Dining & accommodation cars, should you tip?

[user 6862]

As a non American tipping in the US is a mystery to me, on a train even more so.

When travelling long distance with accommodation, should you tip in the dining car and for accommodation services?... and if so how much?

Thanks

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

If you are in Sleeper you should still tip even though the meals are included in price. I generally tip $3 for Breakfast, $3-4 for Lunch and $5 or so for Supper. If the service is top notch, then the tip goes up. As for your Sleeper Attendent, rule of thumb is $5 per person per night for average service, adjust up or down as needed.

In Coach the Attendent usually does not get a tip unless he does something special for you. In the Diner the 15-20% rule applies, and in the Lounge I usually kick a buck into the Kitty, again depending on how much I spend.

 

[the_traveler]

I agree with everything OH say.

To those that that say servers and attendants receive good wages, consider that a server at a land based restaurant may work like 7-3 and go home each night. On a train, the servers on a train work from 6 am to after 9 pm., and get to do the same the next day. And they may not get home for a week or more. Sleeping Car Attendants work basically 24 hours a day, and again may not get home for a week.

 

[Just+Sayin']

To those that that say servers and attendants receive good wages, consider that a server at a land based restaurant may work like 7-3 and go home each night. On a train, the servers on a train work from 6 am to after 9 pm., and get to do the same the next day. And they may not get home for a week or more. Sleeping Car Attendants work basically 24 hours a day, and again may not get home for a week.

Some people don't tip at all. It's not required. Amtrak employees who don't like that fact have the option to seek employment elsewhere.

 

[SP&S]

Some people don't tip at all. It's not required. Amtrak employees who don't like that fact have the option to seek employment elsewhere.

If you want to stiff 'em, that's your prerogative. I'll go ahead and tip along the lines of what OH said above. In the parlance of casinos, I'd rather be a George than a flea!

Rightly or wrongly consider this, you're going to have the same servers for the entire trip in the diner. As in any service business the word gets around about who tips well and who doesn't. Who do you think gets better service?

 

[AG1]

Tipping is not required on Amtrak or in the United States for that matter.There are no rules ,regulations or laws requiring tipping on Amtrak . As a non-American, please don't feel pressured by posters on this forum claiming to make generous tips. Once this thread starts the generous tippers will try to top the previous posted amounts in a never ending parade. I have met quite a few Australians on holiday in the US who felt pressured to tip. Don't let it bother you. Tipping is absolutely voluntary on your part.

Do I tip ? Yes, if I receive friendly and attentive service as represented by Amtrak brochures and advertising. Less than that I have to consider my fixed income status. As stated above the working hours are long, but they are paid by the hours worked .Starting pay is reportedly about two and a half times the required USA minimum hourly wage with good benefits. That is a middle income wage in this country which many people do not obtain.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

We generally tip, more as a "thank you" for good service than out of obligation. However, as a rule we go by what we'd do in a restaurant - 20% of the total (based on the menu prices) for generally good service, perhaps less if the service was bad. This is based on the prices on the menus. As a previous poster said, you're going to be on the train for several meals with that dining crew.

 

[Just_Sayin']

We generally tip, more as a "thank you" for good service than out of obligation. However, as a rule we go by what we'd do in a restaurant - 20% of the total (based on the menu prices) for generally good service, perhaps less if the service was bad. This is based on the prices on the menus. As a previous poster said, you're going to be on the train for several meals with that dining crew.

To those that that say servers and attendants receive good wages, consider that a server at a land based restaurant may work like 7-3 and go home each night. On a train, the servers on a train work from 6 am to after 9 pm., and get to do the same the next day. And they may not get home for a week or more. Sleeping Car Attendants work basically 24 hours a day, and again may not get home for a week.

By this logic you shouldn't tip them MORE than a land based server?

Some people don't tip at all. It's not required. Amtrak employees who don't like that fact have the option to seek employment elsewhere.

If you want to stiff 'em, that's your prerogative. I'll go ahead and tip along the lines of what OH said above. In the parlance of casinos, I'd rather be a George than a flea!

Rightly or wrongly consider this, you're going to have the same servers for the entire trip in the diner.

That is not true on the full run of the Texas Eagle and some other routes as well, George.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

By this logic you shouldn't tip them MORE than a land based server?

The way I look at it, tips are the bulk of a non-Amtrak server's wages. All servers need and want good tips, or they wouldn't be doing the job.

On Amtrak, tips are a supplement to their wages. Some employees are clearly doing their best to make the passengers' experience as enjoyable as possible. Others appear like they could care less. I want to reward those employees in that first group - they went out of their way to make my journey better, so I want to show my appreciation by tipping them.

Those in the latter group are doing the bare minimum. They're already getting paid by Amtrak, and do the bare minimum of work (or less) for what Amtrak is paying them. I remember one time on the CS, there was an older woman who was referred to as the "Dining Car Soup ****". (Edit - my Seinfeld reference got edited, but that's what everyone called her). If you were in her half of the dining car, everything was going to go the way she wanted it, whether you liked it or not. This went for the rest of the dining crew, as well as the passengers (she got in loud verbal altercations with the rest of the dining car staff, many of whom tried to stand up for the passengers in her section). It got to the point that by the end of the trip, people entering the dining car were asking not to be seated in her section. She was clearly not there to earn tips, but rather to make her job as easy as possible. I had no problem not tipping her.

 

[NETrainfan]

We were told on the Southwest Chief that the dining and attendant crew works 6 days on and 6 days off. Is that a regulation or does it vary?

We take this into account when tipping.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Some people don't tip at all. It's not required. Amtrak employees who don't like that fact have the option to seek employment elsewhere.

With that kind of attitude we might as well tell anyone who does not want to tip to go find another country to visit. :wacko:

 

[henryj]

Unlike waiters in public cafes and restaurants, Amtrak employees are paid well and have great benefits and after each trip they get 4 or more days off. So Amtrak should adopt a NO TIP policy throughout and should publize it. If you take a long trip on Amtrak all these tips, diner, sleeper car host, baggage handler, start to add up. I only tip in the diner because I don't want to be poisoned the next time I eat there. I tip the sleeper car host if they are friendly and do a good job or if I make a special request like a meal in my cabin. When I rode the Canadian they have a no tip policy which makes taking their trains much more relaxed and I never saw anyone looking like they wanted a tip. I don't know what the Europeans do as I never took a sleeper there. On the high speed trains you never see a crew member and they have no diner, only a bistro car.

 

[AlanB]

When I rode the Canadian they have a no tip policy which makes taking their trains much more relaxed and I never saw anyone looking like they wanted a tip.

There is NO such policy on the Canadian!

However, it is considered customary to only tip the waiters in the dining car at your last meal with them. Note that last part, because the crew changes at Winnipeg, so you would tip twice; once at the last meal before the train gets to Winnipeg and then again at the last meal before reaching the last stop. That assumes one is riding end to end.

I do agree that the crew doesn't go around looking like they want a tip; but they are most grateful and gracious when tipped.

 

[Henry Kisor]

You can't say Soup **** on this forum?

(Later. I guess you can't. I guess you'll have to say Soup Member of the ****onalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei instead.)

(Even later. No, you can't even say that. Maybe you can say Soup People Who Say Heil Hitler instead.)

 

[Devil's Advocate]

You can't say Soup Nazi on this forum?

Nope.

 

[Henry Kisor]

I guess you can say it in a quote; the quoting machinery doesn't follow the original-post machinery?

 

[henryj]

When I rode the Canadian they have a no tip policy which makes taking their trains much more relaxed and I never saw anyone looking like they wanted a tip.

There is NO such policy on the Canadian!

However, it is considered customary to only tip the waiters in the dining car at your last meal with them. Note that last part, because the crew changes at Winnipeg, so you would tip twice; once at the last meal before the train gets to Winnipeg and then again at the last meal before reaching the last stop. That assumes one is riding end to end.

I do agree that the crew doesn't go around looking like they want a tip; but they are most grateful and gracious when tipped.

Here is the quote from the Via Rail site:

"Tipping and service charges vary between 10% and 15% for taxis, restaurants and nightclubs. Hotel, rail station and airport porters expect $1 per bag carried. On trains, you are free to tip your server in the dining car and the individual responsible for your room or berth in the sleeper car. Do remember, however, that the crew will change several times on long journeys."

I never encountered anyone tipping in the diner so I didn't either. My car host changed out in winnipeg. I did tip the car host after we arrived in Vancouver. The other guy disapeared so I didn't give him anything in Winnipeg. I had no idea what to do anyway when they change out the crew. I never saw anyone else tip the car host. Clearly there is a difference between policy in Canada vs the US.

 

[pennyk]

When I rode the Canadian they have a no tip policy which makes taking their trains much more relaxed and I never saw anyone looking like they wanted a tip.

There is NO such policy on the Canadian!

However, it is considered customary to only tip the waiters in the dining car at your last meal with them. Note that last part, because the crew changes at Winnipeg, so you would tip twice; once at the last meal before the train gets to Winnipeg and then again at the last meal before reaching the last stop. That assumes one is riding end to end.

I do agree that the crew doesn't go around looking like they want a tip; but they are most grateful and gracious when tipped.

Here is the quote from the Via Rail site:

"Tipping and service charges vary between 10% and 15% for taxis, restaurants and nightclubs. Hotel, rail station and airport porters expect $1 per bag carried. On trains, you are free to tip your server in the dining car and the individual responsible for your room or berth in the sleeper car. Do remember, however, that the crew will change several times on long journeys."

I never encountered anyone tipping in the diner so I didn't either. My car host changed out in winnipeg. I did tip the car host after we arrived in Vancouver. The other guy disapeared so I didn't give him anything in Winnipeg. I had no idea what to do anyway when they change out the crew. I never saw anyone else tip the car host. Clearly there is a difference between policy in Canada vs the US.

When I rode the Canadian last year, half the passengers tipped the dining staff at each meal and the other half either did not tip or tipped at the crew change. Everyone I encountered tipped their sleeping car attendants.

 

[AlanB]

When I rode the Canadian they have a no tip policy which makes taking their trains much more relaxed and I never saw anyone looking like they wanted a tip.

There is NO such policy on the Canadian!

However, it is considered customary to only tip the waiters in the dining car at your last meal with them. Note that last part, because the crew changes at Winnipeg, so you would tip twice; once at the last meal before the train gets to Winnipeg and then again at the last meal before reaching the last stop. That assumes one is riding end to end.

I do agree that the crew doesn't go around looking like they want a tip; but they are most grateful and gracious when tipped.

Here is the quote from the Via Rail site:

"Tipping and service charges vary between 10% and 15% for taxis, restaurants and nightclubs. Hotel, rail station and airport porters expect $1 per bag carried. On trains, you are free to tip your server in the dining car and the individual responsible for your room or berth in the sleeper car. Do remember, however, that the crew will change several times on long journeys."

Yes, and that quote from the site confirms what I said and contradicts what you said. You said that VIA has a NO tip policy. They clearly state that tipping is indeed Ok.

 

[calwatch]

What is somewhat annoying to me are the cues that some servers make in order to ask for tips. On trips on the CONO and on the Capitol Limited they handed back the receipts and wrote down the amount that one would be expected to pay, presumably as a guide for tipping. I expect, though, that some people probably prefer them because otherwise they wouldn't know how much to tip. Generally I stick with the 15% standard, up to 20-25 if it is exceptionally good, down to 5 or 10 if they don't do a good job. I tip SCAs pretty well given that I don't expect much of them other than the coffee is brewing and the bed is put up and down. I tipped Anne Marie on the Southwest Chief $25 for one night of service, but that was because she let me sleep in an extra bedroom during the day because we shoved three guys to a bedroom and I got stuck with trying to sleep in the chair (bad mistake). I had rolls of dollar coins for transit riding in DC and New York and I gave her a roll of dollar coins, which she was at first somewhat disappointed by as she thought it was quarters.

 

[roadman3313]

A way to think of tipping is that tipping is showing an appreciation for the service provided. While it can often be seen as customary, it is by no means required. Granted if I receive poor service, if they still did something to assist me in some shape or form I still leave a little tip. If they go above and beyond I'd leave a larger one. But it is a sign of appreciation that has become more of an expectation. Don't be intimidated into tipping. Just think of it as a Thank You for the level and quality of service you feel you were provided.

 

[Ziv]

Thank you, Henry, I just started my day with a d***** loud laugh!

You can't say Soup **** on this forum?

(Later. I guess you can't. I guess you'll have to say Soup Member of the ****onalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei instead.)

(Even later. No, you can't even say that. Maybe you can say Soup People Who Say Heil Hitler instead.)

 

[ribbon50]

I tip SCA nicely on UK sleepers as they always do their jobs well and often have to put my large suitcase in the guard's van. Not only that, they always have an electric golf cart for me when I get off at London Euston. Being car 17 of an 18 car train means you're really far from the station building. Maiking a Scotsman smile is always fun.

 

[henryj]

When I rode the Canadian they have a no tip policy which makes taking their trains much more relaxed and I never saw anyone looking like they wanted a tip.

There is NO such policy on the Canadian!

However, it is considered customary to only tip the waiters in the dining car at your last meal with them. Note that last part, because the crew changes at Winnipeg, so you would tip twice; once at the last meal before the train gets to Winnipeg and then again at the last meal before reaching the last stop. That assumes one is riding end to end.

I do agree that the crew doesn't go around looking like they want a tip; but they are most grateful and gracious when tipped.

Here is the quote from the Via Rail site:

"Tipping and service charges vary between 10% and 15% for taxis, restaurants and nightclubs. Hotel, rail station and airport porters expect $1 per bag carried. On trains, you are free to tip your server in the dining car and the individual responsible for your room or berth in the sleeper car. Do remember, however, that the crew will change several times on long journeys."

Yes, and that quote from the site confirms what I said and contradicts what you said. You said that VIA has a NO tip policy. They clearly state that tipping is indeed Ok.

It may be ok, but it isn't required. All I can tell you is I never saw anyone around me in the diner tipping anything nor did I see anyone tip the sleeper car attendant. I am not Canadian so I just followed their lead.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

When I rode the Canadian they have a no tip policy which makes taking their trains much more relaxed and I never saw anyone looking like they wanted a tip.

There is NO such policy on the Canadian!

However, it is considered customary to only tip the waiters in the dining car at your last meal with them. Note that last part, because the crew changes at Winnipeg, so you would tip twice; once at the last meal before the train gets to Winnipeg and then again at the last meal before reaching the last stop. That assumes one is riding end to end.

I do agree that the crew doesn't go around looking like they want a tip; but they are most grateful and gracious when tipped.

Here is the quote from the Via Rail site:

"Tipping and service charges vary between 10% and 15% for taxis, restaurants and nightclubs. Hotel, rail station and airport porters expect $1 per bag carried. On trains, you are free to tip your server in the dining car and the individual responsible for your room or berth in the sleeper car. Do remember, however, that the crew will change several times on long journeys."

Yes, and that quote from the site confirms what I said and contradicts what you said. You said that VIA has a NO tip policy. They clearly state that tipping is indeed Ok.

It may be ok, but it isn't required. All I can tell you is I never saw anyone around me in the diner tipping anything nor did I see anyone tip the sleeper car attendant. I am not Canadian so I just followed their lead.

As far as I'm concerned, unless it's explicitly stated, for example a large party at a restaurant, tips are not required anywhere.