Diner using wrong room number

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RickIronton

Train Attendant
Joined
May 2, 2013
Messages
92
I have gone to the diner and signed the receipt using the wrong car number and roomette number by mistake and when I got back to my roomette, I realized my mistake but the dining crew didn't notice.
Obviously, the dining crew do not check the receipts and a day tripper could sign any car and room number and get a free meal!
Or was my mistake merely a fluke?
 
When I rode the Empire Builder in November, we did not touch our dinner checks. The server handled them, and did not request our room number. I don't think anyone ever paid much attention to the room numbers.
 
Maglev, you have reinforced my thoughts exactly. Unscrupulous diners could take advantage of this flaw.
 
Back when the Silvers had traditional dining, the dining car crew would notice from what direction passengers entered the dining car. I believe they knew who belonged and who did not. ....and of course back then the car and room number were either filled in by the passenger or by crew.
 
pennyk said:
Back when the Silvers had traditional dining, the dining car crew would notice from what direction passengers entered the dining car. I believe they knew who belonged and who did not.
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caravanman said:
I think as Penny says, the staff see from which direction passengers enter the diner.
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On the Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited, and Sunset Limited (LAX-SAS), there are sleepers on both sides of the dining car. On the Coast Starlight, passengers who enter from one end (sleepers) get free meals and those from the other end (Business Class) have to pay.
 
pennyk said:
Back when the Silvers had traditional dining, the dining car crew would notice from what direction passengers entered the dining car. I believe they knew who belonged and who did not. ....and of course back then the car and room number were either filled in by the passenger or by crew.
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Once, as a Sleeping Car guest, I was challenged as to whether I was a Coach or Sleeper guest when I entered the dining car. I had gone to the SSL for a pre-dinner cocktail and entered the dining car from that end of the diner. And, was seated in the section closest to the SSL. I had my tickets with me to show that I was legitimate when I was questioned and that ended the discussion.
 
anumberone said:
What would be the penalty for what is the equivalent of dinning and dashing, forging a dinner receipt on a train.
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I was dining a long time ago when a table-mate from coach left without paying. The wait staff noted it and said it would come out of his pay. The rest of us from sleeper tipped him extra.
 
I'm sure it would be pretty easy to say "Sleeper" and fill out a car and room number but you would have to know the car numbers on that train and you have to know the room numbers of sleepers. So you'd have to be pretty knowledgeable about trains and if you were that knowledgable you'd probably be in a sleeper anyways! haha.
 
Devil's Advocate said:
I would offer to help locate the deadbeat passenger. Otherwise I might feel like I was being played.
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I would find the passenger and tell him his presence was requested in the diner because he forgot to pay, then mention a member of the crew was planning to call the local police at the next station to ask that that an officer meet them but they were waiting to get a better cellphone signal so he should hurry.
:)
 
crescent-zephyr said:
I'm sure it would be pretty easy to say "Sleeper" and fill out a car and room number but you would have to know the car numbers on that train and you have to know the room numbers of sleepers. So you'd have to be pretty knowledgeable about trains and if you were that knowledgable you'd probably be in a sleeper anyways! haha.
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It would be fun to watch what happens when the real pax of Car#xxxx, room #yy ashows up for his dinner.
 
The passenger in question was fairly young, maybe a teenager, and I think he had no money. It is more likely if one of us searched him out, we would question him to see where he was going and what he was going to do when he got there, in case he needed help. And maybe give him a stash of our emergency rations so he wouldn't stiff anyone else.
 
Maglev said:
When I rode the Empire Builder in November, we did not touch our dinner checks. The server handled them, and did not request our room number. I don't think anyone ever paid much attention to the room numbers.
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Same happened to me on the California Zephyr last month (both directions). I didn’t have to provide car or room number nor did I have to sign anything.
 
I've had the reverse problem a couple of times -- as a coach passenger not having my check presented and payment made while I waited and waited until I was able to flag the lead. They assumed I was a sleeper passenger and as I described above the staff was not getting checks signed.

In a single case, the server implied that they needed the table and would I like to move into the SSL. Of course, I offered to leave if the lead would run my credit card.
 
If the numbers don't matter, why use them at all?
If the numbers do matter, why aren't they checked better by the attendants?
And how come my favorite meals are missing when Amtrak has a lot of data to use?

Is the answer: "3 times nobody cares?"
 
RickIronton said:
I have gone to the diner and signed the receipt using the wrong car number and roomette number by mistake and when I got back to my roomette, I realized my mistake but the dining crew didn't notice.
Obviously, the dining crew do not check the receipts and a day tripper could sign any car and room number and get a free meal!
Or was my mistake merely a fluke?
Click to expand...
I believe the dining crew pays attention to where the dine
RickIronton said:
I have gone to the diner and signed the receipt using the wrong car number and roomette number by mistake and when I got back to my roomette, I realized my mistake but the dining crew didn't notice.
Obviously, the dining crew do not check the receipts and a day tripper could sign any car and room number and get a free meal!
Or was my mistake merely a fluke?
Every time we are on, I noticed the dining crew pay attention where the the diners come from, coach or sleepers.
Click to expand...
 
PeeweeTM said:
If the numbers don't matter, why use them at all?
If the numbers do matter, why aren't they checked better by the attendants?
And how come my favorite meals are missing when Amtrak has a lot of data to use?

Is the answer: "3 times nobody cares?"
Click to expand...
Because in the recent past, coach passengers have been allowed to eat in the dining car, if there was enough food. And I expect that will start again, or at least I'm hoping it will.
 
Barb Stout said:
Because in the recent past, coach passengers have been allowed to eat in the dining car, if there was enough food. And I expect that will start again, or at least I'm hoping it will.
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I choke on the words, but currently the food on Greyhound Lines has of course more variety, but often is better now than in coach on Amtrak.
 
In the first couple weeks of November, I took an Everett, WA-New York-Los Angeles- Seattle trip on the Builder, the Lake Shore, the SW Chief and the Starlight.

The did not ask for room numbers or to sign meal tickets on any of the Superliner trains with traditional dining. The did need the room number on the Lake Shore both directions with different crews. It struck me that the new traditional has different procedures than the old or flex, since it was done consistently on different trains with different crews.
 
Willbridge said:
In a single case, the server implied that they needed the table and would I like to move into the SSL. Of course, I offered to leave if the lead would run my credit card.
Click to expand...

That’s happened to me as well. Once as a coach passenger, and once as a sleeper passenger who ordered a bottle of wine.
 

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