Starting Oct. 1 there will be a choice of Western or Japanese meal in Gran Class. Currently there is no meal choice in Gran Class, although different meal is served on trains from Tokyo and to Tokyo.

No announcement in English yet, but Japanese announcement is out. First page of the announcement shows the picture of new meal choice. Left picture in white box is Western meal, and right picture in black box is Japanese meal. It looks like the content of the meal got smaller. Also, looks like same meals will be served on Gran Class from Tokyo and to Tokyo. The announcement calls those refreshment, not light meal. The announcement also indicates sweet (very small pound cake) will be by request only. Currently attendants ask passengers if they want sweet but starting Oct. 1 attendants will not ask passengers and sweet will be provided only if passengers ask for one. The announcement said to save food waste refreshment served from Oct. 1 will be previously frozen. Current light meal served in Gran Class is not frozen meal. Currently there are two attendants for Gran Class, which will be only one attendants for Gran Class starting Oct. 1.

Is this improvement...? Some are already saying that this is obvious operational cost reduction of Gran Class.

Gran Class Service from Oct. 1 (PDF file in Japanese)