Dining on trains: why is the experience so different across Europe?

There is an interesting split in the philosophy of how to eat on a train in Europe. Some countries have dining cars with proper sit-down restaurants, whilst others offer standing-only café-bars. Anyone with an idealised vision of French food who dreams of French onion soup at 300km/h through Burgundy is bound to be disappointed when all they get is a voiture-bar on a TGV Duplex. They will likely have to make do with a microwaved croque-monsieur at best.

Read more.