# Tipping etiquette for food brought to your room?



## rainpants (Oct 8, 2015)

How much do you usually tip for food brought to your room? And do you tip upon delivery or cleanup, or add it to the amount you give your attendant at the end of the trip?


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## NW cannonball (Oct 8, 2015)

I tip whatever I'd tip for a restaurant meal. Plus or minus good, so-so, bad or annoying service.

I keep the food-service tip in mind at the end-of-trip tip -- but separate from the SCA tip.

"Never tip" cultures are OK by me, but I pay in "tip cultures" on the principle of "if you annoy me - learn your job - "


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## FormerOBS (Oct 8, 2015)

You are the customer. Tipping is at your discretion, so everything about tipping is your choice. The amount, and when to give it, are up to you. While it is not required, it is a firmly established tradition, and is certainly appreciated by those who do the work on your behalf.

Tom


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## crabby_appleton1950 (Oct 8, 2015)

I had read to tip when upon 'cleanup'.

When the SWA (?) had delivered the food, she quickly thrust the large bag at me, saying "There you go", and quickly disappeared.

She didn't return for three hours, and wanting to make space in my roomette, I did what the couple in the roomette across from me did
which was to place the large white bag with the food trash on the floor at the door to my roomette.

When the SWA did return, she quickly walked by and scooped up the the bags and kept going.

So I gave her the tip when she switched my roomette into night mode.


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## rrdude (Oct 8, 2015)

Looking for what others tip? Minimum $5.00 for me, Easily $10. Why one or the other? Great attitude, delivery within time frame of your requested time, AND, does the TA-S just "drop off the paper bag" with your meal in it? OR, do they pretty much open your table, and at least set out the food on the table, ask "Is there anything else...." yada, yada, yada,......

You know what I mean, do they at least TRY go that extra mile? Some guests are MORE than happy to just have the meal delivered in the paper bag. I know when I used to deliver meals "upstairs", I'd go out of my way to open the boxes, (ask first, some guests don't want you "touching" near their food) unwrap napkins, place on lap....brought her a bud vase with carnation, etc., etc.

This one senior citizen was soooo impressed, she gave me $20 EACH TIME I brought her meal, and that was in 1978(?), from Chicago to LAX! (She skipped a meal or two, but I still made like $100 *just from her! * Very memorable customer for me!)

I only did a ta few trips as a TA-S, before I switched to being a watier, (I hated the fact you had to stay up, and train and de-train pax at O'Dark Thirty) but I certainly realized how much a TA-S *could make* in tips, if they went that extra mile. Even bought a simple shoe-shine kit in LA, for the return trip, as several pax had put their shoes in the little box, but I had nothing to shine them with on the outbound trip.


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## rrdude (Oct 8, 2015)

crabby_appleton1950 said:


> I had read to tip when upon 'cleanup'.
> 
> When the SWA (?) had delivered the food, she quickly thrust the large bag at me, saying "There you go", and quickly disappeared.
> 
> ...


I think for "SWA" you mean, TA-S, which stand for "*T*rain *A*ttendant-*S*leeper". Old, old, old days, they were called "Porters". Many simply use the abbreviation SCA for "*S*leeping *C*ar *A*ttendant" now.........


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## crabby_appleton1950 (Oct 8, 2015)

rrdude said:


> I think for "SWA" you mean, TA-S, which stand for "*T*rain *A*ttendant-*S*leeper". Old, old, old days, they were called "Porters". Many simply use the abbreviation SCA for "*S*leeping *C*ar *A*ttendant" now.........


I would benefit from a list of Amtrak acronyms. What's the diference between "Train Attendant-Sleeper" and Sleeping Car Attendant"?


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## rrdude (Oct 9, 2015)

crabby_appleton1950 said:


> rrdude said:
> 
> 
> > I think for "SWA" you mean, TA-S, which stand for "*T*rain *A*ttendant-*S*leeper". Old, old, old days, they were called "Porters". Many simply use the abbreviation SCA for "*S*leeping *C*ar *A*ttendant" now.........
> ...


Nothing, only the name. TA-S, is IIRC, Amtrak's "official" title for that job. (Or the Union's title)


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## FormerOBS (Oct 9, 2015)

As a long-time Amtrak employee, I never heard the acronym SCA (Sleeping Car Attendant) until I started to frequent this forum. Perhaps it is used on Amtrak in other parts of the country. Officially, the title is Train Attendant -- Sleeper. In my personal opinion, SCA has a more natural feel to it.

Regarding tips, I was at a family-style restaurant last night and saw that the two women at a nearby table ran up a $40 bill, and tipped the waitress an insulting $1.50. This server waited on me as well. I normally pay attention to the little things that servers do, and I had observed that this waitress served them, and me, courteously, with a friendly demeanor. She was prompt and accurate, and checked on her customers often enough to ensure good service, but not so often as to become a pest. In short, she did her work in a manner that warranted a decent tip.

My bill was about $12, and I tipped her $5. This would normally be a bit more than expected, but I felt bad for her. On my way out, I told her I had seen what happened, and assured her it wasn't her fault.

Tom


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## Bob Dylan (Oct 9, 2015)

Yep, its sad that so many people walk around in commas ignoring those that work so hard serving others as a way to make a living!

I'm retired on a fixed income and I appreciate good, friendly service and tip accordingly!

Probably the least tipped and appreciated service workers are the maids in Hotels!

Most travelers are either cheapskates or unaware at how poorly service workers are paid for their hard work!

Cue "She works Hard for the Money!"


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## rrdude (Oct 9, 2015)

I'm guilty when it comes to hotel housekeeping staff... 

However, if I ever stay more than one night, I ALWAYS use the "Do Not Disturb" door hanger, or somehow let them know I don't wish to have maid service.

Hell, I make my own bed at home, use the same towel at home for week or more, and can "find" the trash can for my trash. Beside, not washing all that bedding and towels saves the hotel a nickel or two, and can't be bad for the environment either.


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## alan_s (Oct 9, 2015)

FormerOBS said:


> As a long-time Amtrak employee, I never heard the acronym SCA (Sleeping Car Attendant) until I started to frequent this forum. Perhaps it is used on Amtrak in other parts of the country. Officially, the title is Train Attendant -- Sleeper. In my personal opinion, SCA has a more natural feel to it.
> 
> Regarding tips, I was at a family-style restaurant last night and saw that the two women at a nearby table ran up a $40 bill, and tipped the waitress an insulting $1.50. This server waited on me as well. I normally pay attention to the little things that servers do, and I had observed that this waitress served them, and me, courteously, with a friendly demeanor. She was prompt and accurate, and checked on her customers often enough to ensure good service, but not so often as to become a pest. In short, she did her work in a manner that warranted a decent tip.
> 
> ...


I understood AMTRAK service staff are well paid, unlike service staff in US restaurants. Am I mistaken?

In my country this service would be expected as normal good work practice for the wage being paid and a tip would not be expected unless service was exemplary: "this waitress served them, and me, courteously, with a friendly demeanor. She was prompt and accurate, and checked on her customers often enough to ensure good service, but not so often as to become a pest."


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## FormerOBS (Oct 9, 2015)

We've had this discussion before. You are right, at least partly. In this country, hospitality workers --- particularly food servers --- are often very poorly paid, and the deficit is expected to be made up by the customer through tips. That doesn't always happen, unfortunately. In comparison with others in the hospitality industry, Amtrak workers receive a pretty good wage. However, Amtrak onboard workers are not paid for every hour on the train. For example, the Auto Train schedule calls for the employees to arrive for work between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm on day 1, depending on the job assignment. The employee is away from home and family until released at 9:00 am on day 3 (if the train is on time). That's 43 to 45 hours. The employee is actually paid for only about 27-29 hours per trip (depending on the job assignment). These times may have changed recently, but they are close.

While the hourly wage is pretty decent in absolute terms, and in comparison with wages paid to others in the food service and hospitality industries, it should be obvious to anybody who has recently gone shopping that the Amtrak worker is not getting rich in today's economy.

I have said before that, per Amtrak policy, the passenger does not have an obligation to tip. However, tipping on trains is traditional in the U.S. and is a way for the customer to thank the employee for good, attentive service, and for putting up with all the personal sacrifices that an onboard employee makes in the natural course of a day working in this unique and demanding environment.

If a passenger neglects to tip an Amtrak employee, I can forgive it much more easily than I can forgive the skinflint women mentioned above, who couldn't find more than $1.50 in their overstuffed purses, for the hardworking waitress who gave them such good, attentive service.

By the way, whenever I took advantage of a motel day room for a rest on my layovers, I always left a tip for the cleaning person, as well as the van driver.

Tom


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## me_little_me (Oct 10, 2015)

FormerOBS said:


> We've had this discussion before. You are right, at least partly. In this country, hospitality workers --- particularly food servers --- are often very poorly paid, and the deficit is expected to be made up by the customer through tips. That doesn't always happen, unfortunately. In comparison with others in the hospitality industry, Amtrak workers receive a pretty good wage. However, Amtrak onboard workers are not paid for every hour on the train. For example, the Auto Train schedule calls for the employees to arrive for work between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm on day 1, depending on the job assignment. The employee is away from home and family until released at 9:00 am on day 3 (if the train is on time). That's 43 to 45 hours. The employee is actually paid for only about 27-29 hours per trip (depending on the job assignment). These times may have changed recently, but they are close.
> 
> While the hourly wage is pretty decent in absolute terms, and in comparison with wages paid to others in the food service and hospitality industries, it should be obvious to anybody who has recently gone shopping that the Amtrak worker is not getting rich in today's economy.
> 
> ...


Tom,

While everything you say is true and I almost always tip sleeping car attendants (one really terrible one just didn't deserve anything), the information about Amtrak attendants' pay and hours leave something unsaid. No employee who travels on business gets paid for their time away from home even lower-paid hourly blue collar workers who are sent out of town on a project. They are only paid for working hours although they (usually) get paid for meals and lodging (sometimes having to share rooms) and possibly a higher hourly rate. It's only the top people that get big bonuses, stock options, first class travel, unlimited meal expenses, high class hotels and other "expenses" for doing their jobs.

I don't know how Amtrak's pay compares to the Alaska Ferry, owned by that state where living expenses can be very high, but ferry employees including dinner servers and cabin attendants are prohibited by state law from accepting tips. That law is made clear to them and their customers by signs on every table in the dining room.


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## FormerOBS (Oct 10, 2015)

That may be very true. I don't know how other traveling workers are paid in other jobs. My point was not to compare the Amtrak OBS situation with anybody else's. I simply wanted to say that a traveling worker at Amtrak is away from home and family for a lot more hours than the paycheck reflects, If other workers in other jobs have the same situation, then I speak in their behalf when I say this is not right. Either pay the employee for 100% of the time away from home, or increase the hourly wage to an amount that provides reasonable compensation in lieu of those unpaid hours. If Amtrak workers are paid more than other traveling workers, it does not say anything particularly good or bad about Amtrak or Amtrak employees. Rather, it says something very bad about those other employers.

For myself, I'm not complaining. After my Amtrak career, I have a modest home in a nice, but fairly inexpensive smallish city. I drive a Ford Fiesta. I still have a mortgage to pay. I have a 401-K, but it's not a particularly big one because the Company never provided matching funds for non-Management employees. I have not had to dip into it so far because I have a pension that pays my bills and allows me a few comforts. As the years go by, my expenses will increase as I get older. I think I'll be able to hold my head above water and have a decent retirement. Nowadays, service worker and traveling workers who make less than I did (and they are legion) will have a hard time keeping up with my modest life style. I feel very sorry for them. They spend a lifetime doing hard and thankless work, and deserve better. Tips for Amtrak employees are a nice courtesy, and I always appreciated them. Tips for those others mean a lot more.

This not fact. This is opinion, based on fact. Some folks will disagree, and that is their right.

Tom


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## Asher (Oct 12, 2015)

I agree tips should be handed out cheerfully for service rendered, but, I'm reminded of a trip coming back from Cabo San Lucas where I almost tipped the pilot as I passed him at the cockpit door upon exiting the plane. I was so used to tipping for services as is the custom in Mexico.


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## Cho Cho Charlie (Oct 18, 2015)

NW cannonball said:


> I tip whatever I'd tip for a restaurant meal. Plus or minus good, so-so, bad or annoying service.


Agreed.

Figure out how much your meal would have cost, if you paid for it at prevailing Amtrak menu prices. For table service, tip 15%. For room service, tip 20%. And as adjust a bit up or down, based on personalized service you have received or not received.

Though, I have to mention, SCA's have many other duties and many other passengers they are serving too. Don't hold it against them, if your meal isn't delivered at exactly the time you specified/demanded.


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## VentureForth (Oct 21, 2015)

And I don't care what Uber says - Tip your Uber driver! They may make OK money, but their expenses are far far greater.

/highjack


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