posted
Always tip the person who delivers you food in the dining car(15-20%).
I just shoved 20 singles into my pocket to tip any other Amtrak employee who shows me a grain of kindness. I don't generally do this, but it seems like a clever way to make friends, don't you think?
Posts: 324 | From: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Don't "always tip" - only tip for reasonable or better service. Poor, slow, or surly service deserves a tip of nothing.
Generally the 3 people you might tip are the servers in the diner, your sleeping car attendant (if applicable, about $5-10 per night depending on how helpful/friendly they are), and the lounge car steward ($1 is usually enough per day if you only buy a few things). But it's entirely up to you.
I fully agree with the "clever way to make friends" statement, however I have been lambasted in the past on this forum for stating that!
Tip for each meal. Opinion on when to tip sleeping car attendants varies, but I give about $5 each night after they make the bed. That way they remember me better than if I tipped upon leaving the train at my destination!
Geoff M.
[This message has been edited by geoffm (edited 12-16-2003).]
Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
On my recent 9-day cross country Amtrak trip I took some advice from these wonderful board members and tipped as follows: 1$ for breakfast, 2$ for lunch, and 3-4$ for dinner, and always tip at the end of that meal, not at the end of the train trip. For the sleeping car attendant usually an average of $5 per day (also tip at the end of the trip), although I did have one guy almost never showed up for 2 days and I wound up making my own bed and putting it back up in the morning, so he got nothing. And what 'geoffm' said about not tipping for bad service...AMEN! If they provide good or excellent service, tip them accordingly. If they provide poor or rude service...ZIP! Nothing, no tip. And don't be shy or feel bad about it. And I stopped by the bank before I went and got a lot of those gold 1$ coins and $2 bills and it made them remember me even more so.
[This message has been edited by dmwnc1959 (edited 12-16-2003).]
Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well I'm sitting in coach, so then do I tip the coach attendent and is it only like if he helps with bags or if he checks on me or what?
Also for the food, do I leave on the table or hand it too him..does it matter?
So is there like a jar for tips for the cafe or lounge area or do I hand it to them? Oh and I thought the lounge was just the site seeing area..they have people that serve you food there too?
Also you say it's best to tip after each thing instead of when the trip is over?
I have been hearing about those coins and $2 bills.. what's so special about them? Do I have to have them?
[This message has been edited by Midnight Sky (edited 12-16-2003).]
Posts: 22 | From: California | Registered: Nov 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm not sure about tipping the folks in coach. If they help you on and off with your heavy luggage or provide extra nice service, sure tip them a buck or two also. I heard one member ask a train attendant to watch over his laptop and digital camera while he slept and tipped him extra. Best to tip at the end of each meal in case you get a different server the next meal...I always enjoy handing it to them so that I can tell them how much I appreciate them being there. In the cafe car the attendant usually has a tip jar, I throw in the loose change or a bill if I buy a lot of stuff. The gold 1$ coins (tip for breakfast) and $2 bills (one for lunch, and 2-2$ for dinner) are just different in apprearance and not common, and some of them appreciated getting something they viewed as collectable coinage. No, you don't have to use them, you can use any paper money and coins, they appreciate any tips received :-) I only used them because I was on the train for up to 3 days at one stretch on my 9-day trip and wanted them to remember me...and they did! I stopped by the bank and picked up 10 gold coins and $20 worth of 2$ bills and was set to go.
[This message has been edited by dmwnc1959 (edited 12-16-2003).]
Posts: 497 | From: Clarksburg, West Virginia | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
As cool as those "gold" coins are, a roll of them could be quite heavy. Two dollar bills are nifty, but might be excessive for a young man on a budget who just wants to express his thanks for having his bag lifted upon the train.
Actually, you pose some interesting questions. There are definitely some people out there who are so far gone that they will steal a tip.
This is the way I see it. Tips are definitely appreciated by those who receive them. If you tip generously at dinner, the waitress who greets you in the morning will put a little extra effort into accommodating your needs and desires.
When I leave a tip, I wait until I see the waitress make her rounds, approaching my table. Then I put the money down, make eye contact, smile, say thank you and leave.
When I give an attendant or serviceman a dollar tip, I am very conscious of the fact that I'm being somewhat cheap. For this reason, I make eye contact, I press the dollar into his hand and I say, "Thanks for your help, go buy yourself a coke."
That's how I handle the situation.
Posts: 324 | From: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA | Registered: Jan 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Food is not served to you in the lounge car. The food vending area is on the lower lever. A lounge car attendant is behind a counter which usually has a tip jar (on the lower level in superliners). When the attendant takes breaks, the vending area is closed off.
I have usually tipped there with each purchase when I had the change so that my average tip per purchase would come out to the amount I chose. I think of it as similar to tipping a bartender.
Your server in the dining car is not the one who collects your money on the tab; it is some sort of in-charge person or chief of something. Money can be left on the table for the server like in a restaurant.
I would guess tipping coach attendants is not very common, therefore not expected. But it seems like a great idea. Nowdays they have 2 or 3 coaches to take care of, so you do not see them often. These people should not be tipped less because they are spread so thin.
I have a little travel pillow that stuffs into a small pouch sold at camping stores. It takes up very little space and when combined with the little Amtrak pillow, I can pretty much pad myself where needed to sleep in coach. My sleeping attire is a hooded sweatshirt and loose clothing for comfort. I consider it nesting as opposed to reclining. White sox will not stay white on a train floor and you should always move about in slippers or shoes.
Backpacks are good, easier to stow overhead and leave a suitcase down in the luggage area.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
All good advice. I just might add a bit. For tipping in the dining car, just treat it as you would any other restaurant. The diner is just a restaurant on wheels.
I agree that tipping competent coach attendants is a good idea, especially with overnight trips. I like to give them a dollar or two. These guys and gals work very hard (often covering two or more cars) and get little recognition. Their faces really light up when you give them a small token of appreciation.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
posted
The Conductor, as distinct from an Attendant, is not tipped. That would be like a cruiseship passenger attempting to tip the Captain (I'll bet some dunderhead has tried).
Posts: 9979 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
On my last Amtrak Trip, I tipped the following for each meal:
Breakfast - $8.75 - Tip $2.00 Lunch - $8.50 - Tip $2.00 Dinner - $22.00 - Tip $6.00
I know it's customary to tip 15% but oh well. For me, the above examples are usually the norm that I tip when in the Dining car. On the Federal where I had a Sleeper, I gave the attendant $5.00 when I got off in Boston. In the Cafe Car, I usually leave a small tip every time I make a purchase, say, a $1.50 Diet Pepsi, I leave the 50 cents change from $2.00 in the tip cup. Tipping is entirely up to you but keep in mind that if you get good service, you should always leave a good tip.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
