No more ice cream with Mount Fuji: Japan train line phases out snack carts

But faced with a looming labor shortage and a trend for more people to buy food before boarding the train, on-board snack cart services between the cities of Tokyo and Osaka will reach the end of the line on Oct. 31.

Just keep hearing this over and over again about labor shortage. In the past those cart will give experience as if riding a jet even it's only Shinkansen. Now we need to spare 5 minutes prior to buy things for supplies before really jump in the train.

There are thousands of women out there in Japan that would be willing to do a job paying over 300000 yen a month.

JR has become penny pinching and focuses less on the customer than it does on yen pinching

The end is near .....will I still get beer ??

That was a bit of a tough job pushing those heavy carts throught the narrow aisle. With the proliferation of convenience stores inside the stations, this was inevitably going to happen. A lot cheaper, more choices and fast.

But I did enjoy the option of buying some overpriced coffee, snacks and ice cream when the mood hit me. Enjoyed the pretty women who did this this job too.

I'm sure I've heard this before?

I remember when the Shinkansen had dining cars. I had a very nice steak dinner during one trip. I was disappointed when they got rid of those. But, I got used to the carts, and looked forward to the friendly women with their carts full of goodies coming down the aisle.

This is a major disappointment for many who ride the shinkansen. But, a lot of people get to their train just in time to board - no time to stop at the conbini or ekiben shop. For them, it's more than an inconvenience. Those carts were a lifesaver. I hope they at least install some vending machines, so riders can at least get a cold drink or some ice cream in Summer, and hot drinks in the Winter.

This "labor shortage" whining reminds me of the "nobody wants to work anymore" BS back in the US. Everybody wants to work. They just don't want to be exploited. Pay these ladies a decent wage, and there'll be no shortage. Also, why not open the job up for men, too? Why is it restricted to just ladies? What year is this?

kurisupisu

JR has become penny pinching and focuses less on the customer than it does on yen pinching

They raised the cost of the Rail Pass a ridiculous amount to where it no longer offers any value.

Their standard Shinkansen and Express fares are very high.

JR East stopped selling Suica cards because they can't get chips. (Even though JR West has no problem with their Icoca cards)

I'd say the biggest problem with the JR companies is poor management, not a labor shortage. They, especially JR Central, needs to take a good hard look at themselves, and make the needed changes at the top and middle, not the bottom. But, that'll never happen without gov't intervention, which will also never happen.

It mightn't be for other folks, but the shinkansen is quite luxurious to me and removing this makes it less luxurious.

The green car is only a few percent extra, and it sounds like you can still get food on that, albeit from an app, which again is not as luxurious.

Just get robot carts going up and down.

They can even say a cute saying and a virtual bow.

Will be able to see more smiles than do now with the masked up dead eyes we can only see atm.

Instead of moving cart how about a snack shop or a coffee shop onboard the train, easy to staff, clean, stock, and more entertaining.

Mark

Instead of moving cart how about a snack shop or a coffee shop onboard the train, easy to staff, clean, stock, and more entertaining.

I'm sure riders would love that. However, it probably would not be any easier to staff and stock than the current cart system, and would definitely be less easy to clean than a staff-only storeroom.

The end is near .....will I still get beer ??

Exactly! What am I going to do without the nice lady bringing me a beer every 30 minutes or so?

Tightwads. It's just a bus on rails now. Even Amtrak can serve food.

It's just a bus on rails now. Even Amtrak can serve food.

I wouldn't say it's quite that bad yet...

garypenToday  09:01 am JST

I remember when the Shinkansen had dining cars. 

Wow, you've been here awhile! I remember them back from a long time ago too. I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination since I was just a kid.

I think Amtrak still has dining cars, which I love. But with Amtrak, you really need them since you'll probably be twelve hours behind schedule and starving.

There are thousands of women out there in Japan that would be willing to do a job paying over 300000 yen a month.

Men too, and elderly folk who can push a cart around. Doesn't have to be young women all the time. I often take the Green Car when I'm travelling into Tokyo from Saitama and visa versa. Nothing like getting served a nice bevy after a long day.

Speed

garypenToday  09:01 am JST

I remember when the Shinkansen had dining cars. "

Wow, you've been here awhile! I remember them back from a long time ago too. I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination since I was just a kid.

I haven't lived here that long. That was during my first of many visits. And, the concert promoter was paying for it, which was nice, as it was probably pretty pricey like many things were at that time. I didn't move here until almost 30 years later.

I think Amtrak still has dining cars, which I love. But with Amtrak, you really need them since you'll probably be twelve hours behind schedule and starving.

Even if they're right on time, trips that only take a few hours here on the Shinkansen, or even standard Express trains, can take 12-24 hours on Amtrak with their slow trains and indirect routing.

Nostalgia doesn't pay the bills unfortunately.

At the end of the day, if it's loss-making they have to shut it down.

If it were profitable, they would continue it.

Because of the increase of Covid-19 atm, less movement of less people throughout the carriages should be encouraged right?

Or have we changed that?

"Nostalgia doesn't pay the bills unfortunately. 

At the end of the day, if it's loss-making they have to shut it down. 

If it were profitable, they would continue it."

JR Tokai makes loads off the Tokaido Shinkansen, and btw they're a privstised monopoly, so have an obligation to provide a public service. They've forgotten about the people who use the train.

The end is near .....will I still get beer ??

Sure! Just buy it before you board! If they are smart, they will put in vending machines to replace the cart sales. Less labor intensive, and profitable as well

JR Tokai makes loads off the Tokaido Shinkansen, and btw they're a privstised monopoly, so have an obligation to provide a public service. They've forgotten about the people who use the train.

Hahaha... While there may very well be an obligation to provide transportation I doubt there is any commitment to serving ice cream.

If only it were so simple. What they make from ticket sales is irrelevant. This is a separate revenue stream in their business. It's clearly not profitable, or they would continue it.

If nobody used the green cars, they would be phased out too.

Business is business. Demand dictates what services are offered.

If those food carts were super popular and selling well, they would be increased. But they ain't.