I would never tip in advance.
Good, I always count on being different and if there were more like me I might not get the special service that I like when I am the ONLY one tipping in advance.I would never tip in advance.
Does this apply to the dining car?Good, I always count on being different and if there were more like me I might not get the special service that I like when I am the ONLY one tipping in advance.
I like my meals in my bedroom.Does this apply to the dining car?
That certainly solves that.I like my meals in my bedroom.
My tips are always in cash. As a single I fall into the $2-3 for breakfast, $3-4 for lunch and $5+ for dinner. Depends a lot on the service received. In a bedroom my SCA gets $5-$10 per night if service with beds, ice etc is timely. More if help with luggage ( almost never happens), extra blankets, friendly, engaging, etc. Ive had some really good ones lately. As far as the Cafe goes I walk down and grab my own beer and he/she rings it up. That's just a cashier and Ill give them the half a dollar change and that's it. If i purchased food I'd tip a little more.
I always just hand the tip to the attendant shortly before arrival or when leaving the train.Where do you leave the tip for the SCA who services your roomette/bedroom? In the room?
Same here. I usually try to give it before arrival because I'm not busy getting my bag and detraining.I always just hand the tip to the attendant shortly before arrival or when leaving the train.
I always just hand the tip to the attendant shortly before arrival or when leaving the train.
Yes I do the same. Many come by the room on arrival and ask if i need any help with bags. Rarely get help when boarding. I always have a backpack and a carry on suitcase. I ask them to take the suitcase.As I leave the train, I give my SCA my tip. If the SCA attendant offers to help with removal of my carry-on stuff, he/she will receive a bit more as I depart.
Yes I do the same. Many come by the room on arrival and ask if i need any help with bags. Rarely get help when boarding. I always have a backpack and a carry on suitcase. I ask them to take the suitcase.
Or, the other unscrupulous way of dealing with it if you wanted to take the high road and not be a total jerk, rake the other guys tip over to your sideIn my experience, most people leave cash on the table. I usually order wine with dinner and that allows me to place a gratuity on the payment card tip line (for which I do the anticipated tips for all of my meals for the following day, since I don't order alcohol with breakfast or lunch).
I will note that I am often seated out of ordering sequence so that my dining companions receive their meals and finish them first. They will often excuse themselves to go back to their rooms or the lounge leaving me to finish my meal alone (perfectly fine with me). I mention this because they usually leave a cash tip behind and if I were unscrupulous, I could easily pocket it without either them or the diner car staff knowing.
It happens so often that if I were leaving a cash tip, I would attempt to give it to the dining car attendant who serviced my table just in case.
It is sort of odd dealing with tips on the 421/422 through Chicago - LA sleeper on the Texas Eagle because the sleeping car attendants change in San Antonio instead of working the whole route. I guess you should tip the attendant sometime in the evening before arrival in San Antonio and before they go off duty and then tip the new attendant for their service at the end of the trip.
The SCA on the #422 Sleeper now stays aboard from SAS-FTW, but moves to the Thru Coach as an attendandt as the New SCA takes over the #422 Sleeper from SAS-CHI.I have done this trip once. The LA to San Antonio SCA was about two cans short of a six pack, but the SCA from SA to Ft Worth was great, so he got a double tip.
Yes, I've thought about that as well. That would be the more likely option for someone who was a little shady, but not a complete scoundrel.Or, the other unscrupulous way of dealing with it if you wanted to take the high road and not be a total jerk, rake the other guys tip over to your side
I hadn't ridden yet in any train that has gone to contemporary/flex dining, and wonder how others are doing tipping for long distance trains that've gone to that? Since it's only airplane like food, not sure if I'd want to tip, unless say a server was providing me with coffee or other drink refills.
Since the word TIPS means "To Insure Prompt Service" I always slip the SCA a $10 bill when boarding. Tips raised me so I know the importance of them.As others have pointed out when this subject has come up before, isn't "tipping in advance" more akin to a bribe?
There is no evidence that using tip to mean gratuity was derived from any acronym and payment before service is more of a bribe anyway.Since the word TIPS means "To Insure Prompt Service" I always slip the SCA a $10 bill when boarding. Tips raised me so I know the importance of them.
You may have heard that the few hundred year old definition of “tip”, as referring to gratuity, comes from “To Insure Promptness” or similar backronyms, but this isn’t correct. In fact, pretty much anytime you’ve ever heard of a word that originated before the 20th century coming from an acronym, you can be almost certain that it isn’t true.
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