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Sorry to bring this up again. We will be leaving Thursday, 8/19 for our cross country journey via Chicago, Glacier, and Portland. We plan to leave $20 tip for double bedrooms on each segment provided the service is acceptable. But not sure on tips for dinner. Without figuring 15% to 20% of bill what is a reasonable amount to give for acceptable to outstanding service. For not so good service.
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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When the wife and I traveled in a roomette from Mt. Pleasant, IA to Salt Lake City, UT on the CZ 4 years ago, I left $10 at dinner the first night and $5 at breakfast after Denver the next morning.
Must have been ok, because after skipping lunch we were treated to "extra" dessert after dinner the second night somewhere in Utah.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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Here's my input, and how I've always done it over the years:
Sleeping car attendant:
•$10 per person, per day (For me, traveling solo on the Coast Starlight from Los Angeles, to Seattle, that would be $20. Or, for me traveling on the Zephyr from Emeryville to Chicago, that would be $30). But since it sounds like you might have 2 bedrooms and 4 people for a total of 2 nights/3 days on the train, my formula would end up making the tip WAY too large. I think your idea of $20 per segment is perfectly acceptable, that is, provided that your attendant does not have an attitude, does not "disappear", and is there to put your bed down at night and put it up in the morning. If the attendant provides poor service, don't tip them a single penny! Just remember that they are already getting paid well and are receiving great benefits. A tip is for doing great work----not just because they are there and breathing.
For the dining car, I know you didn't want to hear the 15 or 20% thing, but that's what I'm recommending anyway. Just remember to look at the menu when you order so that you know what the cost would have been if you were paying for meals (as opposed to the cost being included in the cost of the sleeper ticket). And again, a tip is for providing good customer service---not just for showing up and breathing. I have NO PROBLEM leaving NO TIP if the waiter/waitress is a snobbish jerk. A tip only encourages them to keep acting that way. But if they do a good job, then 15 to 20% is perfectly acceptable.
20th Century Member # 2196
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Thank you for your advice. It helps. Tomorrow......All Aboard!
Railroad Bob Member # 3508
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Roger your recommendations, Smitty..esp. the part about "showing up and breathing." Reminds me of the nightmare dinner I had a few months ago at La Posada in Winslow...the room was superb, location great, etc. but our "dining experience" in the "highend" restaurant attached to La Posada was a disaster from start to finish-- both the wait service and the food. Sounds unbelievable (many here are familiar with La Posada.) Our server (Kevin) battled us from start to finish; as if it was some kind of war. Details too many to list; just call it everything.
We reported the exact details the next morning to the GM and the restaurant boss-- they "made it right" as well as they could. It's a sad commentary how just one employee can singlehandedly cause such destruction/ (or delight) in a restaurant, lodging or common carrier's operation. Hope your experience goes smoothly-> (20th C.)
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
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Thirded, Smitty's recommendations on when NOT to tip. Enjoy, 20thC.
SilverStar092 Member # 2652
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I concur about the not tipping part. They are paid well. If they do more than the basic job, a tip is in order. If not, thy get zip. On our just completed trip, 2 sleeper attendants got nothing, two got tipped. Same in the diner.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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And this has been one of my top AmComplaints for years and years. Amtrak's customer service and mechanical reliability is all over the map. It's a throw of the dice every time you hop on-board an Amtrak train. Do you get good equipment with horrible employees, or horrible equipment with good employees? Or any combination thereof?
I was just watching a rerun episode tonight of "Undercover Boss", and tonight they did the White Castle hamburger chain. One of the reasons that the boss goes undercover is to see if the corporate policies are being adhered to, and whether or not their policies are actually working or if things need to be changed up a bit to make the company successful. *THIS* is the difference between a private corporation and Amtrak. A private corporation cares about the bottom line, because without satisfied/return customers, then they go out of business and they disappear from existence. But with Amtrak, in all reality, it really doesn't matter. The temporary office holders in Washington (the politicians) will continue to fund and defund Amtrak. The employees know that they can do basically anything they want to, and they will get away with it. And they can do all of this while getting paid three, four, and five times what a White Castle employee makes. And they have job security. And medical and dental benefits.
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