Dinner Train cancels all rides for 2024 and victims are still waiting for their money.
Dinner Train, the Oisterwijk company known for its unique dining experience in a moving train, is in dire straits. The company has decided to cancel all rides for the rest of the year, sparking anger and disappointment among customers who have been waiting in vain for months for refunds for their canceled bookings. Moreover, the company's employees also complain that they have not received a salary for a long time. The situation has led to a flood of negative comments on social media, with customers accusing the company of fraud and mismanagement.
The problems at Dinner Train are not new. A few weeks ago, the company came under fire after several rides were canceled at the last minute, without customers getting their money back. For example, the rides in Eindhoven and Breda were canceled, much to the frustration of guests who were looking forward to a special dining experience. The disappointment only increased when it became apparent that, despite previous commitments, the company was temporarily unable to refund affected customers.
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Director Tim Beltz acknowledged at the time the problems, but strongly denied that there was any fraud. “We're just asking for a little time,” he stated in an earlier response. According to Beltz, Dinner Train is experiencing staffing issues in customer service, which he believes is the cause of the delays in responding to emails and processing refunds. He emphasized that the company normally runs 135 times a year and that only six trips have been canceled, but that customer criticism is understandable. “We are doing everything we can to get back to riding in Brabant quickly,” he added, in an attempt to calm minds.
However, the situation appears to be more serious than initially suggested. Research by Omroep Brabant at the beginning of this month showed that Dinner Train employees are also heavily affected by the company's financial problems. Many of them have been waiting for their salaries for weeks or even months. The outstanding amounts vary from 400 euros to 3500 euros per person. This is especially distressing because most employees work as self-employed and are often students who depend on this income. The non-payment has caused them major financial problems.
Dinner Train's customers and employees have largely lost their confidence in the company. Affected customers openly express their frustration on social media and accuse the company of defrauding unsuspecting guests. Some are even calling for legal action to get their money back. The situation is made worse by the lack of communication from Dinner Train, leading to speculation about the future of the company and whether the company will ever deliver on its promises.
Beltz emphasized in his latest statement that the company is doing everything it can to organize rides again and restore the situation. He mentioned the hope of being able to plan an additional trip from Eindhoven later this year as a sign of their goodwill. However, this promise offers little comfort to customers who are still waiting for their money or to employees who cannot pay their bills.
The future of Dinner Train is therefore extremely uncertain. While the company was once praised for its innovative concept and successful rides throughout the Netherlands, it now seems to be sinking under the weight of its own financial problems and a growing group of dissatisfied customers and employees. It is still unclear whether the company can still get out of this crisis, but public confidence seems to be in short supply for the time being.
