A Gratuity Question

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Dakota 400

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I have reservations for a Roomette on the Cardinal from Cincinnati to Chicago and on the Southwest Chief to Los Angeles as well as a Business Class reservation on a Pacific Surfliner from Los Angeles to San Diego.

What would be an appropriate gratuity for the Sleeping Car Attendent on the Cardinal and on the Southwest Chief? I assume there will be a Business Class Car Attendant on the Pacific Surfliner train. What would be an appropriate gratuity for that individual?

In all 3 situations, I am assuming that the service will be most acceptable.

Thanks for all insights that I am able to obtain!
 
You will get various answers as everyone has their own opinion as to what to tip. Some will say $10/night for the SCAs. Don't know what, if anything, you should tip in the Biz Class.
 
On the SWC. Last week to Chicago I gave the nice man $10 and he seemed pleased. The young lady on the way back was such a sweetheart I gave her a $20. I tried to give a tip once to a Surfliner attendant and he declined it. Imagine that!
 
Just curious, greatcats...was the service less agreeable on the way back..or why else would you only tip $10 eastward, and $20 westward? Both trips are equal in time. Again, I'm just asking to find out your criteria. FWIW, I make out envelopes before i travel for outgoing, and incoming. If Service is less than great, I'll change the contents of the envelope. But generally, I will tip $10 per 24 hr. period, so a full trip CHI-LAX will be $20. If i get off the train sooner, still will tip that $20 if the service was acceptable. The SCAs I've encountered have looked at that envelope as 'oh wow christmas came early', and makes me feel good, too. Win/win situation.
 
Whatever you do, ignore the poster who will chime in by claiming if you don't tip you will be put off at the next crossing. Such callous disregard for the 30,000 comedians who are out of work. :rolleyes:

I will give $10/night for what I consider good service.
 
Tips on Amtrak are purely optional, and (this is just my personal opinion) should be given to SCAs who go above and beyond the rulebook to make your journey enjoyable. I personally feel Amtrak SCAs don't need to be tipped for just doing their job as expected, because unlike restaurant waiters and bartenders who are paid less than minimum wages so you are expected to cover up for it, Amtrak employees are paid substantial salaries with benefits.

In my opinion, if you say you should tip a fulltime employed person with benefits, then I work in IT and every time I complete a project as expected, my customers should be tipping me too, but of course that does not happen.

Sleeping class on Amtrak long distance is a rich person's mode of transport, so there will be folks who will generously tip even when not required to, but OP if you do not feel the SCAs did anything beyond what they are expected to do, there is nothing wrong in not tipping too.
 
We tip the Redcaps $1-2/bag, depending on the bags' size/weight.

A good SCA gets $10/night. A fabulous SCA who makes our experience truly memorable and awesome gets $20/night.

The dining car server gets 15-20% of whatever our bill would have been had we paid. If it's truly exceptional service, I give 25%.

If I'm traveling over a holiday, I bump the tips up a bit, as I appreciate that they are serving me while away from their families/friends. Even though working holidays is part of any service job and service employees understand that, it still stinks to be away from family/friends. I think of it as a holiday bonus.

I used to work for tips, so I'm on the "generous" end of the scale. Truthfully, any tip is appreciated, so don't feel like you have to give X amount.

Also, we aren't rich by any means; we simply take tips into consideration when saving up for a vacation, just like any other part of the budget. :)
 
To give a Lawyers answer: It depends!

The Sleeping Car Attendants that perform their required duties have earned their adequate salary and benefits/ if they greet you when u board with a Cheerful Attitude, explain how the Sleeping Car and Diner Operates,keeps the Bathrooms and Shower Clean and supplied.ensures that there is fresh coffee available, juice,ice etc and is around to announce calls and put your bed up and down are the required basics! For this I generally tip $5 per night/per person!

Anything more, above and beyond like serving meals in your room, providing any extra service requested and with a positive attitude could be worth $10-20 a night per person!

I've also ripped Zero for the lazy,invisible SCA who,never around and doesn't provide any service to his customers and/or has an attitude!

LSAs in the Cafe usually get the change from the purchase or dollar for providing special service! Attitude is important here and LSAs are paid more than SCAs generally! (Seniority affects this formula) YMMV,there is no set Policy, play it as it lays!
 
I concur with the $5 per night per person for the SCA and change or a buck for a "normal size" purchase in the Lounge. And in the Diner, I usually go $3 for Breakfast and Lunch and $5 for Dinner. Of course those numbers can go up and down depending on the quality or lack of quality of service.
 
Greatcats here. In reply to Pianovst I was not displeased with the first person. He did a good job and I usually give $10. The lady on the way back was so friendly and exhibited a great attitude that I gave her $20. The lady last June who I complained about with her uncooperative attitude received zip.
 
Being a good union man (well at least my sainted pappy was) $10/per person per night, $2/bag 15% for meals. IF the service is lousy i revise accodingly.
 
As SarahZ pointed mentioned, don't forget the Redcaps. My wife has bad knees and Redcap service has made life so much easier. Extra consideration for the ones that take your bags upstairs to the room with a smile and to the ones in PDX that give you a ride all the way to the light rail stop outside the station. Extra service should be rewarded and encouraged.
 
tips aren't required and I'm not sure what sleeper car attendants get tipped I don't ask them. I know redcaps in busy stations do very well. I was tipped a few times and I told the people no thank you . when they insisted is when I would take the money , I feel at that point if I don't I will be insulting them.
 
Texan Eagle said:
Tips on Amtrak are purely optional, and (this is just my personal opinion) should be given to SCAs who go above and beyond the rulebook to make your journey enjoyable. I personally feel Amtrak SCAs don't need to be tipped for just doing their job as expected, because unlike restaurant waiters and bartenders who are paid less than minimum wages so you are expected to cover up for it, Amtrak employees are paid substantial salaries with benefits.

In my opinion, if you say you should tip a fulltime employed person with benefits, then I work in IT and every time I complete a project as expected, my customers should be tipping me too, but of course that does not happen.

Sleeping class on Amtrak long distance is a rich person's mode of transport, so there will be folks who will generously tip even when not required to, but OP if you do not feel the SCAs did anything beyond what they are expected to do, there is nothing wrong in not tipping too.
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I think that I completely agree with you on this.
 
We tend to agree with the general cross-section here :p

$10/night for SCAs. $15 if they are friendly, keep the restrooms immaculate, and are around if you need them. 0$ for the one's you see once and they get lost.

Breakfast $3-4 Lunch $4-5 Supper $5+, all depending on service quality and a nice smile.

Redcaps get $2/bag.

By the way, we are certainly not rich--most of our sleeper rides are AGR, so we feel we can spread the "wealth" a little to help our fellow man/woman. :)

Rewarding excellence never hurt anyone.. :)
 
Railroad Bill said:
By the way, we are certainly not rich--most of our sleeper rides are AGR, so we feel we can spread the "wealth" a little to help our fellow man/woman. :)
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That's a big part of it too. We use points for our sleeper, so we use some of the money we save to reward an employee and (hopefully) make their day brighter.
 
Aloha

I do not understand why tipping is such a mystery. To me a Tip is something I give to show thanks for service beyond what is required. The size of my tips is based on what I would like if our roles were reversed.
 
Texan Eagle said:
In my opinion, if you say you should tip a fulltime employed person with benefits, then I work in IT and every time I complete a project as expected, my customers should be tipping me too, but of course that does not happen.
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Pay and benefits mean nothing. Tips go to someone that provides a personal service. Waiters, hairdressers, shoe shine, redcap/bellhops, delivery guys, etc, etc. Regardless of what they're paid.

Obviously opinions vary. A tip is a way of expressing appreciation, the money doesn't really matter.
 
So true. I tried tip tip my heart surgeon. I really appreciated him helping me out with my triple bypass. He accepted my $400.00. Takes all kinds.
 
I start at $10 per day in sleeper. On two recent round trips LA to Temple, TX, I increased that to $20 per day since the SCA brought our meals to us. (It was too much of a walk for my wife.) On the return trip, Jesus not only brought our meals, he first used napkins to create a tablecloth on the table in our room and brought our salads. I little bit later, he brought the main course and waited for us to finish that before bringing desert. That service earned him well above $20 per day by the time we arrived in LA. He was always friendly and courteous the entire leg from SAS to LAX.
 
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