How Much to Tip Valet Parking
When you drive your vehicle to the local casino or fancy restaurant, you probably don’t think much about the guy or girl who takes your keys and parks your car for you, returning it when you’re ready to leave. In fact, if you think of them at all, you may be wondering how much to tip valet parking attendants. There are several different things to consider before determining how much to tip a valet.
First and foremost, most valet parking attendants get paid server wages, which is less than $4 per hour, relying on tips to make up the majority of their income. When you pay a service charge to a hotel or other place of business that features valet attendants, the service charge does not go to the valets, but to the company. This means that the tip you give your valet attendant makes up most of their income.
Tipping a valet parking attendant is different from tipping a waitress at a restaurant. While you consider 15% of the bill at a restaurant to be a great tip, the rule of thumb for valet attendants is to tip $1 for every $10,000 your car is worth. That being said, the average amount of a valet tip is about $3. If you want your tip to be above average, you can leave a $5 tip. However, if you want excellent service (your valet parks your car closer and takes less time retrieving your car), you can make a generous tip of $10 to $20.
No matter what you decide to tip your valet parking attendant, it’s important to remember that your tip will be very important to the valet. Most valets are students or young individuals who are working very hard while they go to school or college. For this reason, they appreciate your tips very much, because they’re what purchases the valet’s food and daily living needs.
