minimum tip to leave so SCA doesn't realize I'm a cheapskate?

[AG1]

I haven't been here long, but I get that tipping is a bit of an issue...

As an Australian, we do not have a tipping culture at all.

Having read a bit here, would it be appropriate to tip $5 if I see the SCA, and $0 if I don't see them at all?

Welcome to the USA ! Years ago I met an Australian who was on a month long holiday in the USA . We toured Graceland in Memphis together. He expressed his frustration with having to tip on Amtrak. He said he spent over two hundred dollars in tips just going coast to coast on Amtrak in coach and eating in the diner. He had been led to believe by the internet, that one had to add a tip for service employees in the USA. I explained that there are no laws requiring tipping and it is 100% voluntary on his part. I explained that no one was going to hassle him if he didn't tip when he paid his bill in the diner.

I searched on the official Amtrak website and found this statement about tipping:

Please enjoy your holiday in the United States of America.

 

[CAMISSY55]

I've noticed a lot of non tippers while dining on the train, never have noticed a dine and dash, wondering if anyone else has.

 

[willem]

Tipping is never included.

[...]

There is no logical path which would lead a functioning adult to assume people are being silently tipped on their behalf at no specific cost to them.

Never is a long time.

From World of Hyatt terms, "Globalists will receive daily complimentary full breakfast (which includes one entrée or standard breakfast buffet, juice, and coffee, as well as tax, gratuity and service charges) for each registered guest in the room, up to a maximum of two (2) adults and two (2) children."

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Tipping is never included.

[...]

There is no logical path which would lead a functioning adult to assume people are being silently tipped on their behalf at no specific cost to them.

Never is a long time.

From World of Hyatt terms, "Globalists will receive daily complimentary full breakfast (which includes one entrée or standard breakfast buffet, juice, and coffee, as well as tax, gratuity and service charges) for each registered guest in the room, up to a maximum of two (2) adults and two (2) children."

Fair enough.

I hadn't considered the possibility that people in the dining car with Lonestar were members of a loyalty program and status rank that first entered into existence twenty days ago. :lol:

 

[jis]

Suffice it to say that I have seldom seen anyone leave a tip for a complementary breakfast at any hotel to date. Maybe those that are thoroughly indoctrinated at AU do.

 

[ehbowen]

Suffice it to say that I have seldom seen anyone leave a tip for a complementary breakfast at any hotel to date. Maybe those that are thoroughly indoctrinated at AU do.

On the other hand I have often left a dollar or so in the tip jar at a complimentary hotel continental breakfast, and when I used a business package at the Hyatt in Washington, DC in May 2012 (breakfast buffet included), I left the same gratuity as if I had paid full price for the breakfast.

 

[jis]

Sure, some do. But most don't. If all did then the jar would prove to be utterly too small As I said, the thoroughly indoctrinated ... Juuust kidding.

in case you happen to fly, do you tip the cabin crew too? Just wondering.

 

[ehbowen]

in case you happen to fly, do you tip the cabin crew too? Just wondering.

Don't give me ideas....

Seriously, no. I don't tip coach attendants on Amtrak either, nor do I normally tip cafe attendants (except for special services, such as complimentary hot water for my own tea or instant soup, or complex purchases). But if I were in an overnight berth or room with a personal attendant, I just might.

For me, tradition and culture does play a large part. Tipping of Pullman porters and waiters in all restaurants (moving or not) goes back almost as far as the institutions themselves, at least in the United States. While I recognize (and am glad) that Amtrak staff is well compensated and doesn't depend upon tips for their daily bread in the same way as a colored porter in the 1900s or an average restaurant waiter today, I still feel it appropriate to recognize and reward personal service. Impersonal service, such as the tip jars now sprouting up at Starbucks or Baskin-Robbins, not so much.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Not to be PC but "colored" is considered a Slur now, I know word usuage changes but Black still seems the appropriate word usage to me, much better than African-American since hyphenated words also seem inappropriate to me! YMMV

 

[jis]

in case you happen to fly, do you tip the cabin crew too? Just wondering.

Don't give me ideas....

Seriously, no. I don't tip coach attendants on Amtrak either, nor do I normally tip cafe attendants (except for special services, such as complimentary hot water for my own tea or instant soup, or complex purchases). But if I were in an overnight berth or room with a personal attendant, I just might.

For me, tradition and culture does play a large part. Tipping of Pullman porters and waiters in all restaurants (moving or not) goes back almost as far as the institutions themselves, at least in the United States. While I recognize (and am glad) that Amtrak staff is well compensated and doesn't depend upon tips for their daily bread in the same way as a colored porter in the 1900s or an average restaurant waiter today, I still feel it appropriate to recognize and reward personal service. Impersonal service, such as the tip jars now sprouting up at Starbucks or Baskin-Robbins, not so much.

Good point! I agree, and as I have stated further up in this thread, that tipping has a lot to do with tradition and feelings, and should not be viewed so much as a straight-jacket set of rules.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Suffice it to say that I have seldom seen anyone leave a tip for a complementary breakfast at any hotel to date. Maybe those that are thoroughly indoctrinated at AU do.

Depends on the hotel. Not much reason to leave a tip for microwave omelets at the Hampton or stale cinnamon roles at the Holiday Express. On the other hand I've had some pretty amazing breakfasts included with my hotels in Asia. At the risk of bragging the JW Khao Lak came with an included breakfast that was among the best I've had and easily worth another tip each and every day of my stay.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Excellent post Chris!

We're envious!

 

[willem]

Fair enough.

I hadn't considered the possibility that people in the dining car with Lonestar were members of a loyalty program and status rank that first entered into existence twenty days ago. :lol:

You said never. I gave one example. There may be others.

The same wording applied to the status rank that existed before World of Hurt.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Fair enough.

I hadn't considered the possibility that people in the dining car with Lonestar were members of a loyalty program and status rank that first entered into existence twenty days ago. :lol:

You said never. I gave one example. There may be others. The same wording applied to the status rank that existed before World of Hurt.

The only other example I could think of was cruise lines, which I don't even ride because sitting on a boat for three days in order to visit another country for six hours sounds borderline insane to me. But you're right, I said never, so fair play to you.

 

[Triley]

Suffice it to say that I have seldom seen anyone leave a tip for a complementary breakfast at any hotel to date. Maybe those that are thoroughly indoctrinated at AU do.

I do...especially if it's a place where you don't just clean up after yourself, but the staff does it for you? May only be a few dollars, but it's just how I was raised. I would shudder to think what some here might think about my tipping habits, given to me by my grandmother, or even worse my soon to be husband.

Say the subtotal comes to $38, and meal tax (in NH - 9%) brings it to $41.42? My would round up to the nearest 10th (including taxes), so $50, and tip 20% on that. So she'd leave a $10 tip on a $38 tab, so effectively a 26% tip, for typical service.

My boyfriend is even worse. Heaven forbid we get good service, I've seen him tip 30%+ on top of the total, which at times had included the wonderful 15% tax in Nova Scotia.

To each their own.

 

[Meat Puppet]

Whats the minimum amount of work a sleeping car attendant can do so the customer doesn't realize I am lazy?

what's the minimum amount of tip that I should leave so

the sleeping car attendant doesn't realize that I'm a

cheapskate? (on the CONO)

Thanks!