Tipping on Amtrak

[Rasputin]

Do the servers in the dining car pool their tips or does each server keep their own individual tips?

And do they share a percentage of their tips with the kitchen staff?

And since this is Amtrak maybe it varies from crew to crew.

 

[OBS]

Do the servers in the dining car pool their tips or does each server keep their own individual tips?

And do they share a percentage of their tips with the kitchen staff?

And since this is Amtrak maybe it varies from crew to crew.

Your third statement is the correct answer.... it varies

 

[dcipjr]

On a multi-day trip, I usually tip once after dinner in the dining car, but it's totally up to you.

I tip the SCA upon departure on the train...usually $10 a night per person as a baseline. I've had some truly excellent SCAs and they've gotten more than that.

If a SCA is surly and mostly-missing-in-action, and I wind up putting my own bunk up and down because I can't find them, don't want to deal with them, or both, I'll skip the tip.

But...to be honest..I find tipping to be a huge hassle on Amtrak, because I hardly ever carry cash, especially since the pandemic. I usually wind up with some $20s from the ATM machine, and have to break them in the café car. I wish there was an easier way to tip on Amtrak.

 

[west point]

My ATM dispenses 20s, 10s, and 1s. Used to do 5s but not lately

 

[Kbyrdleroydogg]

If you are a bedroom or roomette user, how much do you tip your attendant who gets you your meal or straightens your bed?
What is a rule of thumb?
Also, have you not tipped your attendant on purpose?

 

[Jay Aitchsee]

But...to be honest..I find tipping to be a huge hassle on Amtrak, because I hardly ever carry cash, especially since the pandemic. I usually wind up with some $20s from the ATM machine, and have to break them in the café car. I wish there was an easier way to tip on Amtrak.

In my experience, the dining car servers will gladly give you change

 

[Devil's Advocate]

My ATM dispenses 20s, 10s, and 1s. Used to do 5s but not lately

I’ve seen those options in Europe and Asia but where I live ATMs only dispense 20s, 50s, or 100s. If we’re being honest 50 is the new 5 and soon we’ll be needing $500 bills anyway so no biggie.

 

[Bonser]

I’ve seen those options in Europe and Asia but where I live ATMs only dispense 20s, 50s, or 100s. If we’re being honest 50 is the new 5 and soon we’ll be needing $500 bills anyway so no biggie.

Soon we will not be seeing cash at all.

 

[joelkfla]

If you are a bedroom or roomette user, how much do you tip your attendant who gets you your meal or straightens your bed?
What is a rule of thumb?
Also, have you not tipped your attendant on purpose?

From past discussions, $5-$10 per night is common, with $10 being the most common, and more for stellar service.

In my experience, $5 will get you a dirty look from SCA's.

 

[tricia]

In my experience, $5 will get you a dirty look from SCA's.

Then they deserve not only no tip but also a reprimand from Amtrak management.

 

[Rambling Robert]

Way way back on a couple of Cunard cruises the room attendant got 5/% of the room and some people tip the same amount to a maid in a hotel. Since I was a paid contractor on the ship my boss tipped our waiter for the week. I tipped the room steward and reimbursed.

PDX to LAX
On the train I top 15% to 20% of THE VALUE of the meal and beverage .,. &45 dinner, $40? Lunch $15 breakfast. Or $100 a day ... say on the CS = 1 day plus an extra dimmer \=‘&145

My roomette was $550 - $145 = &405
There tore the SCA’s top it 5% of $405 or $20

My SCA seemed to have a bad day with kids ordering good from the Family Room. Despite I had a horrible night sleep on a bed partially together I tipped $25

LAX to TUS
ROOM $250 Breakfast $15
SCA tip $235 x 5% = $12 and I gave $30

Harold was happy to get the tip, in part for his excellent service but also it was the end point of 140 hours on a train.

 

[Joe from PA]

I tip $20. per roomette (2) per night. I want to eat in the dining car, where I tip $5. per meal. If I HAVE to eat in my roomette, I do not tip for the meal. On 3 trips, I found the service "above and beyond", and I handed over a extra $20..

 

[KarmicPopcorn]

On a multi-day trip, I usually tip once after dinner in the dining car, but it's totally up to you.

I tip the SCA upon departure on the train...usually $10 a night per person as a baseline. I've had some truly excellent SCAs and they've gotten more than that.

If a SCA is surly and mostly-missing-in-action, and I wind up putting my own bunk up and down because I can't find them, don't want to deal with them, or both, I'll skip the tip.

But...to be honest..I find tipping to be a huge hassle on Amtrak, because I hardly ever carry cash, especially since the pandemic. I usually wind up with some $20s from the ATM machine, and have to break them in the café car. I wish there was an easier way to tip on Amtrak.

I pull out cash ahead of time for tips. $10 per day for turn down service and $10 per meal for wait service, including in-room service. You're basically eating out every meal, you can pay going rate percent for each meal instead of 10, no biggie. As I understand, Amtrak isn't the easiest place to work, so I try to make it easier.

 

[joelkfla]

As I understand, Amtrak isn't the easiest place to work, so I try to make it easier.

Maybe so, but Amtrak OBS are well-paid with benefits, unlike hotel housekeepers and servers at most restaurants.

 

[Asher]

I usually tip 20%. In the dining car I have to adjust that to what I think the meal should really cost.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Single traveler here. Took my first 3 trips a few weeks ago. I tipped $10 per night in a sleeper. I tipped $5 per meal. I tipped $1 when I bought a diet coke in the cafe. Nice round numbers.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

If you are a bedroom or roomette user, how much do you tip your attendant who gets you your meal or straightens your bed?
What is a rule of thumb?
Also, have you not tipped your attendant on purpose?

On most trips I've simply stopped tipping on Amtrak. The following post explains why.

I generally consider myself to be a generous tipper, with the exception of walk-up service counters, but many of the typical reasons for tipping (wage recovery, special requests, stronger drinks, etc.) don't really exist on Amtrak. Nor do I need help with most of the usual tasks (moving my luggage, making my bed, using my room). The one service for which I still had a strong desire to tip was easy access to ice. It seems like such a simple task to me, but on my last trip it took three hours from initial request until actual delivery.

Soon we will not be seeing cash at all.

I've been hearing that for decades, usually from people who buy everything on credit and associate cash with something sinister they saw in a movie one time, but cash is still here nonetheless.

 

[celtical]

Overnight from Chicago to New Orleans $20 for bed service and $5 tip for each meal, 3

 

[20th Century Rider]

Attitude is always a big factor IMHO... if the attendant is rude, grumpy, barking at me for this or that [as so many times on the Cardinal] I find it hard to pull a $20 out of my pocket and hand it over. I've done that once or twice then felt really violated.

Conversely it's always a happy happy feeling to say thank you to someone who has gone above and beyond. Remembering a while back on the Chief I was in the H room and the attendant blocked the adjacent restroom [very light load in the car] so I could get a better night's sleep. She was always smiling and checking in on me. I pulled out a pair of $20's when we pulled into CHI and we both smiled.

So the biggest rule for tipping? Service!

 

[Solar Bozo]

I'm an experienced passenger, here's my sleeper attendant tipping philosophy:

I don't tip our sleeper attendant unless they give good service, are open to hearing of our needs, and avoid the too-common underlying surliness. They must be kind and willing to take care of our simple needs without complaint, and not treat us like they were parenting. And they must adhere to the employee handbook with regard to passenger relations.

It's tough on many Amtrak employees these days because of under-staffing. But sleeper attendants are different, on my routes they still are one person to a car -- same as always.

They don't rely on tips, they do well without them. They are not like the typical below minimum wage hotel or restaurant worker. Sure, there are long hours and days at a time away from home, and that inconvenience is a factor, but they are fairly compensated for that.

Their the average annual salary is just under $55,000 per year. And if the average tip is $5 a night, with 20 rooms that's another $90 a day avg. x 5 days avg. x 50 weeks avg. = $22,500 per year.

(That said, give us good service and a good attitude, I'll usually tip $20 - $25 for our 2-night trips. Because I want that level of service again, and I want it for others too.)

 

[Rambling Robert]

But $55K a year isn’t tor the typical 2000 or so hours because a SCA IS A FULL 24 hours on station with 8 hours work. About $10 per hour ... with room and meals.

I’d say $10/night is generous and $20/night (and more) is above generous. So for one SCA $75to $150 a night.

I haven’t heard anything about per diem for Amtrak employees. In 1980 my per diem for being awayfrom home to a job site -,and it went towards room and meals was $75/day (1980) $275/day (today’s $). So in three months per diem it would be $125K a year (back then tax free). To be fair part of the per diem would be to owed to Amtrak for a fair cost of room and meals.

So, comparing tips to per diem is in the ball park,

The down side of per diem and being a SCA is maintaining a steady relationship/family and other inconveniences.

The upside it a lucrative tax free income IF TIPS ARE GOOD . Also applies to per diem.

 

[joelkfla]

The upside it a lucrative tax free income IF TIPS ARE GOOD . Also applies to per diem.

I thought tips were taxable.

 

[cassie225]

Lately when I have traveled Amtrak the SCA has been unattentive and MIA for most of the trip, except turning down the bed, but when the last hour or so of the trip is within site, they come a running. No tip for you!!!!

 

[Bonser]

Lately when I have traveled Amtrak the SCA has been unattentive and MIA for most of the trip, except turning down the bed, but when the last hour or so of the trip is within site, they come a running. No tip for you!!!!

Aside from turning down the bed what else do you need the SCA for? Maybe meals and a wake up alert for your station but that's about it. If the SCA does the room in a reasonable and timely fashion I'm happy.

 

[Rasputin]

Aside from turning down the bed what else do you need the SCA for? Maybe meals and a wake up alert for your station but that's about it. If the SCA does the room in a reasonable and timely fashion I'm happy.

Coffee, water, restrooms clean, and the shower well supplied and in good order are helpful things in addition to taking care of beds.

It is always difficult to find that your bed has not been put away by 9:30 a.m. and the SCA is nowhere to be found. My understanding is that the call bell rings only in the attendant's room so if the SCA isn't paying attention to it or is not in the car, the call bell is kind of worthless.