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warbonnet

Service Attendant
Joined
Aug 23, 2002
Messages
125
Location
High Desert, Southern California
Guys,

I know this has been a topic on the board in the past, but what is the rule of thumb regarding tipping your sleeping car attendent? When should that tip be made? At boarding, during the trip, or at the end of the trip? Wouldn't tipping at boarding somewhat set up the environment for better service?

Thanks,

Wb
 
I think that everyone probably has their own preference and style of tipping in the sleeper. I'll give my short personal opinion on the matter... if you tip the guy at the beginning, he might feel as if he doesn't have to work very hard since he already has your $. Plus, if the guy is a real dud and sleeps the entire trip instead of helping you make your beds and bring meals to your room, you might feel bad you tipped him so much (or at all).

That said, I tip at the end of the trip.
 
I agree with Anthony here, I always tip at the end. They are there to provide service to me regardless of whether I tip or not. That is their job!

If they do it well, then I will reward them. But I feel that I shouldn't have to reward them first, in order to get them to do their job.

I do know of a few people who do tip at the beginning, and they have met with moderate success. Some attendants do seem to spring to life more for those who tipped first, but my friends have also had some real duds that just took the money and ran.

If you are unsure which way to go, then you could always tip at the end of each days service. That way if the attendant is a dud on the first day, you won't bother to tip him. If he/she is mediocre, then maybe a small tip will spur him on the next day. If he/she good, then they will still be good the next day.
 
I also tip at the end of the trip. My wife and I have had a couple of duds for car attendants over the years. Most times everything is fine, but don't feel obligated.
 
Thanks guys, I'll follow your advice. Tip at the end as you would do a waiter in a resturaunt if the service is good. What are your thoughts on upgrading on board (west bound Zeph. out of Denver on a Friday morning late Jan.) from standard sleeper to deluxe?

Wb
 
warbonnet said:
Thanks guys, I'll follow your advice. Tip at the end as you would do a waiter in a resturaunt if the service is good. What are your thoughts on upgrading on board (west bound Zeph. out of Denver on a Friday morning late Jan.) from standard sleeper to deluxe?
Wb
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It's your call. Just talk to your attendant and conductor after you board to see if any deluxe rooms are avalible.
 
Just add my vote to tipping at the end. I've never done it any other way.It is my general observation that almost everybody does that. The etiquette books always stated the same thing, for what that may be worth to you ... I have not checked an etiquette book in awhile, don't know if they speak of train travel any more. .
 
I like to tip the attendant at the moment he/she directly provides me with a valuable service: usually making the bed for the evening. So I typically tip the attendant $5 each night.

It is a subtle way of getting the point across that there is a reward for prompt and courteous service. Regardless of whether the attendant owes me courteous service in the first place, it is irrelevant to me... it's just good manners to tip when a service is personally provided that benefits me directly.

I've had excellent results with this tactic and have been blessed with friendly and efficient attendants on 4 long-distance trips this year.

I also usually tip an additional $10 when I get off the train at my final destination and express my thanks for a pleasant trip.

I would be a little uncomfortable with waiting until the end of the trip to give the entire tip to the attendant. To me, it would be the same as waiting until the end of the trip to leave a tip in the dining car after having eaten several meals there over the course a couple of days.
 
Attendants seem to expect their tips at the end of the trip and it just makes it easier to do it all at once, so my vote goes for the end.
 
Don't mean to intrude on your post Warbonnet, but I have a few questions about tipping myself....

Ok who do you tip? Like is it the coach attendent or the waiters/waitresses at meal times? Or would I need to tip both? Also is it everytime I eat or what? I'm lost :blink:
 
Breeze,

You only need to tip the coach attendant if he or she really goes out of their way to do something special for you. Otherwise they don't need to be tipped. You also should not tip the conductors.

If you eat in the dining car, something that I highly recomend you do at least once, then you should tip like you would at any restaurant, typically 15% of the check for each time you eat in the diner. In the cafe car, most people just throw down their loose change as a tip for the attendant there. Some will leave a whole buck, but it's really up to you.

Should you try to get a sleeper and suceed, then most people tip 5 bucks per night, assuming that the attendant does his job.
 
Breeze,

Thanks for your questions. This is what the board is for. I think Alan's post is a good guide for tipping. Enjoy your ride and give us a trip report when you get back. We all would like to hear about it.

Wb
 
Back in May or June I asked the same questions about tipping. I got one response, can't remember who it was from, but I loved it and used it. If you want to get popular then 2 dollar bills work! They leave an impression in the diner. As a matter of fact the last meal we had in the diner the waiters fought over who was going to serve us. That was cool!

2 dollar bills are so unusual these days that when someone sees one then it's remembered where it came from.

I also tipthe attendant at the end of the trip. How much depends on what kind of service but I do tip well if deserved.

Diane
 
Thanks you guys :D

Ok so do I just leave the tip on the table or give it to the waiter/waitress?
 
Diane - Might have been me! :lol: :D Yes, I use $2 bills and Sacajawea $1 coins on all my trips/vacations - it does leave a lasting impression!!! B)
 
piedpiper13 said:
Diane - Might have been me! :lol:   :D   Yes, I use $2 bills and Sacajawea $1 coins on all my trips/vacations - it does leave a lasting impression!!! B)
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Maybe it was... You know I haven't used the Sacajawea coins but I do give my daughter, she's 8, one dollar bills so she can tip for her own meal. She loves having that control over her own food.

Either way thanks for the tip regarding tipping! :D
 
piedpiper13 said:
Diane - Might have been me! :lol:   :D   Yes, I use $2 bills and Sacajawea $1 coins on all my trips/vacations - it does leave a lasting impression!!! B)
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You wouldn't have happened to been on the Empire Builder that left Portland on the 18th, would of you? I sat with a gentleman at lunch on the 19th who left a $2 bill for a tip.
 
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