How is tipping done in a cash-less Amtrak world?

[Chatter163]

Now that traditional dining is coming back, are we allowed to leave cash as a tip in the dining car as before? And, if you're in the sleeper, there won't be a bill for the meal, so how can tips be added to a bill you don't get?

I am assuming that handing cash to the sleeping car attendant on leaving the train would be permitted, right?

So as of what date is traditional dining coming back? Is there a press release on this?

 

[Cal]

So as of what date is traditional dining coming back? Is there a press release on this?

May 24th, no press release that I can tell

 

[Chatter163]

May 24th, no press release that I can tell

OK, thanks. So how do we know the date?

 

[Cal]

OK, thanks. So how do we know the date?

On Arrow, beginning May 24th (or sooner), it's showing traditional dining being served on all Western routes.

 

[Chatter163]

On Arrow, beginning May 24th (or sooner), it's showing traditional dining being served on all Western routes.

OK, thanks. So for us Easterners, this means that we'll be back to walking to the dining car for our light menu.

 

[jis]

OK, thanks. So for us Easterners, this means that we'll be back to walking to the dining car for our light menu.

Eastern trains will revert to exactly the service they had before the COVID changes, possibly with certain COVID restrictions still in place TBD.

 

[Cal]

Eastern trains will revert to exactly the service they had before the COVID changes, possibly with certain COVID restrictions still in place TBD.

Isn't that just no change?

 

[jis]

Isn't that just no change?

We don't know what residual COVID restrictions will be there in May/June. Even on the Western trains there may be some residual COVID restrictions so for example there may really not be a sit down in Diner thing. That is YTBD according to the Amtrak announcement.

Similarly, we don't know how the service on Eastern trains might differ due to residual effects of COVID. So the service on those will probably be close to as it is now, and not back to pre-COVID normal yet.

 

[Chatter163]

Isn't that just no change?

Having ridden twice during the height of the pandemic, I had the same lite menu that the new dining had brought us in late 2019, just that we had to have the food brought to us in our rooms.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Having ridden twice during the height of the pandemic, I had the same lite menu that the new dining had brought us in late 2019, just that we had to have the food brought to us in our rooms.

Which train was that on? I haven’t heard of any trains with diners requiring passengers to eat in their rooms. Only the Cardinal because of the single cafe car setup.

 

[Chatter163]

Which train was that on? I haven’t heard of any trains with diners requiring passengers to eat in their rooms. Only the Cardinal because of the single cafe car setup.

Last summer on the Crescent and Silver Meteor. At the time, the Amtrak website stated that all food would have to be consumed at one's seat, or in sleepers. The seating areas of the dining cars were closed. Given the circumstances, surely that shouldn't come as any surprise.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Last summer on the Crescent and Silver Meteor. At the time, the Amtrak website stated that all food would have to be consumed at one's seat, or in sleepers. The seating areas of the dining cars were closed. Surely that shouldn't come as any surprise.

It does come as a surprise as that’s the first time I’ve read anyone report that was the case on any train operating with a dining car in the consist.

 

[Chatter163]

It does come as a surprise as that’s the first time I’ve read anyone report that was the case on any train operating with a dining car in the consist.

The food had to be prepared somewhere. I'm guessing that is still the case. We were given the dining lite menu to choose from; we didn't eat from the cafe car.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

The food had to be prepared somewhere. I'm guessing that is still the case. We were given the dining lite menu to choose from; we didn't eat from the cafe car.

Sorry I said that in a strange way. Basically I meant any train other than the Cardinal. The Cardinal doesn’t carry a diner, only a cafe car.

 

[Albi]

On a side note about the cashless policies onboard:

all dining car servers and my sleeping car attendant gladly accepted my cash tips on the California Zephyr between Omaha and Emeryville this week.

I didn't purchase anything in the cafe section, I am sure that would have been mandated cashless. But tipping is still welcomed in cash, at least by the recipients! Also the baggage guy at Emeryville Station gladly took it.

 

[me_little_me]

On a side note about the cashless policies onboard:

all dining car servers and my sleeping car attendant gladly accepted my cash tips on the California Zephyr between Omaha and Emeryville this week.

I didn't purchase anything in the cafe section, I am sure that would have been mandated cashless. But tipping is still welcomed in cash, at least by the recipients! Also the baggage guy at Emeryville Station gladly took it.

And I'm sure the bigger the bill you hand them, the less chance it has Covid on it!