meals included in bedroom, are all entrees free regardless of price?

[rrdude]

Tipping is never required.

True. Though not uncommon to be put off at the next stop if you don't.

Say what?

 

[DanaE]

That last post was so not helpful to a new rider, it's not even funny! :angry:
I have never seen anyone thrown off the train because they did not tip the Dining Car server. And one of the last questions regarded tipping the SCA. Since you don't tip the SCA (if in fact you chose to do so) until you are getting off at your destination, I myself would not mind "being thrown off at the next stop"! You're getting off the train at that stop anyway and when you hand the SCA a tip you're most likely already on the platform! Or do they tie you into a seat and carry you for free to the next station? :huh:

A waitress from a New York Chinatown restaurant chased me two blocks because I forgot to leave a tip. It was an honest mistake because I was semi-drunk, but not as drunk as my three co-workers who were twice as drunk. She said " you didn't tip, was something wrong?" Realizing what she meant, I apologized and gave her two $20 bills. ($10 more than what the 20% tip should have been) She mumbled something that sounded like "drunk cheapskate" so I yelled at her. She turned around and I demanded to get the extra $10 back. She reached into her pocket and gave me 10 $1 bills and walked away angry. Like I said, I was pretty drunk at the time. (having downed two bottles of beers, which was my limit)

How is this story related to Amtrak? If I didn't give her the tip, I think she might have chased us all the way to Penn Station! (which was where we were headed at the time, to catch a train back to DC)

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

That last post was so not helpful to a new rider, it's not even funny! :angry:
I have never seen anyone thrown off the train because they did not tip the Dining Car server. And one of the last questions regarded tipping the SCA. Since you don't tip the SCA (if in fact you chose to do so) until you are getting off at your destination, I myself would not mind "being thrown off at the next stop"! You're getting off the train at that stop anyway and when you hand the SCA a tip you're most likely already on the platform! Or do they tie you into a seat and carry you for free to the next station? :huh:

And if you are at the end of line you have to go all the way back to START and begin again!

 

[train_person]

That last post was so not helpful to a new rider, it's not even funny! :angry:
I have never seen anyone thrown off the train because they did not tip the Dining Car server. And one of the last questions regarded tipping the SCA. Since you don't tip the SCA (if in fact you chose to do so) until you are getting off at your destination, I myself would not mind "being thrown off at the next stop"! You're getting off the train at that stop anyway and when you hand the SCA a tip you're most likely already on the platform! Or do they tie you into a seat and carry you for free to the next station? :huh:

I thought it was funny. No sense of humour some people, too busy worrying about getting their toes chopped off walking between cars....

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Allow me to make one point clear. Meals on Amtrak are not free. Sleeper passengers have the cost of the meal(s) included in their ticket price. You pay for the food, whether you eat any meals or not. It is what I refer to as a silent transaction.

Aren't they subsidized by the goverment in the end?

 

[TVRM610]

Just to be fair I have not tipped SCA's and dining car staff. I don't tip if zero effort is made. No one even so much as glanced at me.

I almost always tip SCA's cause I usually get good ones it seems.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Just to be fair I have not tipped SCA's and dining car staff. I don't tip if zero effort is made. No one even so much as glanced at me.
I almost always tip SCA's cause I usually get good ones it seems.

Agree with this. I don't like all this tipping on Amtrak, I'm already splurging a lot of money for a train ticket, then I still have to pay more?

 

[dlagrua]

Just a tip from a regular train traveler. When we go to breakfast, lunch or dinner in the dining car, we observe the costs of each item on the menu. We add everything up and get a value for that meal then tip 20% IF the service is up to par. All times it has been good, but if the service stunk, we would probably leave less. While we regularly leave a 20% tip, you'd be surprised how many cheapskates dine on the rails for dinner and leave $2.00. I've seen this a few times and it seems especially prevalent on the Autotrain. For reasons unknown that's where the most stingy riders are. We regularly see seniors on the A/T during wine and cheese hour, stealing several snack bowls and empting them in a big bag like an animal. They take those chemical ridden salty snacks back to their rooms and stuff themselves on that unhealthy fattening crap. You would think that this was their last meal!

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Just a tip from a regular train traveler. When we go to breakfast, lunch or dinner in the dining car, we observe the costs of each item on the menu. We add everything up and get a value for that meal then tip 20% IF the service is up to par. All times it has been good, but if the service stunk, we would probably leave less. While we regularly leave a 20% tip, you'd be surprised how many cheapskates dine on the rails for dinner and leave $2.00. I've seen this a few times and it seems especially prevalent on the Autotrain. For reasons unknown that's where the most stingy riders are. We regularly see seniors on the A/T during wine and cheese hour, stealing several snack bowls and empting them in a big bag like an animal. They take those chemical ridden salty snacks back to their rooms and stuff themselves on that unhealthy fattening crap. You would think that this was their last meal!

You must be paying a lot in tips! But you don't really cover Amtrak's costs for the tips since the diner crews still get their regular pay. So it wouldn't really matter what the cost of our meal was, but how good the service was.

I save money whenever possible, but I wouldn't pack five snack bags for myself. Let's all be fair here.

 

[OBS]

Just a tip from a regular train traveler. When we go to breakfast, lunch or dinner in the dining car, we observe the costs of each item on the menu. We add everything up and get a value for that meal then tip 20% IF the service is up to par. All times it has been good, but if the service stunk, we would probably leave less. While we regularly leave a 20% tip, you'd be surprised how many cheapskates dine on the rails for dinner and leave $2.00. I've seen this a few times and it seems especially prevalent on the Autotrain. For reasons unknown that's where the most stingy riders are. We regularly see seniors on the A/T during wine and cheese hour, stealing several snack bowls and empting them in a big bag like an animal. They take those chemical ridden salty snacks back to their rooms and stuff themselves on that unhealthy fattening crap. You would think that this was their last meal!

Ahh yes, the snack stealers are still at it huh? You should see them when they get near the teabags and the splenda.....

 

[Trainmans daughter]

Just a tip from a regular train traveler. When we go to breakfast, lunch or dinner in the dining car, we observe the costs of each item on the menu. We add everything up and get a value for that meal then tip 20% IF the service is up to par. All times it has been good, but if the service stunk, we would probably leave less. While we regularly leave a 20% tip, you'd be surprised how many cheapskates dine on the rails for dinner and leave $2.00. I've seen this a few times and it seems especially prevalent on the Autotrain. For reasons unknown that's where the most stingy riders are. We regularly see seniors on the A/T during wine and cheese hour, stealing several snack bowls and empting them in a big bag like an animal. They take those chemical ridden salty snacks back to their rooms and stuff themselves on that unhealthy fattening crap. You would think that this was their last meal!

Ahh yes, the snack stealers are still at it huh? You should see them when they get near the teabags and the splenda.....

I see you've met my sister!

 

[DanaE]

Just a tip from a regular train traveler. When we go to breakfast, lunch or dinner in the dining car, we observe the costs of each item on the menu. We add everything up and get a value for that meal then tip 20% IF the service is up to par. All times it has been good, but if the service stunk, we would probably leave less. While we regularly leave a 20% tip, you'd be surprised how many cheapskates dine on the rails for dinner and leave $2.00. I've seen this a few times and it seems especially prevalent on the Autotrain. For reasons unknown that's where the most stingy riders are. We regularly see seniors on the A/T during wine and cheese hour, stealing several snack bowls and empting them in a big bag like an animal. They take those chemical ridden salty snacks back to their rooms and stuff themselves on that unhealthy fattening crap. You would think that this was their last meal!

With all due respect, you should not make comments like that about seniors, unless you promise not to do the same when you're 80 years old! Perhaps I should re-visit this thread in 50 years?

I always tip 20% at restaurants. I've been in the restaurant biz and I know waiter do not get paid more than 2 or 3 bucks an hour. Tips are REQUIRED. People who don't tip are basically getting the waiter's service and not paying for it. If people don't want to tip, they can go next door to Golden Corral or McDonald's.

On the other hand, I'm pretty sure Amtrak dining car waiters and SCAs get regular salaries. How much do they make an hour? If it's anything more than the average minimum wage, I'm not going to leave them 20%. It's just not fair to the people who work in restaurants.

 

[TVRM610]

Just to be clear... I do tip for good service! My past trip on the Empire Builder last week I tipped my SCA $40. And I typically tip $2, $3, $5 for diner meals ( breakfast, lunch, dinner) if the service is good. And many times it is. But if the waitress scolds the passenger across from me for filling out the sleeping car info wrong (as the waitress on the Coast Starliht did) i am not leaving any tip at all. I have no problem tipping for good service... But I'm not going to tip for bad service.

 

[railiner]

While I never got to enjoy Fred Harvey Service on the Santa Fe or early Amtrak, I fondly recall taking many a meal as a small lad at the Fred Harvey Oasis located along the Illinois Tollway around Chicago. The Oasis still remain today but have become fast food havens.
http://www.panix.com/~rbean/oasis/

Thanks for that link to the Oasis Rest Stop histories....I especially liked that 1960 era interior photo showing the waitresses in their 'Harvey Girls' uniform's.....I remember that when dining at one of them back then....might have been the similar one at the Chicago Skyway toll plaza......

IIRC, "Mr. Fred" also had restaurants at O'Hare back then.........

And the closest one to the East Coast was the restaurant in Cleveland Union Terminal.....

Anyone remember seeing an obscure old TV movie from 1964, called "Nightmare In Chicago"? It had a lot of scenes shot in one of those original Oasis Restaurants....

 

[Meat Puppet]

I dont mind lounge sleepers at all. I mind 6 people taking up 18 seats at 10pm on the TE and the conductors doing nothing about it.

They should all be terminated for allowing this.

http://www.flickr.co...N02/8998557692/

Link not working

 

[Ryan]

They should be terminated for enforcing made up rules that don't exist?

Don't think so.

Now bringing the topic up in a separate thread? That's a firing offense.

 

[DanaE]

They should be terminated for enforcing made up rules that don't exist?

enforcing made-up rules is the favorite hobby of every government agency(local, state, federal, post office, even Amtrak)

 

[DanaE]

I dont mind lounge sleepers at all. I mind 6 people taking up 18 seats at 10pm on the TE and the conductors doing nothing about it.They should all be terminated for allowing this.

http://www.flickr.co...N02/8998557692/

can't see the pix...

 

[Ryan]

They should be terminated for enforcing made up rules that don't exist?

enforcing made-up rules is the favorite hobby of every government agency(local, state, federal, post office, even Amtrak)

Disagree.

And Amtrak isn't a government agency.

 

[amamba]

Just a tip from a regular train traveler. When we go to breakfast, lunch or dinner in the dining car, we observe the costs of each item on the menu. We add everything up and get a value for that meal then tip 20% IF the service is up to par. All times it has been good, but if the service stunk, we would probably leave less. While we regularly leave a 20% tip, you'd be surprised how many cheapskates dine on the rails for dinner and leave $2.00. I've seen this a few times and it seems especially prevalent on the Autotrain. For reasons unknown that's where the most stingy riders are. We regularly see seniors on the A/T during wine and cheese hour, stealing several snack bowls and empting them in a big bag like an animal. They take those chemical ridden salty snacks back to their rooms and stuff themselves on that unhealthy fattening crap. You would think that this was their last meal!

With all due respect, you should not make comments like that about seniors, unless you promise not to do the same when you're 80 years old! Perhaps I should re-visit this thread in 50 years?

I always tip 20% at restaurants. I've been in the restaurant biz and I know waiter do not get paid more than 2 or 3 bucks an hour. Tips are REQUIRED. People who don't tip are basically getting the waiter's service and not paying for it. If people don't want to tip, they can go next door to Golden Corral or McDonald's.

On the other hand, I'm pretty sure Amtrak dining car waiters and SCAs get regular salaries. How much do they make an hour? If it's anything more than the average minimum wage, I'm not going to leave them 20%. It's just not fair to the people who work in restaurants.

Tips are never required - that is why it is a tip.

That being said, I always tip at restaurants. If the service is particularly poor I will tip 15% and leave a note that the tip reflects the poor service.

Now, what I don't understand how tipping an amtrak employee in the dining car 20% isn't fair to those that work at restaurants. Folks who work in land based restaurants are welcome to apply for amtrak jobs if they think it is so cushy. But IMO, the job of an amtrak server is much more difficult than that of a land based server. So I will continue to tip amtrak servers approx 20% of the value of the meal - if they do a good job.

You are welcome to tip whatever you think is fair for their performance.

 

[zepherdude]

Just a tip from a regular train traveler. When we go to breakfast, lunch or dinner in the dining car, we observe the costs of each item on the menu. We add everything up and get a value for that meal then tip 20% IF the service is up to par. All times it has been good, but if the service stunk, we would probably leave less. While we regularly leave a 20% tip, you'd be surprised how many cheapskates dine on the rails for dinner and leave $2.00. I've seen this a few times and it seems especially prevalent on the Autotrain. For reasons unknown that's where the most stingy riders are. We regularly see seniors on the A/T during wine and cheese hour, stealing several snack bowls and empting them in a big bag like an animal. They take those chemical ridden salty snacks back to their rooms and stuff themselves on that unhealthy fattening crap. You would think that this was their last meal!

Ahh yes, the snack stealers are still at it huh? You should see them when they get near the teabags and the splenda.....

I see you've met my sister!

My Mother retired and started hangin out with other retired folks. I came home to find she had picked up senior habits. She took me to dinner and taught me how to save money.

1. Take the salt/peppers first

2. Never leave, sugar packets, diet sugar and ALWAYS take the jelly packets

3. When a spoon goes down the disposal, replace it with one from the restaurant. They have so many they will never miss it.

4. Always stock up on peppermint candies at the cash register.

5. Take leftovers, never leave anything on your plate. If the plate can be lifted, do it.

I raised hell! What was she thinking, I wanted to know what gang she was hanging with.

She got over her 5 finger discount ways of life. She is proly rippin off angel dust from the Almighty now.

 

[the_traveler]

And who do you think pays for all the "free stuff that she took ... because they have so many and won't miss it"? :huh: You guessed it - other customers, because the prices are raised!

As an aside, you may think gas station owners make a lot of money because gas sells for $3-$5 per gallon. Do you know how much of that the station owner gets? Usually $.01 a gallon! (If lucky, $.02 a gallon!) I do tax returns for a friend who owns gas stations, so I know these are correct. That is why you see many gas stations selling other items too. That is where they make their profit.

 

[Bob Dylan]

"Five Finger Discounts" are NEVER Appropriate! When I was in the Navy our Chow Hall had a Sign that said "Take All you want BUT Eat All You Take! (No "TO GO" Service!) It's not just Seniors that seem to Load up on stuff in Resturants, I see College Students and Families doing it all the Time, (Napkins/Plastic Silverwear, Salt, Sugar, Pepper, Ketchup and Salsa Packs etc.)and as has been said, there is No Free Lunch!, someone has to Pay, and the someone is ALL of Us! :help:

Stealing by any Other Name is still Stealing!

 

[nferr]

I always tip 20% in reataurants. No way I'm tipping 20% on Amtrak. Big difference between a waiter making minimum wage and living on tips versus an Amtrak union employee probably earning triple that wage. I leave about 10% on Amtrak.

 

[rrdude]

I always tip 20% in reataurants. No way I'm tipping 20% on Amtrak. Big difference between a waiter making minimum wage and living on tips versus an Amtrak union employee probably earning triple that wage. I leave about 10% on Amtrak.

Except it's wayyyyyyyyyy easier to be a waiter on "land", vs. on a traveling train, trust me, I've done both. Not saying that waiters who work on "land"don't work hard, most do. But you just can't compare the two, I mean you can, but one has to take all the variables into consideration. There have been multiple threads on this, so I won't go into detail, but suffice to say:

• Amtrak's wait staff make a very good wage, for good reason.
• I personally believe that one should tip exactly the same on board, as one would tip on "land". if the service was lacking, then tip less, or don't, or write a note. If the service was superior, then tip accordingly.

Being away from home for days on end, with limited resources and down-time, "Always on" when in front of customers, can't really relax when off duty (take in a movie, go to a bar, pick up kids from school, cut the grass, etc., etc., etc.) are things that "land-based" waiters take for granted..