Tipping Question

[ScottC4746]

I need advise. As EVERYONE knows my first long haul is comming up in 26 days not that I am counting or anything...I was going to take little envelopes of gratuities so I can pull that envelope for that meal. I am naturally a heavy tipper since I used to be in the industry, while I know they get paid far better than a waiter in a real restaurant. I took the most expensive item on the menu and a beverage and based the tip on that. For example: Pot Roast Pot Pie $7.25 and soda $1.50 = $8.75, therefore I would tip $2; dinner Beef Tenderloin $18.50 and wine $8.00 and Chocolate Pyramid $4.00 = $30.50 so that would be $7.

According to Emily Post:

Dining or Club Car Waiter: 15-20% of the bill never less than a quarter.

Waiter delivering to sleeping car: 15-20% of the bill. I will say here that the poor wait staff is at the mercy of the chef, ANYWHERE! Train, ship, or real restaurant they have no control over how something is cooked. Having toured the galley during National Train Day yesterday, the chef has at his disposal ovens, a griddle which looks like a metal flat well..table top. Heat is distributed to the entire surface and depending on the model, they can adjust the temperature to any section within reason. On this is cooked usually bacon, pancakes, stir fry items, and yes even the chickn breast and flat iron steaks. Chef also has a microwave.

Redcap or train porter $1 per bag, plus $1 added to the total

Sleeping car porter $2 per person per night.

Bartender (cafe car attendant): This gets tricky: $1 per drink, but if they run a tab (having never traveled in the Pacific Parlor I don't know if they offer that) 15-20%...if they throw in an extra drink or two free (doubtful on Amtrak) than add $1 - $2.

She does note that these amounts are standard and to tip more if the service is special.

 

[Hanno]

I need advise. As EVERYONE knows my first long haul is comming up in 26 days not that I am counting or anything...I was going to take little envelopes of gratuities so I can pull that envelope for that meal. I am naturally a heavy tipper since I used to be in the industry, while I know they get paid far better than a waiter in a real restaurant. I took the most expensive item on the menu and a beverage and based the tip on that. For example: Pot Roast Pot Pie $7.25 and soda $1.50 = $8.75, therefore I would tip $2; dinner Beef Tenderloin $18.50 and wine $8.00 and Chocolate Pyramid $4.00 = $30.50 so that would be $7.
According to Emily Post:

Dining or Club Car Waiter: 15-20% of the bill never less than a quarter.

Waiter delivering to sleeping car: 15-20% of the bill. I will say here that the poor wait staff is at the mercy of the chef, ANYWHERE! Train, ship, or real restaurant they have no control over how something is cooked. Having toured the galley during National Train Day yesterday, the chef has at his disposal ovens, a griddle which looks like a metal flat well..table top. Heat is distributed to the entire surface and depending on the model, they can adjust the temperature to any section within reason. On this is cooked usually bacon, pancakes, stir fry items, and yes even the chickn breast and flat iron steaks. Chef also has a microwave.

Redcap or train porter $1 per bag, plus $1 added to the total

Sleeping car porter $2 per person per night.

Bartender (cafe car attendant): This gets tricky: $1 per drink, but if they run a tab (having never traveled in the Pacific Parlor I don't know if they offer that) 15-20%...if they throw in an extra drink or two free (doubtful on Amtrak) than add $1 - $2.

She does note that these amounts are standard and to tip more if the service is special.

IMHO these guidelines are a good place to start. Tipping the SCA seems a little low. I have gone more than double the amount recommended when excellent and caring service was provided!

 

[Upstate]

IMHO these guidelines are a good place to start. Tipping the SCA seems a little low. I have gone more than double the amount recommended when excellent and caring service was provided!

2 bucks seems fine to me. The standard for cabin stewards on cruise ships is $3.5 per day and the majority of their income is from tips. SCA get a good living wage so tips are just extra.

 

[jmbgeg]

I need advise. As EVERYONE knows my first long haul is comming up in 26 days not that I am counting or anything...I was going to take little envelopes of gratuities so I can pull that envelope for that meal. I am naturally a heavy tipper since I used to be in the industry, while I know they get paid far better than a waiter in a real restaurant. I took the most expensive item on the menu and a beverage and based the tip on that. For example: Pot Roast Pot Pie $7.25 and soda $1.50 = $8.75, therefore I would tip $2; dinner Beef Tenderloin $18.50 and wine $8.00 and Chocolate Pyramid $4.00 = $30.50 so that would be $7.
According to Emily Post:

Dining or Club Car Waiter: 15-20% of the bill never less than a quarter.

Waiter delivering to sleeping car: 15-20% of the bill. I will say here that the poor wait staff is at the mercy of the chef, ANYWHERE! Train, ship, or real restaurant they have no control over how something is cooked. Having toured the galley during National Train Day yesterday, the chef has at his disposal ovens, a griddle which looks like a metal flat well..table top. Heat is distributed to the entire surface and depending on the model, they can adjust the temperature to any section within reason. On this is cooked usually bacon, pancakes, stir fry items, and yes even the chickn breast and flat iron steaks. Chef also has a microwave.

Redcap or train porter $1 per bag, plus $1 added to the total

Sleeping car porter $2 per person per night.

Bartender (cafe car attendant): This gets tricky: $1 per drink, but if they run a tab (having never traveled in the Pacific Parlor I don't know if they offer that) 15-20%...if they throw in an extra drink or two free (doubtful on Amtrak) than add $1 - $2.

She does note that these amounts are standard and to tip more if the service is special.

Emily Post seems detached from reality on the sleeping car attendent tips. Compare what you say is a fair tip to the dining car staff with $2 per night for putting down and making up your sleeper bed(s), delivering towels and other amenities, and other assistance, and there is a major disconnect with a $2 tip. I pay $10-20 per long distance trip.

 

[caravanman]

It seems to me that you should relax and enjoy the fun of the trip.. You are the fare paying passenger, and it is up to the crew to be deserving of whatever tip you feel like giving. I understand that in America tips are pretty much expected no matter how shoddy the service, this is not something I feel happy with myself. I find having plenty of 1 dollar bills works well for tips, just leave a couple after each meal in the dinner. For tips after purchases under $5 at the cafe car, just leave your small change.. they mostly have a plastic cup on the counter to catch this change! I give $10 to $20 to the sleeper attendant, but only if they do a proper job. I feel the original Emily Post quotation might be from years ago? Above all, do what you feel comfortable with yourself.

Ed B)

 

[AlanB]

It's more generally recommended that your sleeping car attendant, having done a good job, should get $5 per night if you're traveling alone. The amount should be raised if there are others with you in the room.

And again. that assumes that they've done their job. Above and beyond should see an increase in the amount and failure to do the job should see less or even none, if they did nothing.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

I am naturally a heavy tipper since I used to be in the industry, while I know they get paid far better than a waiter in a real restaurant.

With the hours the onboard service crew works, it's really hard to compare their wages directly to any other type of job.

 

[ScottC4746]

It seems to me that you should relax and enjoy the fun of the trip.. You are the fare paying passenger, and it is up to the crew to be deserving of whatever tip you feel like giving. I understand that in America tips are pretty much expected no matter how shoddy the service, this is not something I feel happy with myself. I find having plenty of 1 dollar bills works well for tips, just leave a couple after each meal in the dinner. For tips after purchases under $5 at the cafe car, just leave your small change.. they mostly have a plastic cup on the counter to catch this change! I give $10 to $20 to the sleeper attendant, but only if they do a proper job. I feel the original Emily Post quotation might be from years ago? Above all, do what you feel comfortable with yourself.
Ed B)

Actually it is a 2004 edition that seems to be tipping the SCA 1954 tips.

 

[rrdude]

TIPS REVISITED:

SCA (Sleeping Car Attendant) should get at LEAST $10 per nite, if a single. BUT, only if they "earn" it. As much as I hate to tip for sub-standard service, I do give a "token" of at least $5.

I usually tip $10 upon boarding, and indicate that an equal or greater amount will be forthcoming at the end, should all go well. ("Hey take care of me while I'm on board, and I hit you again at the end..........") something like that.

Now, having been a SCA (and LSA, and waiter, and CA) I can tell you that the pax we (ok, me) hated to tend to were,....gulp, "us",...... yeah, railfans. OMG, they (we) can talk up a storm, take up precious down time, and generally were lousy tippers. Unless they were a bit older. Older the better. Had more money, and understood the need that working stiffs (SCA's) had for $$$.

Younger the pax, generally worse the tipper. I was lucky as a kid that my grandpa somehow instilled in me the necessity of tipping for good service. Well, I wasn't lucky, I guess the servers who waited on me were lucky. I used to budget tips as part of all the trips I used to take as a kid.

Don't TAKE ANY ADVICE from someone who has never waited tables, at least for a night, about tipping. "Walk a mile in their shoes first....."

Emily Post, Ann Landers, Dear Abby, and today's Ask Amy are all good references for tipping, just factor in inflation.......

 

[Guest]

I would say that generally you are correct but most young pax usually ride in coach and hang out in the lounge and spend their $$ on junk food in the cafe.In the case of fans(us!),probably experience should have taught us to tip according to the level of service provided.

Ive had great SCA(and coach attendants too who,as you know,have a hard job too,especially with more than one car to attend)and ones that disappear once you board!Some ask if youve ridden before,often we tell them if we will make up our own rooms because they have a full car and/or are busy with handicap/special needs families and senior citizens that deserve and need extra care!

I disagree about a $5 minimum for poor or no service!In that case they deseredly get nothing!You are correct about the fans wanting to chat and talk about trains,most LD OBS get very little down time and we should respect that!I know its much harder to be ab OBS on a train than work as a stteward on an airplane and they have hard jobs!

Id expect,and not to knock youngsters too much,that young folks havent been taught about ettiquite and are used to eating in fast food joints where tipping is not done and that most folks tend to think that Amtrak employees are high paid and dont deserve anymore!Of course this is not true!LOL

 

[Tony]

The standard for cabin stewards on cruise ships is $3.5 per day and the majority of their income is from tips. SCA get a good living wage so tips are just extra.

...Ive had great SCA(and coach attendants too who,as you know,have a hard job too,especially with more than one car to attend)and ones that disappear once you board!

...

I disagree about a $5 minimum for poor or no service!In that case they deseredly get nothing!

I just went on a cruise, and the cruise line automatically charges you the default/standard tips.

My cabin steward came by to introduce himself on our boarding day. I even had to sign his sheet to confirm he did. However, for the next 6 days never once did he stop by to see if everything was alright or if we needed something. Not once. Yea, the beds got made each day, but that's the very basic service. Because of that, I only left the very basic, default, tip "ride".

No additional personal service deserves no additional tipping.

In contrast, I tipped room service $5 the one morning we decided to enjoy breakfast in bed.

 

[rrdude]

The standard for cabin stewards on cruise ships is $3.5 per day and the majority of their income is from tips. SCA get a good living wage so tips are just extra.

...Ive had great SCA(and coach attendants too who,as you know,have a hard job too,especially with more than one car to attend)and ones that disappear once you board!

...

I disagree about a $5 minimum for poor or no service!In that case they deseredly get nothing!

I just went on a cruise, and the cruise line automatically charges you the default/standard tips.

My cabin steward came by to introduce himself on our boarding day. I even had to sign his sheet to confirm he did. However, for the next 6 days never once did he stop by to see if everything was alright or if we needed something. Not once. Yea, the beds got made each day, but that's the very basic service. Because of that, I only left the very basic, default, tip "ride".

No additional personal service deserves no additional tipping.

In contrast, I tipped room service $5 the one morning we decided to enjoy breakfast in bed.

And contrary to what I said in my previous post, there really is no "right or wrong" about tipping, it is up to the individuals. Those that don't choose to tip "properly" have to live in their skin. And, I probably made some generalizations too about young v. old.

More than once I was "given" the undesirable tables while working in the diner, and more often than not I'd get stiffed as expected, or just left a token tip, or what the truly frugal diner could afford.

But EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, the unexpected would happen, and the "little old lady" (or insert any generalization here) would drop me a $20 bill.

My best ever tip though was on the EB. I delivered every meal to a couple who could amble their way to the diner, but choose to eat "upstairs" in the deluxe bedroom. Each meal service they were more than generous with $10-$20 tip. But prior to detraining, the husband sought me out, and handed me a crisp $100 bill.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Several references here to the old etiquette books. I recommend that anyone who has an old etiquette book get it out, dust if off.

Can be interesting. I have a 1965 Amy Vanderbilt. Still uses words like "porter" for trains and "stewardess" for planes. Still talks about the different kinds of sleeping rooms. She is hung up on using the word "observation car" which would be better used with words like club car or lounge car. The observation car was a club-lounge at the end of the train and not all trains had them.

She talks about old section sleepers and the rules and customs involving that. About the roomette bed bringing it down yourself, etc. All of this pre-Amtrak.

All interesting.. just dig it out and dig in, you will probably be amused.

 

[Bob Dylan]

The standard for cabin stewards on cruise ships is $3.5 per day and the majority of their income is from tips. SCA get a good living wage so tips are just extra.

...Ive had great SCA(and coach attendants too who,as you know,have a hard job too,especially with more than one car to attend)and ones that disappear once you board!

...

I disagree about a $5 minimum for poor or no service!In that case they deseredly get nothing!

I just went on a cruise, and the cruise line automatically charges you the default/standard tips.

My cabin steward came by to introduce himself on our boarding day. I even had to sign his sheet to confirm he did. However, for the next 6 days never once did he stop by to see if everything was alright or if we needed something. Not once. Yea, the beds got made each day, but that's the very basic service. Because of that, I only left the very basic, default, tip "ride".

No additional personal service deserves no additional tipping.

In contrast, I tipped room service $5 the one morning we decided to enjoy breakfast in bed.

And contrary to what I said in my previous post, there really is no "right or wrong" about tipping, it is up to the individuals. Those that don't choose to tip "properly" have to live in their skin. And, I probably made some generalizations too about young v. old.

More than once I was "given" the undesirable tables while working in the diner, and more often than not I'd get stiffed as expected, or just left a token tip, or what the truly frugal diner could afford.

But EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, the unexpected would happen, and the "little old lady" (or insert any generalization here) would drop me a $20 bill.

My best ever tip though was on the EB. I delivered every meal to a couple who could amble their way to the diner, but choose to eat "upstairs" in the deluxe bedroom. Each meal service they were more than generous with $10-$20 tip. But prior to detraining, the husband sought me out, and handed me a crisp $100 bill.

And deservedly so IMHO!Sounds like you were/are one of those OBS we all like to have on our trips!I still maintain that Amtrak is missing the boat by having an unofficial policy of not hiring "foamers" but taking inexperienced/young folks who either have never had a job or have worked in McJobs that emphasize turnover/maximizing profits and provide little or no training in customer service or manners!Yes,jerks have always been around but sadly there are just as many pax who are rude and uncaring and chronic complainers!A smile,a positive attitude and obvious love of service goes a long way in any customer service job!Thanks for a report from the front lines, for letting us "walk a mile in his shoes"!

 

[Trainmans daughter]

Using the ideas previously presented on the forum, we decided that $5 per person per night was a good tip for our SCA. However, on the first leg of our journey (CZ from SAC to CHI), we were privileged to have Lawrence as our SCA. He was absolutely fantastic. Always there when we needed something. He was very nice to our granddaughter who was in charge of tipping. She left a $20 bill on her bed every morning.

Then there was Janelle on our return CZ trip. She left a little treat and Amtrak souvenier on our granddaughter's bed every night when she turned down the covers. She took pride in "her car" and made each of her passengers feel special. She was tipped $20 after the first night and $30 as we deboarded after the second night.

I have sent Amtrak a commendation for both of these great people.

Our luck on the CL was not so great. We had to hunt down Larry (nicknamed "Lazy Larry") when we wanted to have the beds made up. It was after 10 pm and we found him in the diner. He seemed surprised that we wanted to go to bed. "Already?" he responded. Remember, we had a 7 year old with us. She tipped him $15 and thought that was too much. The SCA on our return CL trip was so unremarkable that we can't even remember his name.

In the dining car, we tipped as we would in any restaurant-- 20%.

 

[NetJetAmtrak]

When I have traveled on LD trains, I always get a sleeper. I have gone the haul a few times in coach but it is always tough to sleep hearing the doors open all night between cars. But, I would always tip a min of 5 to 10 for each meal in dining car and gave the car attendant 40 when I got off in Chicago.