How much to tip the valet for "Keeping it in front"?

[kruecab]

So the wife and I have had the Model S for a few months now and have come to find that valets are leaving our car "in front" of the venue. Surely others have experienced this. We feel pretty cool when we walk out front and our Tesla is sitting right there, sometimes amongst exotic European cars. We've owned some nice cars, but never one that received this treatment regularly. I always assumed this was mostly done to improve the image of the venue... ie., we're such a hot spot, we have these expensive cars out front.

After enjoying a musical at the Old Globe tonight we weren't surprised to find our P85 up front; however, there was a very long (15+ minute) line for the valet. The captain recognized us before we shuffled to the back and immediately got us in our car so we effectively jumped the queue based on the sweetness of our ride. This was also probably practical as he didn't need to drive to get our car and it helped everyone to get us on our way and make room for more cars to be brought up (although I hardly think the other play-goers felt the same watching us whiz off silently!)

Now I'm thinking the "up front" service has some benefit to me and the betrothed and thus might deserve more than the usual valet tip. What say you brothers and sisters in Tesla ownership? We certainly don't want to be cheapskates!

 

[retinadoc]

I can't speak to CA rates. In NYC it was the best $5 I ever spent for my BMW 750. 1) The guys appreciated the tip and never door dinged or bumper rashed the car. 2) There is nothing better than coming out of a Broadway show in January and immediately driving off instead of waiting outside in the freezing cold for ten minutes. My wife much preferred this to having the wind off the Hudson blow through whatever dress she was wearing. I still have not gotten the courage up to turn over my Tesla fob to a valet. I need to be the one to ding the car first.

 

[sp4rk]

As I tell people ... the best part of owning a Model S is not the car.

It's the people you meet with it. Fellow owners, interested public, and teenage valets who want a ride (I've done this a couple of times when SO has brought her own car) and see the "cockpit".

I usually tip between $5 and $10 depending on the location, how generous I feel that evening and if the valet is "complimentary" to start with. And complementary!

 

[LagunaDallas]

I was a valet about 15 years ago in college. The Model S does nearly guarantee a space up front, but not always. I've seen what valets can do to cars, so I think tipping up front is money well spent. Rarely will your car ever go beyond the front if you tip when you first pull up rather than just when you pick up the car. I don't want a valet taking my car on a joyride on the way to and from a parking garage, rubbing my wheels into some curbs, and/or getting crammed into a door ding-prone space in a tight parking lot. If something happens damage-wise with a valet, it's really tough to prove they did it and good luck with collecting from the valet company for repairs. At least $5 when you first pull up, though $10 is better. Another $5 on the way out. $10-15 once or twice a month is a no-brainer to guarantee some peace of mind with a $100K car.

 

[dailydriver]

I have always done $20 at the places we frequent and they will shuffle cars and "bump" other cars to accommodate whatever I am driving, if necessary. It may be a bit excessive, but they know me and it guarantees a front spot. They really earn it on cold and/or rainy nights, and I'm sure it helps them out a lot a slower week nights.

 

[DEinspanjer]

I was meeting up with some people in Boston last week, and after cruising for a suitable streetside spot for about 5 minutes, I gave up and went to the valet. They definitely treated me like a VIP and immediately offered to "keep it in front". I didn't tip before hand, but I did tip about $10 after picking it up. That was my first experience with that class of service as well.

 

[aviators99]

I've been giving $20 to be able to *park it myself* at the valet. I'm not ready to let anyone else drive it.

 

[Arnold Panz]

I've been giving $20 to be able to *park it myself* at the valet. I'm not ready to let anyone else drive it.

This is me -- in this area you pay extra to keep the car up front, but its worth it to avoid the valets driving the car, and particularly trying to get the car started to bring it back from the garage at the end of the night. I'd rather pay extra, park it myself and be able to keep an eye on it rather than have the valet do who-knows-what to my car.

 

[AudubonB]

What a strange, strange world some people live in ...... :biggrin:

And speaking of strange, tt certainly is going to be a strange sight when my Tesla shows up here in the middle of the Alaska Range. 43,000 caribou aren't going to know what the h*ll to make of it.....

 

[Arnold Panz]

What a strange, strange world some people live in ...... :biggrin:

And speaking of strange, tt certainly is going to be a strange sight when my Tesla shows up here in the middle of the Alaska Range. 43,000 caribou aren't going to know what the h*ll to make of it.....

I think they'll say, "Thanks for doing your part to keep the ice from melting around here!"

 

[TaoJones]

I've been fortunate to have been offered up front self parking each time I've encountered a valet. $10 (in)/$5 (out) has been the average, with a range of $5-$20 per event/evening. It's not every week, and it does help the peace of mind.

Planning ahead is important. For certain future events and venues, I'd rather uber than risk a door ding. YMMV.

 

[invisik]

Is there an etiquette to asking if it can be parked up front? I rarely valet but would be cool to be up front at some spots.

Thanks. -m

 

[SherSlick]

Man, you guys are lucky. In the handful of times I have left my car with the valet they didn't park it up front. Guess the Model S isn't that special here in Colorado...

 

[skilly]

So the wife and I have had the Model S for a few months now and have come to find that valets are leaving our car "in front" of the venue. Surely others have experienced this. We feel pretty cool when we walk out front and our Tesla is sitting right there, sometimes amongst exotic European cars. We've owned some nice cars, but never one that received this treatment regularly. I always assumed this was mostly done to improve the image of the venue... ie., we're such a hot spot, we have these expensive cars out front.

After enjoying a musical at the Old Globe tonight we weren't surprised to find our P85 up front; however, there was a very long (15+ minute) line for the valet. The captain recognized us before we shuffled to the back and immediately got us in our car so we effectively jumped the queue based on the sweetness of our ride. This was also probably practical as he didn't need to drive to get our car and it helped everyone to get us on our way and make room for more cars to be brought up (although I hardly think the other play-goers felt the same watching us whiz off silently!)

Now I'm thinking the "up front" service has some benefit to me and the betrothed and thus might deserve more than the usual valet tip. What say you brothers and sisters in Tesla ownership? We certainly don't want to be cheapskates!

Im in California. The going rate for such a service is $20.00. In busy parking areas that have more than their fair share of nice rides, you'll usually pay $20.00 just to keep it up front. and you should tip then too.

- - - Updated - - -

Is there an etiquette to asking if it can be parked up front? I rarely valet but would be cool to be up front at some spots.

Thanks. -m

money talks