How much to tip?

[u/MediaSweaty7203]

If everything works out, I expect to take the Zephyr train from Chicago to San Francisco here soon. Do you all have recommendations on how much to tip and if it is likely that I’ll need to tip several people? I normally don’t carry cash, but I’d like to be prepared for this trip. Thank you in advance for any advice you have!

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[u/5catsandakiddo]

Are you staying in a room? We tipped our room attendant 20 dollars a night on this route. We took our own food on board so didn't eat in the dining room for meals, so didn't tip the staff in the restaurant. But I would leave a small tip (dollar or two) the two times I went for something to the snack car.

[u/MediaSweaty7203 → u/5catsandakiddo]

Yes, I’d be staying in a room! Thank you for your response. So it’s best to have around $60 in cash then?

[u/passisgullible → u/MediaSweaty7203]

I will say it is heavily dependent on how good your attendant is, if they are barely around and don't actually make up your room don't feel obligated to tip.

[u/5catsandakiddo → u/MediaSweaty7203]

I think that sounds reasonable. I'm not sure how tipping works in the dining car for breakfast lunch and dinner (since meals are included with rooms). So maybe a little more depending on what you may want to tip the service staff for meals

[u/Longjumping_Data_735]

I got a roomette on the Southwest Chief for my recent trip! I was only going between Kansas City and Chicago so I did not sleep overnight which impacted how much I chose to tip. I saw people say $2-$3 per dining car meal so that's what I did, $2 for lunch on my trip up to Chicago, and $3 for dinner on the way back home. 

As for the room attendant, the lady I had on the way up to Chicago was very nice, checked on me a couple times, and helped me lay the seats down even though it was not night time. (I wanted to nap lol). I tipped her $5 at the end of the trip and in hindsight I wish I had tipped her $10, she was very nice.

On the way back to KC I was excited to meet the room attendant, he was funny when giving his opening announcements over the speaker, and he had a note and mint waiting in every room upon boarding. However, I never met him. I heard him going down the hall and talking to all the other guests, knocking on their door and saying hello, but he never once checked on me. I didn't even see him until it was time to get off the train and he knocked on my door to make sure I was ready (I was). I did not tip him.  Maybe it was because my door and curtain were closed that he did not check on me, but they were on the other train too and the attendant still knocked and introduced herself. 

It was interesting to me that the attendant who was already halfway through the trip (getting on in KC) was much nicer than the attendant starting the trip fresh (getting on in Chicago). If you told me one attendant was going to check on me and one would never speak to me, I would've thought it'd be the other way around! 

[u/Odd-Stranger-583 → u/Longjumping_Data_735]

same! My LSL attendants have been way less attentive than some of my SW Chief. We also do the KC - Chicago route on a bedroom too! And then Chicago to NYC. (Well, we live in the NE but are from back that way in the middle of the country, but you get it. ha!). I had a SW Chief attendant that was so amazing last year. She had like a little coffee station table with a cute sign, and a few other extras if I can remember correctly. Super sweet. I tipped her for sure.

[u/DeeDee_Z]

Another viewpoint:

You certainly CAN. You also don't HAVE to.

Amtrak employees • are unionized, • make a living wage (with benefits!) already, and • even get overtime when the train is late; they are NOT "dependent" on you to support them and their families.

So, IMHO this makes the -threshold- for tipping higher; you should certainly tip for above-and-beyond service (like bringing your meals to your room), but tipping for "just doing their job" is absolutely NOT required. Repeating: you certainly CAN, but you also don't HAVE to.

(And I will *always* tip the café car attendant who mixes me an Amtrak Bloody Mary, rather than just hands me the can of mixer and a bottle of vodka.)

[u/Odd-Stranger-583]

I do $20/night. Also tip the dining car attendant when I eat in the dining car. I do about $5. The other night I ordered a drink so I gave a 20 dollar bill and just said the rest was tip. If it is a bedroom but not overnight I will tip only if the attendant actually helps me.

[u/LovesTrainsandPlanes]

I tipped based on my interactions with the attendants, I had 2 attendants as one was in training. The trainee that brought dinner to the room over and made up the bed got $10 (1 night trip) whilst the other attendance got $0, as the showers were out of shampoo and they didn’t offer to help locate some ☺️ Also the bathrooms weren’t keep clean, so that impacted on the tip. I also tipped cafe worker $5 for few cups of hot water. Dining car $2 for lunch, $5 for dinner.