dessert (I think) and the tip. It's a good deal, if the actual cost of the meal is more than $30. But I don't know. I can see the menus online, but there are no prices. And the Railroad company person I spoke with didn't know what the menu prices actually are.

 

I was hoping that someone who went on the rail last year recalls what the menu prices were or even kept a copy of the menu with the prices.

 

Thanks.

[Budget Queen]

From OP (original poster) -

Evidently there are 2 types of vouchers. One is that you give the railroad a certain amount of money and they give you a voucher for that amount of cash. You just don't get any money back if you don't spend it all. I don't see any reason for us to do that.

 

I'm talking about a different type of voucher - for example, I give them $35 and they give me a dinner voucher. This will cover anything I want to order off the menu (even if it's a $30 entree), plus a non-alcoholic drink, salad or soup and possibly dessert (I think) and the tip. It's a good deal, if the actual cost of the meal is more than $30. But I don't know. I can see the menus online, but there are no prices. And the Railroad company person I spoke with didn't know what the menu prices actually are.

 

I was hoping that someone who went on the rail last year recalls what the menu prices were or even kept a copy of the menu with the prices.

 

Thanks.

 

You aren't going until mid June, why not just wait until May then look online- or call and see if they could email you the menu with prices.

[cruisin'mama]

Here is a copy of the menu from last summer, however it has been noted that the prices will probably go up......

[piratesmate]

Good idea Budget Queen. I have until a day or so before the first leg of our train trip to get the meal vouchers. As we get closer, I should be able to get a copy of the new menu with prices.

 

Thank you for the copy of the menu.

[MilliesMom]

Here's a pdf file of the menu I found on-line ...

 

http://www.akrr.com/pdf/PAS_SummerWebMenu.pdf