Passengers on Japan's super-fast bullet trains have long enjoyed ordering coffee, ice cream or boxed lunches from staff pushing a snack cart, savouring the treats as they whipped past landmarks such as Mount Fuji.
But faced with a looming labour 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.
Central Japan Railway said on Tuesday it would phase out the famed on-board snack cart services, in which a uniformed vendor dispenses beverages and light refreshments, pushing their cart through the aisles of the moving train and bowing as they enter or leave the carriage.
Snack and food sales have been a mainstay on the Shinkansen, or bullet train, since it began running in 1964, the year Japan hosted the first Tokyo Olympics, a railway spokesperson said, but it was not clear when the cart services began.
The online response was despondent, with "Super-Cold Shinkansen Ice Cream" trending 5th on the X platform formerly known as Twitter and "In-Train Service" 6th within hours of the announcement.
"I remember that I enjoyed the ice cream every time I got on the train, and when I jumped on the last train without eating, I was saved by the sandwiches sold there," one user said.
Passengers on first-class cars will be able to order food and drink using QR codes starting Nov. 1, the railway company said.
"While cost reductions are important for a company, on-board snack cart services are also important for the enjoyment of the traveller's experience," another user wrote.
© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023.
22 Comments
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sakurasuki
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.
kurisupisu
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
GuruMick
The end is near .....will I still get beer ??
Speed
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.
Alan Bogglesworth
I'm sure I've heard this before?
garypen
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?
garypen
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.
kohakuebisu
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.
Kaowaiinekochanknaw
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.
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.
garypen
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.
Mr Kipling
Exactly! What am I going to do without the nice lady bringing me a beer every 30 minutes or so?
factchecker
Tightwads. It's just a bus on rails now. Even Amtrak can serve food.
CommodoreFlag
I wouldn't say it's quite that bad yet...
Speed
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.
Kumagaijin
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.
garypen
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.
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.
RareReason
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.
Kaowaiinekochanknaw
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?
factchecker
"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.
Yubaru
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
RareReason
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.