There are no "Free" meals. First Class service is not cheap and I consider the price high enough to include any gratuity.
As I type this I’m sitting in my room hotel room in Dedham, MA. What I’m paying for a night here isn’t cheap either, in fact it’s enough to get me from NYP to ORL in a roomette, but my waitress last night sure expected a tip. And my meal wasn’t included in the price either. Nor did my bed move a few hundred miles last night either.
I see no tipping guidelines on the Amtrak website. A phone agent told me no tips are expected or required.
I see no tipping guidelines on a taxi cab company’s website, yet most cabbies expect tips. I see no tipping guidelines on many restaurant websites, other than for large groups, yet most waiters/waitresses expect a tip even from a party of one. I see no tipping guidelines on United's site for baggage handlers at the curb, yet most still expect a tip.
Lack of information on a website isn't an indication that something shouldn't be done; it's an indication that either someone didn't do their programming job right, someone overlooked something, or that someone decided that it might not be appropriate to post such information.
As for a phone agent, while there are many good agents, there are also agents that have no clue either. There is no way to know what kind of an agent you got, much less what they've been told or not. The agents are trained in reservations, not necessarily the finer points of actual travel.
These employees are paid a far higher base wage than wait staff at typical restaurants that don't roll on tracks.
I'm just sayin'.
While it may be true that they are paid a higher base wage that typical wait staff, I've never seen actual proof of this, their job is also much harder than that of a typical waiter/waitress.
When was the last time you saw your local waiter/waitress trying to carry a tray full of food while the restaurant was swaying, rocking, rolling, and often making violent unexpected bounces?
When was the last time you saw your local waiter/waitress serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a shift that lasts from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM or 11:00 PM?
When was the last time you saw your local waiter/waitress not going home to sleep in their own bed, at least not voluntarily?
When was the last time you saw your local waiter/waitress not being able to see their home and loved ones for as long as 5 days in order to do their job?
When was the last time you saw your local restaurant, especially on a busy day, without busboys?
And at least on an average normal day, when was the last time you saw your local waiter/waitress having to serve 8 tables that are all seated at exactly the same time? In most restaurants they don't get more than 5 or 6 tables to cover and it is rare that all of their tables arrive at the very same time. Usually they are staggered, with one or two having just arrived, another one or two eating their meals, and the remainder just finishing up.
Even the worst employees are still working harder/longer shifts than your typical waiter/waitress, and exceptional employees are really putting themselves out for their passengers. So at least IMHO, they are deserving of a little extra, even if their base salary does happen to be higher than a normal waiter/waitress.