Tipping questions and ......

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Planning to take my meals in my roomette, do I tip when the meal is brought to me -- or when it is picked up after I eat?

Is $5 an appropriate amount?

I'll have a red cap shuttle me between the SWC - LAX lounge - and Pacific Surfliner. How much do I tip per ride?

Since meals are included with my roomette, does that include 'sides'?

For example, if I order an omelette for breakfast, can I also include a side of sausage?

I am such a novice train rider.
Doh.gif


Thanks
 
Planning to take my meals in my roomette, do I tip when the meal is brought to me -- or when it is picked up after I eat?

Is $5 an appropriate amount?

I'll have a red cap shuttle me between the SWC - LAX lounge - and Pacific Surfliner. How much do I tip per ride?

Since meals are included with my roomette, does that include 'sides'?

For example, if I order an omelette for breakfast, can I also include a side of sausage?

I am such a novice train rider.
Doh.gif


Thanks
You can tip either when it's brought to you or when they pick up the tray. It's up to you. I tip based on the actual price of the meal, like I would in a restaurant, but some people tip a set amount per meal.

Redcaps are usually tipped $2-5, depending on how many bags you have.

Your meals include sides, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverages. The only thing you have to pay for is alcohol, such as wine with dinner.
 
You can tip either when it's brought to you or when they pick up the tray. It's up to you. I tip based on the actual price of the meal, like I would in a restaurant, but some people tip a set amount per meal.
Redcaps are usually tipped $2-5, depending on how many bags you have.

Your meals include sides, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverages. The only thing you have to pay for is alcohol, such as wine with dinner.
Thanks. Sounds like I should get a wad of fives and ones from a bank prior to my trip. :)
 
Tipping on a train is one of those things you'll get 100 different answers for from 100 different people. Some of it's probably generational, some of it's probably just us old geezers stuck living in the past, some of it might be regional, some this, some that.

The last time I had a meal delivered to me from the dining car was in 2003 and I tipped $2 per person specifically for that. Nowadays $5 might or might not be more expected. But keep in mind that unless this has changed, it's your car attendant who brings you the meal and you'll be tipping him/her at the end of the trip anyway (or the beginning, should you feel that will get you better service that way). It seems a little ridiculous to give a car attendant up to $60 in total tips for 2 people on a 2 day ride on a train, unless they act as your personal butler for the entire trip. But some people probably do this, when all is said and done.

Car attendants (whether coach, sleeper or dining car) are *not* like servers in a restaurant in that they do not make sub-minimum wage with the expectation that tips should make the bulk of their earnings. So I still feel that tips on a train should not be expected but should be earned, and don't need to be excessive. You give 18% in a restaurant because that's literally your server's salary, and the rest of your bill goes to the food costs and overhead. But your ticket and taxes are already paying an Amtrak car attendant's salary - the tip is something extra you give for exceptionally good service.
 
On LD trains for meals brought to/cleared from your roomette - keep it simple. Round up/down to avoid coins.

For example - per person:

Breakfast - 20% tip, $4. Entree, side, coffee, 2nd beverage.

Lunch - 20% tip, $5. Entree, side, beverages, dessert, plus tips for any alcoholic beverages.

Dinner - 20% tip, $8, plus tips for any alcoholic beverages. Entree, side, beverages, dessert.

You could include the meal tips with a one time tip you deem appropriate for the level of service your SCA provides, but I would let the SAC know up front that is what I intend to do.
 
Not a specific response to OP's question but I heard something on my trip this week that I had not heard before. When the LSA made the announcement over the PA about meals in the dining car, he concluded by saying "and sleeper passengers your meals are included with your fare but it does not include alcoholic beverages or gratuities, which are appreciated."

I understand them wanting to remind about the alcoholic beverages, but I thought it was kind of a shameful plug for the tips. I always tip about $2 for breakfast, $3 for lunch, and $4-$5 for dinner, but I don't want Amtrak to become like a cruise line where gratuities are pretty much advertised as being mandatory.
 
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"I always tip about $2 for breakfast, $3 for lunch, and $4-$5 for dinner, but I don't want Amtrak to become like a cruise line where gratuities are pretty much advertised as being mandatory."

I use the same formula, but I often tip $3 for breakfast if the service is good. Breakfast is a difficult meal to serve well. I also get a bunch of $2 bills from the bank to save room in my wallet.
 
As someone who works for a popular grocery chain bagging groceries for a living I'll chime in. We earn it depending on the service we do for you. A tip on how to get better then usual service by a friend who is a SCA give five dollars before hand when you're boarding. So either school will work
 
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