Yes, banks have $2 bills, but not all the time. You may have to order them from your bank in advance.
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Some of those "stiffs" may be new to Amtrak and not know that tipping is customary. They may equate Amtrak dining car service to airline meal service and assume that, like flight attendants, the Amtrak servers are not tipped. Note that there is nothing on the menu that suggests, for example, "gratuities for good service are welcome." I would not assume that everyone who does not leave a tip is doing so intentionally.
On Pullman Rail Journey trips, tipping is a one-shot deal of a suggested $20 per person, each way, with no separate tipping at meal times. For me, that kind of formal, pooled tip arrangement would preferable to the tip here, tip there, tip everywhere Amtrak way.
On Pullman Rail Journey trips, tipping is a one-shot deal of a suggested $20 per person, each way, with no separate tipping at meal times. For me, that kind of formal, pooled tip arrangement would preferable to the tip here, tip there, tip everywhere Amtrak way.
Good point Bill but since the SCAs and Food Service folks work different cars its not possible on LD Trains.( however in most Diners the Food Service crew shares tips with the Kitchen crew!)
IMO the one who gets the short end of the stuck is the Cafe LSA who gets mostly small change for tips, has to stand in a small cramped space from morning to night ( in the dungeon on Superliners!). Coach attendants very seldom get tips but most of them don't do much and aren't around a lot! ( there are exceptions of course)
IMO the one who gets the short end of the stuck is the Cafe LSA who gets mostly small change for tips, has to stand in a small cramped space from morning to night ( in the dungeon on Superliners!). Coach attendants very seldom get tips but most of them don't do much and aren't around a lot! ( there are exceptions of course)
T
Thomas64
Guest
I'd prefer that, too. Like the cruise industry does. Tips are automatically added. If you want to do it another way you can opt out, do it your own way or not at all. I like this because when I'm on vacation I don't even want to THINK about tipping. Let alone the hassle of getting single bills or 2$ bills, which I have heard SCA do not really appreciate "cute" factor they have.
FormerOBS
Conductor
As for coach attendants and tips, I was told that on a recent Auto Train trip, one coach attendant was available during a meal period to work the five full Superliner coaches. That one person had to serve over 30 dinners and 40 breakfast (or was it 40 dinners and over 30 breakfasts?) to coach passengers who couldn't make it to the diner. I don't know whether all (or any) of those passengers tipped that attendant, but I can tell you from experience that coach tips are often abysmal.
Diner crews generally pool tips and give a somewhat lesser share to the kitchen staff. I don't know whether there are exceptions. Tips for lounge LSA's and SCA's are not pooled.
Tom
Diner crews generally pool tips and give a somewhat lesser share to the kitchen staff. I don't know whether there are exceptions. Tips for lounge LSA's and SCA's are not pooled.
Tom
KmH
Engineer
According to Amtrak's Service Standards manual a single Train Attendant Coach is only required to attend to up 4 coaches and only up to 150 coach passengers.
Five full coach cars would be staffed by 3 coach attendants up to 375 coach passengers. A 4th attendant would be added for 376 or more coach passengers
The hassle of getting $1 or $2 bills?
Why wouldn't a SCA appreciate a cash tip that included small denomination bills as much as one that include a $5, $10, or a $20 bills.
A $2 bill spends just as easily as any other bill denomination.
If I were to see an SCA react to several $1 or $2 bills as part of a cash gratuity I was giving, I would ask the SCA if the small denomination bills were a bother/hassle.
If they said yes, I would have them return the $1 and $2 bills to me and I would apologize for the bother/hassle of tipping with small denomination bills.
The SCA could keep whatever was left of my gratuity, if anything, and I would communicate the incident to Amtrak Customer Service after my trip.
Five full coach cars would be staffed by 3 coach attendants up to 375 coach passengers. A 4th attendant would be added for 376 or more coach passengers
The hassle of getting $1 or $2 bills?
Why wouldn't a SCA appreciate a cash tip that included small denomination bills as much as one that include a $5, $10, or a $20 bills.
A $2 bill spends just as easily as any other bill denomination.
If I were to see an SCA react to several $1 or $2 bills as part of a cash gratuity I was giving, I would ask the SCA if the small denomination bills were a bother/hassle.
If they said yes, I would have them return the $1 and $2 bills to me and I would apologize for the bother/hassle of tipping with small denomination bills.
The SCA could keep whatever was left of my gratuity, if anything, and I would communicate the incident to Amtrak Customer Service after my trip.
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the_traveler
Engineer
A direct quote from your post above states:
I take that statement as the SCA not you.
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T
Thomas64
Guest
My bad. I've heard some staff do not appreciate the cutesy 2 dollar bills. That should have been a separate sentence. But, I still hate my bank! :angry2:
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The AutoTrain operates almost like a separate company from the rest of Amtrak. The employees on the AT have a different contract than the rest of the OBS on other Amtrak trains. In fact, an employee transferring to/from the AT loses their seniority because of this.
The AT doesn't use the normal eTicketing system that the rest of Amtrak does and it even has its own special reservations center; although one can still book via the normal 800 number.
So I'm not sure if the Service Standards Manual (SSM) actually applies to the AT. Even if it does, there could very well be exceptions & variations to things in the SSM for the AT.
KmH
Engineer
"Meals are included in the price of all Auto Train tickets, no matter which class you travel in."
So it's no wonder coach car attendants on the Auto Train would have to deliver a lot of meals to coach passengers at their seats.
That alone would cause a need for more coach attendants than Amtrak's other trains.
Though coach passengers on any Amtrak LD train can request having dining car meals delivered to them at their seat, I bet most non AT coach car pax don't know that, where most AT coach pax would.
So it's not likely 5 full coach cars (close to or at 385 pax?) can be effective attended to by 1 coach attendant.
No doubt it's possible one or more assigned coach attendants were no shows causing "I was told that on a recent Auto Train trip, one coach attendant was available during a meal period to work the five full Superliner coaches."
So it's no wonder coach car attendants on the Auto Train would have to deliver a lot of meals to coach passengers at their seats.
That alone would cause a need for more coach attendants than Amtrak's other trains.
Though coach passengers on any Amtrak LD train can request having dining car meals delivered to them at their seat, I bet most non AT coach car pax don't know that, where most AT coach pax would.
So it's not likely 5 full coach cars (close to or at 385 pax?) can be effective attended to by 1 coach attendant.
No doubt it's possible one or more assigned coach attendants were no shows causing "I was told that on a recent Auto Train trip, one coach attendant was available during a meal period to work the five full Superliner coaches."
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FormerOBS
Conductor
I don't know the reason for the short staffing. It's possible that it was due to a mark-off by another employee on short notice. Maybe staffing was not revised when the fifth coach was added. The consist change was newly implemented when I retired. There was a period of trying to readjust work schedules & assignments during the transition period, and I don't know how it was resolved. It's also possible that current A-T management simply has made a change in service standards as they apply to the Auto Train. I've been told current high-level Auto Train management had little practical onboard experience prior to assuming their present positions.
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They're used to bringing meals to people so no worries there. They just about always bring food to the person in the H room. When I meet the attendant I mention that I prefer to eat in my room and discuss times with them. It ain't like I'm in a rush.
I have had an attendant or two try to discourage me from eating in my room but I request they bring it to me anyway and give them a tip each time they pick the tray up after I'm done. I used to include the meal tips with my room tip but have found it works better to give it after each meal.
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NW cannonball
Conductor
If you have a sleeper ticket with meals included - you can dine in the diner (what I like to do) or can have your meal delivered to your room.
Your option. No question.
If you choose to tip, then when you use singles, $2 bills or $5 bills - who cares? Maybe some greedy critturs would hope you would use $5 bills - because the rounding up gets more money.
Your option. No question.
If you choose to tip, then when you use singles, $2 bills or $5 bills - who cares? Maybe some greedy critturs would hope you would use $5 bills - because the rounding up gets more money.
I don't mind tipping, but I do mind servers that aren't "hip" to tipping. Two scenarios in point, both have happened on Amtrak about as frequently as elsewhere:
1) Out of small bills, and asking server to break at $20. Usually I'll get a split of wine with dinner or lunch if I need to break a bill, but not at breakfast. Getting the server, who was sitting in a booth yakking it up with the rest of the staff, to break my $20 was akin to asking a teenager to write a term paper. Change was made and with just as much attitude. Since either she didn't realize her tip was coming out of this change, or just didn't care to be bothered in the middle of her **** session, most of that change stayed in my pocket.
2) Not giving tip-friendly change. If my bill is $23, and I pay with 2x $20, don't give me 1x $10, 1x $5 and 2x $1. You've now made it very difficult for me to give you a $4 tip. And when I ask for better change…. see scenario #1 above.
1) Out of small bills, and asking server to break at $20. Usually I'll get a split of wine with dinner or lunch if I need to break a bill, but not at breakfast. Getting the server, who was sitting in a booth yakking it up with the rest of the staff, to break my $20 was akin to asking a teenager to write a term paper. Change was made and with just as much attitude. Since either she didn't realize her tip was coming out of this change, or just didn't care to be bothered in the middle of her **** session, most of that change stayed in my pocket.
2) Not giving tip-friendly change. If my bill is $23, and I pay with 2x $20, don't give me 1x $10, 1x $5 and 2x $1. You've now made it very difficult for me to give you a $4 tip. And when I ask for better change…. see scenario #1 above.
andersone
Conductor
Father had a simple way to calculate a a 15% tep
Assume the tab is $20
Ten percent is $2
half of that is $1
hence a 15% tip becomes $3
Assume the tab is $20
Ten percent is $2
half of that is $1
hence a 15% tip becomes $3
That's how I do it too
George K
Conductor
Reading around various sites, it seems that 20% is becoming the norm when it comes to restaurants.
True?
True?
crabby_appleton1950
OBS Chief
I plan to get a supply of ones and fives for tipping prior to my trip for meals, red caps, etc..
George K
Conductor
I know we're venturing off-topic, but Crabby's post made me wonder....what's an appropriate tip for a red cap who rides you out of CUS to the cab stand with your luggage and your wife?
NW cannonball
Conductor
Yup. I have no problem, when servers wait (heh heh --waiters- heh) and don't give me appropriate tip-size change - - Sorry sweetheart - zero tip -- like "where's my change?" thank you good bye.
I do carry 20 or 30 ones twos and fives, but if the wait-staff assumes that all the change from a $50 is theirs and don't ask - well - I ask for the exact change , they get zero tip, and I never tip at that place ever again.
so there.
Never happens on Amtrak, though. No worries there. 2 ones or 4 twos or a five or two covers all the tips needed.
The places that assume the change from a Benji or two is theirs to keep - I never go there, and if I do, always exact cash (let those ripoffers see my credit card -- now way)
KmH
Engineer
I would give $5.
George K
Conductor
That's what I did.
NW cannonball
Conductor
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