# How much do you tip for valet parking? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 25, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375 "2013-02-25T21:01:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/1 "2013-02-25T21:01:55Z")
I dislike valet parking especially mandatory valet parking. If I used optional valet parking, I would tip, but I don’t use it cause I can just park myself. I’ve only used mandatory valet parking thrice. The first time, I wasn’t sure if they wanted a tip. The second time, they were busy and rushed off too fast to wait around for a tip. The third time, they asked me if I needed directions, put it upon themselves to load up my vehicle, etc. so they were jonesing for a tip. In a couple weeks I am going to be subjected to this experience yet again. What percentage of people tip? How much is the usual tip these days? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/2 "2013-02-25T21:05:21Z")
_Never_ let strangers drive your car. They don’t give a shit about and will root around and steal anything of value. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/3 "2013-02-25T21:07:38Z")
Two bucks. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/4 "2013-02-25T21:10:14Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > _Never_ let strangers drive your car. They don’t give a shit about and will root around and steal anything of value. This is so ridiculously over-the-top paranoid. You know what those guys DO give a shit about? Their jobs. And staying out of jail. I’ve used valet parking in Chicago for years and years, dozens of times, and have never had an issue with valet workers stealing or treating my car with anything but respect. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/5 "2013-02-25T21:15:22Z")
3 to 5 bucks. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/6 "2013-02-25T21:26:07Z")
Two or three dollars. I give it to the guy who returns it not who takes the car. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/7 "2013-02-25T21:30:39Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > This is so ridiculously over-the-top paranoid. You know what those guys DO give a shit about? Their jobs. And staying out of jail. I’ve used valet parking in Chicago for years and years, dozens of times, and have never had an issue with valet workers stealing or treating my car with anything but respect. Thats great! I used to work in casinos with valet parkers, and let me tell ya Bob, some nasty shit games were played by those rat bastards I used to work with. Just a few: Burnout contests, ransacking glove compartment and ashtrays for drugs/change/jewelry. One especially sick bastard liked to pee in the back seats. :smack: I’m glad that you know what happens to your car once you hand the keys to some dope-head and it rolls out of sight, but I’ve been there, and I"ve seen it and I can give names of the parties involved. Over-the-top reality, Bob. ---
**Author:** ![FoundWaldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@FoundWaldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoundWaldo)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/8 "2013-02-25T21:33:24Z")
I hate valet parking too, but if you eat out and stay at nice places in my part of the country, it’s pretty hard to avoid (or at least you’d be putting yourself at huge inconvenience to do so). So I put up with it. I’ve never had anything stolen or any major issue, and my cars are both quite expensive and babied, so I’d notice. The least I ever tip is $3, usually $5. I’ll go higher if it’s warranted for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/9 "2013-02-25T21:33:32Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > _Never_ let strangers drive your car. They don’t give a shit about and will root around and steal anything of value. > [@Gatopescado](#): > > Thats great! I used to work in casinos with valet parkers, and let me tell ya Bob, some nasty shit games were played by those rat bastards I used to work with. > > Just a few: Burnout contests, ransacking glove compartment and ashtrays for drugs/change/jewelry. One especially sick bastard liked to pee in the back seats. :smack: > > I’m glad that you know what happens to your car once you hand the keys to some dope-head and it rolls out of sight, but I’ve been there, and I"ve seen it and I can give names of the parties involved. > > Over-the-top reality, Bob. Did I mention that I dislike using valet parking? So much that I do avoid situations like this, although more for the inconvenience of not being able to get in my car whenever I like. However, I also dislike having to walk very far to a concert in a strange city more than that, and the hotel doesn’t have a garage or parking lot. ---
**Author:** ![jools](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b3f665/32.png) [@jools](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jools)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/10 "2013-02-25T21:34:31Z")
Depending on the context work or “chichi” restaurant, between 2$ and 5$! ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/11 "2013-02-25T22:14:07Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Thats great! I used to work in casinos with valet parkers, and let me tell ya Bob, some nasty shit games were played by those rat bastards I used to work with. > > Just a few: Burnout contests, ransacking glove compartment and ashtrays for drugs/change/jewelry. One especially sick bastard liked to pee in the back seats. :smack: > > I’m glad that you know what happens to your car once you hand the keys to some dope-head and it rolls out of sight, but I’ve been there, and I"ve seen it and I can give names of the parties involved. > > Over-the-top reality, Bob. Dude, you’re breaking the first rule of Vegas. Not cool. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/12 "2013-02-25T22:14:38Z")
Usually I do a max of $5 - especially if it’s free. If its pay - and lets say it’s $12 - I’d probably tip $3.00. I tend to think anywhere between 2-5 is probably what is expected. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/13 "2013-02-25T22:23:09Z")
FYI, **Enola Straight** posts to the board and I believe he does (or did) this for a living. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/14 "2013-02-26T06:19:56Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Dude, you’re breaking the first rule of Vegas. Not cool. Ceaser’s Tahoe (now Montblue) 😉 Granted, they were a bunch of college jack-offs on summer break in the 80’s, but man-O’-man I wouldn’t give my keys to anybody after the horror I heard about/saw back then. I was just a kid back then too, but somehow it seemed to make sense when you would listen to these guys. They would say, _" Who’s gonna call up and say someone stole dope out of their car, man? Who they gonna complain to?"_ Another excuse for this shit was,\* “Hey man, they ain’t gonna notice till about 3 days later, man!”\* :rolleyes: The thing that bothers me however is the intentional abuse of vehicles (burnouts, smoking the tires, locking up the tires in big hand-brake skids, “other” ) and that keeps me from ever handing over my keys. I would imagine in a non-seasonal, non-resort setting there may be a more “professional” crew in place. But I can park my own car. Hell, I drove the fucker there! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/15 "2013-02-26T21:48:51Z")
Some of live in different worlds; I’ve never gone to a place which had valet parking in my life. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/16 "2013-02-27T00:01:45Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Some of live in different worlds; I’ve never gone to a place which had valet parking in my life. Me neither. I had no idea you sometimes have to pay for valet parking even before the tip! ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/17 "2013-02-27T00:55:07Z")
I also give $2-$5 typically. However, there are times when I don’t tip if the valet parking is mandatory and the parking fee is exorbitant. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/18 "2013-02-27T01:01:13Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Me neither. I had no idea you sometimes have to pay for valet parking even before the tip! Some hotels it’s as high as $25 per night for valet, (and \*only \*$15 per night for self park). I’ve never had a problem with valet parking, except occasional long waits to get my car returned. ---
**Author:** ![FoundWaldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@FoundWaldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoundWaldo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/19 "2013-02-27T01:27:08Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Some hotels it’s as high as $25 per night for valet, (and \*only \*$15 per night for self park). I’ve stayed in places where it was over $50/night for valet, with no self-parking option. Annoying, yes, but also frankly a drop on the bucket in the context of the overall cost. I think this falls in the category of “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” (or more accurately “if you’re going to worry about the price of parking, you can’t afford the room”). I’m not going to avoid staying at a hotel because of the valet parking price. (And generally when I’m at a hotel, the car is a rental, so I don’t particularly care how the valets treat it as long as it’s operational when I get it back.) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375/20 "2013-02-27T04:17:21Z")
How much does the room cost at a $50 valet parking hotel? I probably could afford maybe one night (although I probably wouldn’t) so I think I can dare to ask. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-for-valet-parking/651375.md?page=2)