Ok, so i'm only 23 and before this car I've always parked my car myself and walked up to where I was going. Now with this car, I feel that if they have valet parking I should use it. But now the question is tipping the valet.... When do you tip them? When they take your car..... give it back..... or both. Also how much is a good tip?

 

If I had a new IS, there'd be no way in hell I'd do valet parking (think Ferris Bueller's)!! Unless I had no choice, of course... In that case, I usually tip $2 or so when they deliver the car to me. When they take the car, I just take the ticket, and they rush off.

 

Tip when you retrieve the car. You want to make sure that you tip them for parking your car, protecting it, and returning it to you with no problems.

Generally, you should tip about 20-25% of the parking fee, but at a minimum of $2. If valet is free, tip according to your car ($2 for a beat up car, $5 for a nice car, $10 for cars that need special attention). You don't want to look bad by having a $45k car and tipping only $2...

 

$2!!! You'd better not have it valet parked at that place again. I'd say $10-$20. Tear a $20 in half and give them the other when they deliver the car back in the same condition.

 

well depends on where you go. if it's some mid-high class place 2 bucks is an insult. 10 to 20 bucks goes a long way

and btw, whenever possible i NEVER let them valet, especially since my cars are highly modified. they don't know how to drive it

 

It depends on how fast they get my car back to me. If I'm standing there all night waiting then no tip. If it is back in a resonable time I'll tip $3 to $5. Also FYI, my GF gave a valet at a very exclusive LA hotel her keys and the bum stole here Mobil Speed Pass and replaced it with a bad one. She didn't know about it until Mobil called her the next day and asked her if she had been making large purchases all over town. So word to the wise, only leave what they need to operate the car.

 

Tip em when you get the car back. Unless you want them to park it right up front. If thats the case, drop him a 10 or a 20 and make it worth his while to park it within sight.

 

you guys are big tippers. the only place i valet is at the olde spaghetti factory in newport beach, and the valet there is complimentary so I tip them $1 when they return my car to me. Dinners there cost about $7 so I don't think it's out of line with the price.

Also, when I am in Vegas and valet, I only tip $1. Each valet probably comes back with a car every minute when it's busy, they're probably doing OK I think.

 

Shoot, I only tip them $2-$5. No need to give them more considering how little work they do. I remember how much to tip, for them to leave it out front, from a tippers guide that i read a while ago.

 

You let the valet park your brand new IS350 ??

I never let valet park my cars since I moved up to upscale brands.

 

for me, just once, and i am not looking into next. it wasn't bad experience, but i don't want people to touch it

 

NEVER valet park your car. I've personally witnessed accidents because of stupid valet drivers.

 

I would walk a mile before I would let any valet drive my car.

Jonny

 

i cant afford to go to places where the valet parking is offered but i will never let valet park my car

 

I never valet if possible. I worked as one while in school and after seeing how careless some guys are let me tell you it's frightening.
However, if there's no self park then it depends on how far they go to fetch my car or if they park it up front. If they're working hard I'll give them $2, if they park up front it's $5.
You always tip at the end, unless you tell the guy to put it right in front then you should tip before and after.