Sunday up to Denali was pretty uneventful. Relaxed passengers. Very nice!

The passengers were a fun group. Drinking cocktails and being friendly. The trip to Talkeetna took five hours.

Monday was a different story. It started out a good day. We had a group of passengers that were on the leg of their tour whereas they take the train from Denali to Talkeetna, a quaint town that I will visit this summer. It is the town that the hit show from the early 90’s, Northern Exposure, is based on. It wasn’t filmed there.

When this group disembarked, the next group boarded. They were headed to Anchorage. Most of them on the last leg of their tour. The trip from Talkeetna to Anchorage is approximately three hours.

Usually passengers that board in Talkeetna nap or read. I don’t usually do a lot of business on this segment. Except for today.

I started in the front and worked my way back. Taking orders for approximately 66 passengers. Almost all of whom wanted drinks and Dome Bites. I didn’t know how I’d get everyone’s orders, serve them, and cash them out in three hours.

Thankfully another bartender on the consist had a dead car (no passengers) and came over to help me.

The front group were Americans. They were polite and friendly. Fun to chat with too!

The problem was the middle section. A tour group from Brazil. Most could not speak English. They were also demanding and rude.

I should explain that I get that not speaking the language can be a barrier. There are ways to work around that. And it never calls for snapping fingers at the bartender or huffing at them.

I worked my way through this group, taking food and Dome Bite orders. I would then focus on souvenirs. If time allowed.

The tour director sat in the front of the group and could speak a little English. After I served her, she would shout at me when I walked by her, that she wanted the calendar and the magnets! I assured her I would get them to her. Just not right at that moment.

At one point, one of this group’s women, who had been napping, shouted at the rail guide to “Shut the f up!”. Their behavior was awful. The rail guide was doing his job. Narrating the ride.

The passengers who sat in front of this group were fed up with them. Their behavior had been rude the entire tour.

No surprise that when it was time to close out tabs, this group didn’t seem to know what a tip was. I finally would take the payment device and hit the “skip” button. Counting it as a loss.

Last summer I chatted with other employees about different countries not tipping. Many people excuse it as it’s not customary to them.

I do not. And here is why.

When we as Americans travel to other countries, we are taught to try to fit into the culture. We do not do things to offend the culture. When in Rome, as the saying goes.

When people from other countries travel to America, they too should do what is customary. Especially when they are traveling with a tour group.

Tipped positions make less than minimum wage and tips make up the difference in pay. People that work tipped positions know what’s at stake and (usually) do a good job in order to earn a good tip.

It also seems that the groups that don’t tip tend to be demanding and needy.

I do not set out to give anyone exclusive service. Once I get through the entire car for first round, I will pay attention to people who are friendly and drinking.

When it was time to disembark, I planted myself at the stairs with the microphone, waiting for the all-clear.

I was very thankful to see this group leave. I had a coach ride up to Denali Tuesday. For that I was grateful. I would need the respite.