Most of the table d’hôte meals on this menu cost twice as much as they did on yesterday’s Hiawatha menu. Fish, ham, or turkey are $2 each, while a sirloin steak was $3. Yet on the a la carte side “pan fresh fish” was only 5¢ more than on yesterday’s menu.

Click image to download a 3.2-MB PDF of this menu, which was provided by Brian Leiteritz.

Today’s menu is dated November 1947, while I dated yesterday’s to 1946. Inflation between the two years was only about 14 percent, but the railroad was clearly responding to several years of price controls. Between 1942, when such controls were put in place, and late 1947 inflation was about 50 percent. Of course, it is quite likely that the railroad was able to offer larger portions or higher quality dishes in 1947 than the year before, when there were worldwide fears of food shortages.

Click image to download a 410-KB PDF of this envelope, which was provided by Brian Leiteritz.

The bottom of the left side of the menu says, “Steward will furnish an envelope for patron desiring to mail this menu.” Above is an envelope that might have been provided.