Valet tipping etiquette

[hoyasaxa]

What is customary tip to be allowed to self-park your valeted car? What about to leave it up front?

I imagine M drivers might not be tipping as much as Ferrari drivers, but I've never wanted to ask before.

In the US? In Europe?

[BEM-S4]

Depends on the setup. A few I regularly use (never my car always GF's that's dinged up already). Clothing store there's a lot right across the street that's valet. Self park keep keys during business hours $10, parking is free then while shopping. After hours to go to dinner when they're supposed to charge $25 for the evening when it switches to commercial lot I give the guy $20 and thy don't charge me a parking fee. Valet at hospital where dad goes once a month they are not allowed to self park or leave cars out. After speaking the the boss there and giving him a lot of money, $20 upon arrival and the boss drives the car from the door to a doctors only spot 50 feet away. Then when leaving $20 to have the car driven around the circle and pulled to the front door. There's always a wait for your car like 30 mins, but after chemo the only thing you care about is getting the f*ck out of there as quickly as possible.

So short answer to your question, sliding scale of $10 to a lot depending how out of the ordinary the request is.

[BEM-S4]

To answer your other question, four season has a rooftop bar and I do valet my 235 there. Leave up front self park in "millionaires row" with the big boy cars. That I pay the regular parking fee plus $20.

[hoyasaxa]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

at hospital where dad goes once a month they are not allowed to self park or leave cars out. After speaking the the boss there and giving him a lot of money, $20 upon arrival and the boss drives the car from the door to a doctors only spot 50 feet away. Then when leaving $20 to have the car driven around the circle and pulled to the front door. There's always a wait for your car like 30 mins, but after chemo the only thing you care about is getting the f*ck out of there as quickly as possible.

Thanks for your reply.

I hope your dad has a speedy recovery! We need to do something about cancer. Good luck to both of you.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by hoyasaxa

Thanks for your reply.

I hope your dad has a speedy recovery! We need to do something about cancer. Good luck to both of you.

Thanks! All things considered he's lucky. Excellent insurance, he's not poor, and since he's a well respected physician getting access to the best docs is never a problem. Teams at Penn and Hopkins.

I've been spoiling him too much though! When he decided on the way back from Hopkins one day that his Allroad was not making him happy after having it 6 months I ordered him a Sport Wagon the next day. It's only money though what are you going to do. RS4 avant deposit placed too

[50shadesofhockenheim]

I was a valet up until about 8 months ago. It really depends how fancy the restaurant/hotel is but if someone wanted to self-park up front we were happy with $10. We regularly had a guy come in a C7 corvette and throw us $50 but that was unusual. Regular self park I would say $5 is good.

[KingOfJericho]

What the hell is self-park valet?

[pz619]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

What the hell is self-park valet?

Yeah I'm confused on this concept too. So someone watches me park and I pay them?

I usually pay around $5, unless they have to get my car which is parked far away then it's $10. Although, I actively avoid valet parking and haven't had to do it in about 2 years. Hoping to keep that streak alive.

[Alfisti]

THis thread is the very essence as to why tipping is so immensely stupid. i do it because when in rome.... but dear me it's stupid. just pay the guy a proper wage and be done with the guess work ffs.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

THis thread is the very essence as to why tipping is so immensely stupid. i do it because when in rome.... but dear me it's stupid. just pay the guy a proper wage and be done with the guess work ffs.

A few years ago the actually banned tipping at the garage at the union league and just pay the guys a lot more. That's a solid model but far from common.

[hoyasaxa]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

What the hell is self-park valet?

Originally Posted by pz619

Yeah I'm confused on this concept too. So someone watches me park and I pay them?

I usually pay around $5, unless they have to get my car which is parked far away then it's $10. Although, I actively avoid valet parking and haven't had to do it in about 2 years. Hoping to keep that streak alive.

Many places have mandatory valet parking. In some cases, I would prefer not to have anyone else drive my car, and would want to self-park, usually in the lot which is restricted access.

In other cases, you don't want to wait for your car to be retrieved by the valets upon exit, and, additionally, may not want them driving it.

So to get them to let you break the rules a little bit, a nice tip is appropriate. Just wasn't sure how much is customary when asking for this.

[BEM-S4]

If you want a general rule of thumb broken down by type of lot I'd say:

Parking lot where you drive into lot and valet just moves the cars around and parks them $5-10

Parking garage where you enter and valet uses one of the spaces off to the side for your car but not actually put it up with everyone else $10

Anything where car storage is offsite and you're requesting "VIP" spot in front of hotel or restaurant where they normally drive the cars someplace totally different for storage $20.

That aside use your discretion for out of the ordinary situations.

[KingOfJericho]

$5-10 for 45 seconds of work? Honestly... that's complete insanity. They get $2... if I have it on me. Absolute max of $5 if I have no singles and I've been there all night. If I don't have a $1 or $5, I'm sorry but I'm driving out of there with my tens and twenties in my wallet.

I'm not going to be held hostage or blackmailed by attendants who will treat my car like shit if I don't empty my wallet for them. It's literally the most basic job on planet earth and I'm not hurling money at them to do it properly.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

$5-10 for 45 seconds of work? Honestly... that's complete insanity. They get $2... if I have it on me. Absolute max of $5 if I have no singles and I've been there all night. If I don't have a $1 or $5, I'm sorry but I'm driving out of there with my tens and twenties in my wallet.

I'm not going to be held hostage or blackmailed by attendants who will treat my car like shit if I don't empty my wallet for them. It's literally the most basic job on planet earth and I'm not hurling money at them to do it properly.

I am not going to argue with you, it's your car and your money you do what you want. $5 is the bare minimum, in my opinion, for asking them to do something out of the ordinary like letting you park your own car and taking your keys with you. If you think differently great. I assumed it was understood that in the pull into lot they just move cars we were discussing parking your own car since that's what OP asked about. In this case I am not paying $5 for 45 seconds of work, I am paying $5 to do what I want that involves them bending the rules and letting me park my own car.

I am also firmly of the mindset that these guys are hustling, many of them I have known for a long time through repeat business, and the difference between $2 and $5 is literally nothing in the grand scheme of things to me but can matter to them.

[M BE4ST]

I think those of us that have worked for tips before may be a little more generous.. a dollar is not a tip for anything.

[paliknight]

Originally Posted by M BE4ST

I think those of us that have worked for tips before may be a little more generous.. a dollar is not a tip for anything.

It's incentive to get a better job. Which I'm hoping most of them eventually do

[WreckerX5d]

I'm in the boat that tipping in the USA has gotten pretty out of control, but I can't really complain because I make a decent bit off tips while working at my college/summer job (no, it's not stripping, although male strippers do make a lot).

I would agree that anything below $5 is pretty lame for today's standards, but $20 is a bit much for the minimum work either a valet or I do to earn it.

[Fundguy1]

$5 is normal unless you want preferential parking.

[kprocivic]

I went to a fancy place last week. I didn't have any cash on me when I arrived, but when I left I tipped a 20.

[KingOfJericho]

Originally Posted by kprocivic

I went to a fancy place last week. I didn't have any cash on me when I arrived, but when I left I tipped a 20.

How does one make $20 in a fancy restaurant? I mean, I have some ideas but...

[Neiman Levenson]

I used to work part time valet for a company that had several locations. I've worked in locations with far lots, close lots, mandatory valet, extremely busy restaurants, extremely slow restaurants, in the POURING rain, everything

The amount you should tip should really depend on the scenario, If the valet worker has to run far, go uphill, go up a parking lot staircase quickly, RUN TO YOUR CAR IN THE RAIN, then you really should tip extra. Most people don't consider the scenario whatsoever. I have one shift that i worked in the pouring rain and everyone coming to the restaurant would get valet no matter what in the rain, even the ones who weren't planning on taking valet. Then those same ones end up stiffing you or tipping 1$.

With that said a 5$ tip is pretty good. Most cars at most locations tips 2-3$ and at a busy location if every car tipped 5$ you would make a killing in a night. (20-30$ an hour)

The biggest tips never come from guys with the nicest cars. Its funny. Nicest car I ever drove was an audi r8 and I got tipped one dollar lol. yes, one dollar from an audi r8. Then there was one time where a guy in a broken, 20 year old, f150 tipped me $35 which was the biggest tip I ever made

[KingOfJericho]

Now I don't feel so bad about my $2-3 typical valet tip. I will say it's VERY rare in this area to see a valet at a restaurant. The last few times I've seen it was at wedding venues. It's not like I don't tip appropriate amounts in other parts of my life - I tip my barber $10, I tip 20% at every restaurant, etc.

Side note: I just found out I have been WAY over-gifting ($) for weddings.

The more I think about it, the more I think that tipping a valet is dumb from go. That's not really a "level of service" type or job in the first place. They can't really go "above and beyond" or check back with you like a restaurant server. They just park your car. That's it. Makes no sense to pay extra for NOT completely fucking it up. They should be paid a real wage and call it a day.