Tipping on Amtrak

[Steve P.]

As a superliner roomette customer, I am wondering if tipping is allowed and/or expected?

 

[Shortline]

As a superliner roomette customer, I am wondering if tipping is allowed and/or expected?

This is a popular topic on the board. Yes, it is allowed, and somewhat expected. I think you'll find the average, is $5-$10/night on board to the Sleeping Car Attendant for reasonable service, a buck or so when buying drinks in the lounge (If I'm having several, I tip a buck every other drink usually), and tip the same in the diner as you would at any dining establishment, typically 15%-20% of the total cost of the meal (what you WOULD have paid, had the cost of the meal not been included in your sleeper). If you use a redcap in a station, they too earn tips, again depending on the service they provide, usually between $3-$7 or so.

 

[Guest]

Some people do, some people don't.

If they think you are a good mark they might encourage you.

Amtrak pays a living wage with good benefits so you are not screwing anyone by not tipping.

 

[Steve P.]

As a superliner roomette customer, I am wondering if tipping is allowed and/or expected?

This is a popular topic on the board. Yes, it is allowed, and somewhat expected. I think you'll find the average, is $5-$10/night on board to the Sleeping Car Attendant for reasonable service, a buck or so when buying drinks in the lounge (If I'm having several, I tip a buck every other drink usually), and tip the same in the diner as you would at any dining establishment, typically 15%-20% of the total cost of the meal (what you WOULD have paid, had the cost of the meal not been included in your sleeper). If you use a redcap in a station, they too earn tips, again depending on the service they provide, usually between $3-$7 or so.

Thank you. That helps out tremendously.

 

[Shortline]

As a superliner roomette customer, I am wondering if tipping is allowed and/or expected?

This is a popular topic on the board. Yes, it is allowed, and somewhat expected. I think you'll find the average, is $5-$10/night on board to the Sleeping Car Attendant for reasonable service, a buck or so when buying drinks in the lounge (If I'm having several, I tip a buck every other drink usually), and tip the same in the diner as you would at any dining establishment, typically 15%-20% of the total cost of the meal (what you WOULD have paid, had the cost of the meal not been included in your sleeper). If you use a redcap in a station, they too earn tips, again depending on the service they provide, usually between $3-$7 or so.

Thank you. That helps out tremendously.

No problem. By the way, I sent you a welcome PM. Welcome to AU!

 

[Tumbleweed]

If you want to give them a reason to remember you, stock up on 2 dollar bills and dollar gold coins to use for tips....I do that, and you usually get a positive remark about them...

 

[shelzp]

I tip about $20 a day because I have them bring my meals to my roomette.

 

[Steve P.]

Some people do, some people don't.

If they think you are a good mark they might encourage you.

Amtrak pays a living wage with good benefits so you are not screwing anyone by not tipping.

I'm certainly glad to hear that Amtrak pays a living wage! Thanks for the info.

 

[Steve P.]

As a superliner roomette customer, I am wondering if tipping is allowed and/or expected?

This is a popular topic on the board. Yes, it is allowed, and somewhat expected. I think you'll find the average, is $5-$10/night on board to the Sleeping Car Attendant for reasonable service, a buck or so when buying drinks in the lounge (If I'm having several, I tip a buck every other drink usually), and tip the same in the diner as you would at any dining establishment, typically 15%-20% of the total cost of the meal (what you WOULD have paid, had the cost of the meal not been included in your sleeper). If you use a redcap in a station, they too earn tips, again depending on the service they provide, usually between $3-$7 or so.

Thank you. That helps out tremendously.

No problem. By the way, I sent you a welcome PM. Welcome to AU!

Thanks for the welcome. I'm assuming a 'welcome PM' is a 'welcome Personal message' . If so I'm not sure where to find the personal messages.

 

[guest]

Some people do, some people don't.

If they think you are a good mark they might encourage you.

Amtrak pays a living wage with good benefits so you are not screwing anyone by not tipping.

Would that that were still true. After many years with Amtrak, I will probably be leaving soon, partly because I don't have enough seniority to hold a "tipped" job (sleeper or diner), and my net average check working coach 50 plus hours per week is less than the national minimum wage. I guess if I lived in Nebraska or something the cost of living would be less, but there is no OBS crew base any place that I can afford to live. ANYwhere.

 

[Ozark Southern]

As a superliner roomette customer, I am wondering if tipping is allowed and/or expected?

This is a popular topic on the board. Yes, it is allowed, and somewhat expected. I think you'll find the average, is $5-$10/night on board to the Sleeping Car Attendant for reasonable service, a buck or so when buying drinks in the lounge (If I'm having several, I tip a buck every other drink usually), and tip the same in the diner as you would at any dining establishment, typically 15%-20% of the total cost of the meal (what you WOULD have paid, had the cost of the meal not been included in your sleeper). If you use a redcap in a station, they too earn tips, again depending on the service they provide, usually between $3-$7 or so.

Thank you. That helps out tremendously.

No problem. By the way, I sent you a welcome PM. Welcome to AU!

Thanks for the welcome. I'm assuming a 'welcome PM' is a 'welcome Personal message' . If so I'm not sure where to find the personal messages.

Top right corner of any page, click the arrow next to your username, select "messenger (x new)," where x is the number of unread messages in your inbox.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

I only tip for meals, never for snacks and drinks.

I cant afford to spend too much on tips. :mellow:

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Some people do, some people don't.

If they think you are a good mark they might encourage you.

Amtrak pays a living wage with good benefits so you are not screwing anyone by not tipping.

I'm certainly glad to hear that Amtrak pays a living wage! Thanks for the info.

Of course they pay enough money for the attendants to live, but I think you should still give $5/night. Just what people are "supposed" to do in a Sleeper.

 

[Guest]

Some people do, some people don't.

If they think you are a good mark they might encourage you.

Amtrak pays a living wage with good benefits so you are not screwing anyone by not tipping.

Would that that were still true. After many years with Amtrak, I will probably be leaving soon, partly because I don't have enough seniority to hold a "tipped" job (sleeper or diner), and my net average check working coach 50 plus hours per week is less than the national minimum wage. I guess if I lived in Nebraska or something the cost of living would be less, but there is no OBS crew base any place that I can afford to live. ANYwhere.

On Amtrak's website and there is a train attendant position listed right now with a starting salary of $17.48/hr (and then benefits on top of that). I would say that is good pay for customer service work that requires little skill.

 

[lthanlon]

When traveling in a sleeper, I'll always tip the car attendant $20 a day if he or she is attentive and helpful. Only once have I not tipped an SCA -- and he didn't seem to mind because not only was he nowhere to be seen during the trip, he left quickly upon arrival at our destination.

I tip the Sightseer Lounge snack bar attendant at least $1 per purchase, often more if he or she has been particularly helpful. (As in saving the last Jack Daniel's miniature for me on the correct assumption I'd be back for it in about a half hour.)

I tip the servers in the Dining Car, as well. I tip about 20 percent on the price I would have paid if I weren't getting the meal included in my sleeper fare. What's especially troubling to me are the large number of passengers -- most of whom are in sleepers -- who do not tip at all. I have also seen some passengers move tips left by others to make it appear that they have left the money themselves. This is why I now hand my tip directly to my server. If my server isn't in sight, I'll give it to the lead attendant and explain why I do this.

On one or two occasions, I've left a substantial tip for my server. A few months back on a Western long-distance train, a high-school kid traveling alone was clearly counting out every penny and deciding what he could afford to eat. I had considered telling the young man I'd buy him whatever he wanted, but that would have appeared unseemly. Anyway, the server picked up on the kid's situation and told him dinner was on her. I gave this kind woman a $40 tip on top of what I left for own meal. Over the years, I've often seen servers give an extra ice cream so a family can afford to have dessert for all the kids, and they also will give folks a free soda now and again. This stuff is inventory and the servers must pay for it. Seeing this kindness for strangers always moves me to tip well.

If I'm traveling coach, I also tip the attendant a couple of bucks as I leave the train. These folks have an especially tough job and if they've done it with good humor and kindness, I appreciate it.

And, of course, I tip the Red Cap or shuttle driver, if I use those services.

For the most part, the Amtrak employees I meet on board more than earn the tips I give them.

What Amtral pays any of these folks is never an issue with me -- and I don't consider it any of my business. My decision to leave a tip is a social contract between me and the service provider.

 

[the_traveler]

1336611729[/url]' post='366478']

1336587104[/url]' post='366372']

1336578372[/url]' post='366317']Some people do, some people don't.

If they think you are a good mark they might encourage you.

Amtrak pays a living wage with good benefits so you are not screwing anyone by not tipping.

Would that that were still true. After many years with Amtrak, I will probably be leaving soon, partly because I don't have enough seniority to hold a "tipped" job (sleeper or diner), and my net average check working coach 50 plus hours per week is less than the national minimum wage. I guess if I lived in Nebraska or something the cost of living would be less, but there is no OBS crew base any place that I can afford to live. ANYwhere.

On Amtrak's website and there is a train attendant position listed right now with a starting salary of $17.48/hr (and then benefits on top of that). I would say that is good pay for customer service work that requires little skill.

Also remember that the "good rate" includes only the hours that you're "on the clock". The clock does not start until passengers board (I think), and ends when the train. Hits the bu more at the end off the run. It doesn't matter if the car is not cleaned - or for a sleeper all the beds are made! You're off the clock, but it must be done. And you may be away from home for a week or more!

Most servers at a restaurant work 8 hours or so - and go home to their own beds. On a train, the server starts before 6 AM and works until like 9 or 10 PM - gets some sleep and does it all over at 6 AM! And may be away a week or more!

So that still is a "reasonable wage"?

 

[jebr]

Some people do, some people don't.

If they think you are a good mark they might encourage you.

Amtrak pays a living wage with good benefits so you are not screwing anyone by not tipping.

Would that that were still true. After many years with Amtrak, I will probably be leaving soon, partly because I don't have enough seniority to hold a "tipped" job (sleeper or diner), and my net average check working coach 50 plus hours per week is less than the national minimum wage. I guess if I lived in Nebraska or something the cost of living would be less, but there is no OBS crew base any place that I can afford to live. ANYwhere.

On Amtrak's website and there is a train attendant position listed right now with a starting salary of $17.48/hr (and then benefits on top of that). I would say that is good pay for customer service work that requires little skill.

Also remember that the "good rate" includes only the hours that you're "on the clock". The clock does not start until passengers board (I think), and ends when the train. Hits the bu more at the end off the run. It doesn't matter if the car is not cleaned - or for a sleeper all the beds are made! You're off the clock, but it must be done. And you may be away from home for a week or more!

Most servers at a restaurant work 8 hours or so - and go home to their own beds. On a train, the server starts before 6 AM and works until like 9 or 10 PM - gets some sleep and does it all over at 6 AM! And may be away a week or more!

So that still is a "reasonable wage"?

It's certainly a decent wage. Let's say that every week they do a full roundtrip on the Zephyr, and they do that 50 weeks a year. That's 102 hours a week on the train (assuming from the time the passengers get on until they get off) at $17.48/hr, which equals $1782.96 each week, or $89,148 a year (with two weeks off). Even if they have to clock out for eight hours a day (and there's two nights each way), that's still 70 hours a week, $1223.60 a week, or $61,180 a year (with two weeks off). That seems like a decent salary, even considering that they're away from home much of the time.

Now, if they do less time, then they'll get paid less, but for a relatively unskilled position, that's good pay. May not be worth the tradeoff for being away from home so much, but it's not a low wage by any stretch.

For comparison, there were a couple of stocking/loading jobs for a local grocery store posted in the local paper that were $12.48/hr and $15.??/hr. (the higher paid one required more lifting.) Considering those require working some nights and weekends also, a $17.48/hr wage is not bad.

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

 Keep in mind that your CZ example should reflect the working calendar that the OBSC uses. Zephyr crews generally work 6 days on, 8 days off. So your figures are definitely too high. 

 

[oldtimer]

Those reasonable wages on Amtrak not only include the down time that is mentioned but they employees also pay 3.9% of their wages to railroad retirement. Those generous benefits come with health plan that has a $200+ per month premium copay and copays for every use of services.

 

[jebr]

Keep in mind that your CZ example should reflect the working calendar that the OBSC uses. Zephyr crews generally work 6 days on, 8 days off. So your figures are definitely too high.

Fair enough. I did not realize that (I expected it was much like other service jobs where you work most days of the week.) So yeah, $44,500ish a year is definitely a much lower wage. Still, that's not bad for starting pay in a non-terribly-skilled position (and I don't believe it requires a college degree). Not great, but definitely better than trying to scrape by on minimum wage.

Also, normally a person who works more than 40 hours a week gets overtime pay of time and a half (I think that's federal law, though it may also be 48 hours). If so, that's another $10,000 or so they're making (since half of their time would be at time and a half pay.)

 

[amamba]

It would be interesting to know that the average amtrak OBS employee makes as their salary for the year, assuming that they do something like 6 days on, 8 days off. I think anything in the $30K-$45K range is really quite good considering that the job is mostly customer service and does not require a college degree. And of course the benefits are good. There are thousands of people in this country that don't have access to employer sponsored retirement plans or employer sponsored health care and would jump at the chance to get an employer health plan with $200/month premiums.

 

[roomette]

It's a never ending source of entertainment to me how indignant those who tip get, over those who don't.

 

[jebr]

More to the point of the question:

I'm not sure tipping should be expected for some Amtrak employees. I guess, for me, I'd liken the conductor much to the status of flight attendant on an aircraft, which tipping them wouldn't cross my mind. (They also have to worry about the safety of the train, but I don't tip an airline pilot, either.) Now, if the conductor goes above and beyond, then s/he would get a tip.

In a sleeping car, I'd liken it to tipping as though it was a hotel stay. Tip the attendant as you would a hotel room cleaner (though, if you normally don't tip the room cleaner, it wouldn't hurt to tip the attendant.)

I probably wouldn't normally tip the server in the lounge car unless they go above and beyond. If they do that, then probably either $1 or 10%, whichever's larger.

The dining car I would treat as a restaurant. 20% is my personal starting point for tips, and I go up or down based on the service (a decent server would get 20%, but I'm not afraid of tipping 15% or 25-30% where warranted.) If it's included in your ticket, consider your ticket as a Groupon of sorts...tip based on the original price, not on the reduced/free price!

Never used a redcap myself, but I suppose that could be likened to a bagboy (though also tip a minimum of a couple dollars, even if you don't have any bags).

I consider that the fact that the difference between working in a stationary building and Amtrak is considered in their salary (as evidenced here), so that aspect doesn't seem to warrant an additional tip beyond what I'd give their hotel/restaurant counterparts...after all, they decided to work on a train over a hotel or restaurant!

However, this is my two cents and my own personal opinion.

 

[amtrakwolverine]

Tipping has become a taboo topic on this forum. Some say you should tip others say you should not cause the employees get paid well and have it easy etc etc. It's a never ending debate.

 

[OBS]

Keep in mind that your CZ example should reflect the working calendar that the OBSC uses. Zephyr crews generally work 6 days on, 8 days off. So your figures are definitely too high.

Fair enough. I did not realize that (I expected it was much like other service jobs where you work most days of the week.) So yeah, $44,500ish a year is definitely a much lower wage. Still, that's not bad for starting pay in a non-terribly-skilled position (and I don't believe it requires a college degree). Not great, but definitely better than trying to scrape by on minimum wage.

Also, normally a person who works more than 40 hours a week gets overtime pay of time and a half (I think that's federal law, though it may also be 48 hours). If so, that's another $10,000 or so they're making (since half of their time would be at time and a half pay.)

Amtrak OBS employees are exempt from federal overtime laws. The negotiated overtime rate (time and a half) is paid only after working 185 hours in a calendar month. And if you are on the extra list Amtrak can remove you from the list, for the month, one you have reached the magic 185 hour mark if they so wish.