When is it worth it to use valet parking? Perhaps on a first date, in order to impress your lady, you pull up to the valet in your ’92 Hyundai Elantra. You scope out the attendant, but he’s just some young punk with a red vest and a peach-fuzz puberty mustache. What if he goes for all your loose change littered in the center console? You have to take toll roads on your way back home! Decisions, decisions.
Nonetheless, if you’re driving a super expensive car, valet parking is for you, my friend. Not only will you have a hired employee making sure your car is secure all night, but in many cases establishments that offer valet services think of you, super expensive car owner, as their ideal customers.
What is it?
The word valet dates all the way back to the Middle Ages, when the phrase roughly translated to “personal man-servant” or in domestic cases, a “gentleman’s gentleman”. Although nowadays, one should abstain from pulling up to a valet and referring to the attendants as “man-servants”, unless you want them to take your car out for a joy ride or steal your Fresh Prince/Marky Mark mixtapes (some of those songs are hard to come by). These days a valet attendant refers solely to valet parking, which is a service offered mainly by restaurants, bars/clubs, stores, and hotels, in which a valet attendant parks your vehicle for you.
A valet can either be an employee of the establishment in which the driver is going to (i.e. nightclub) or an employee of a third party valet business. Try to avoid valet if they seem at all sketchy (i.e. not wearing a uniform or nametag or drinking a bottle of malt liquor with a guy holding a washcloth and a squeegee). Valet services may be free some of the time, but there is almost always a fee involved, whether it’s a flat rate or based on how long your car is parked. On top of that, it is customary to tip the valet attendant because, similar to waiters, they live off their tips. Besides, this person is watching your car for you, do you really want to stiff him?
Valet services may also be hired for single events, such as weddings or Bar Mitzvahs, where they may offer secondary services other than parking, such as traffic direction and driving shuttles. In most cases, the valet will have an allotted parking lot that they use or a storage garage where they can stack multiple cars on top of one another in order to utilize a dearth of space. Though bigger valet services may have many positions like greeters and shuttle drivers, a valet only needs to be comprised of two roles: someone to park the cars and someone to serve as parking lot security.
Who needs it?
In many cases, valet is a luxury. Nonetheless, if you’re driving a super expensive car, valet parking is for you, my friend. Not only will you have a hired employee making sure your car is secure all night, but in many cases establishments that offer valet services think of you, super expensive car owner, as their ideal customers. This is mostly true for restaurants and clubs that want to attract upscale clientele. Therefore, they may park your super expensive car in front of their establishment to let people know, “this is where all the rich people are partying tonight.” And hey, if you’re savvy enough, maybe you can cut a deal with the owner.
Otherwise, valet parking is ideal for people who are running late to an event or meeting, people who are naturally bad at parking, and people living in major cities, where finding a parking space can be a nightmare.
Benefits
The biggest benefit to valet parking is its convenience to the customers. Most often, you can pull up to the front doors of your destination, give your keys to the valet and be on your way. No long pensive walks (that may lead you to think depressing things like, “Why am I going to this strip club instead of work”) and no time wasted stalking people for parking spaces. In fact, some of the ritzier valet companies will open your doors for you (did somebody say personal man-servant?) and maybe even clean and detail your car.
Furthermore, if you’re worried about those Fresh Prince/Marky Mark mixtapes getting “lost”, some cars now come with a valet key which only gives access to the ignition and the driver’s side door, keeping valuables in the trunk and glove box safe.
Risks
Use your judgment when picking a valet service, as you’re essentially putting your car in their hands. For instance, if you’re in Malaysia or Brazil and a group or “gang” of young boys (some of which may be shirtless) tell you they’ll park your car for you, consider those Fresh Prince/Marky Mark mixtapes gone.
THE BOTTOM LINE
There’s not really a point to using valet if you can easily find free parking. Otherwise, if you can’t parallel park or you’re somewhere where parking is sparse (hello New York City), valet parking is a fairly affordable service (it varies really) that can save you time and frustration. Don’t forget to tip.
