Amtrak Guest Rewards - Dining car hours on California Zephyr

My spouse and I are thinking about booking a trip from DEN-LNK on the California Zephyr and are trying to decide whether roomette accomodations are worth the extra cost. One factor in this decision is the fact that meals are advertised as being included in the price of the roomette. However, the train takes off from Denver at around 8pm, and arrives in Lincoln at around 4 or 5 am. (This is, of course, assuming that the train is not significantly delayed, which in my limited experience it often is...) Would the dining car even be open between these hours for us to take advantage of the free meals?

I have only travelled this route twice before (in coach), and did not visit the dining car or even notice if it was open. Does anyone know what hours the dining cars are typically open?

Does anyone know what hours the dining cars are typically open?
See here. (http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Copy/Title_Image_Copy_Page&c=am2Copy&cid=1080080554479&ssid=352) Dining car typically open until 9:00 pm for dinner.

Given the info bitburgr posted, I don't think I'd upgrade to a roomette based on the availability of the dining option. As you said, there's too much that can go wrong--the train can leave DEN late (even though OTP has been better lately), the dining car's reservations can already be full, or the kitchen might not want to do another seating so close to closing.

You might want to book coach and then--if you're departing on-time--ask the conductor as you board about an on-board upgrade ASAP as you'd like to get dinner before the dining car closes. It's not a sure thing, but it takes some of the risk of paying for something you don't get out of it.

the dining car's reservations can already be full,

Actually that would not be a problem. When pax are expected to board during a meal period, the sleeping car attendant obtains a reservation for those passengers boarding after the meal period has already started.

But that said, there is indeed some risk at getting shut out if the train runs later than one hour behind schedule. The dining car crew will shut stop seating by 10 for sure, even for those whose attendant is holding a reservation for.

So if the train doesn't get in before 9:00 to 9:30, you can forget about getting dinner on board.

On the other hand, and I make no promises about this, but at some of the larger staffed stations when a train is so late that sleeping car pax will miss a meal, they will often give out some money for you to go and buy a meal locally.

Actually that would not be a problem. When pax are expected to board during a meal period, the sleeping car attendant obtains a reservation for those passengers boarding after the meal period has already started.

I know this is the case for the odd person boarding at EUG or whatnot, but I wasn't sure they did this at major stations, especially ones with hour-long crew-change stops like DEN.

Thanks guys, that's very helpful information. I may still spring for the roomette anyway, since it would be really, really nice to sleep lying down during the trip and have a somewhat private little area. The meals would be a plus, but not a deal-breaker if we don't get them.