As a regular rider of Germany's night trains: what's the problem with eating in a roomette (sleeper car cabin)? First of all I already hate it when the cabin mates see me totally groggy - much less a whole fucking dining car. In addition, no dining car can fit as many people as there fit in a single sleeper car, much less a whole train composed of 10-15 sleeper cars.
Having done both, it's much roomier on the Amtrak dining cars, you get better food, and they will bring it to your cabin if you want that, as I recall, so it's not like you're forced to eat in the dining car. I like Germany's night trains a lot, but for Amtrak this is clearly a downgrade.
I took trains all over Europe the thing is the smell.
Imagine someone taking MC Donald's in a train, which is already horrible on a open floor plan wagon. Some people just can't stand some smells and cabins are usually always small and don't provide enough fresh air to compensate for Smelly food.
I've left cabins before, and I've seen other people do so. It can be a huge annoyance.
