What is to stop you from parking in a valet's spot?

In that kind of situation, wouldn't the restaurant cut an additional deal with the mall owner for rights to the segregated parking? Or perhaps the valet parking is being operated by the mall owner? In either case, the valet might then have rights to have you towed.

 

I always wonder that too and i sometimes want to park there but fear when i come back the car will be keyed.

 

Chris, just stay away from malls during the holidays!

 

The valet company is under contract with either the tenant or the landlord. So it's really the tenant or landlord's decision how much of the parking lot gets coned off. It's usually something that is specifically spelled out in the contract. Usually, whoever hires the contract valet will get a % cut of the valet charges. So if you park there without paying, you're basically taking inventory away from the business, which has every right to charge what they please for their parking space.

If you have a problem with it, complain to the tenant or the landlord. Arguing with the guy parking your car won't get you anywhere because he's operating under the rules of the contract.

 

I know that our valet company would cone off spots to create less "self park" spots.. It was more of a liability issue of people started parking their own cars next to valet'd cars..

Say the self parker decides to put a HUGE door ding in the side of the car... it would be the valet companies responsibility to fix it (in most cases).

Most of our lots were too small and needed to be double/ triple parked.. so there wasn't really a space to park yourself.

 

Since the parking lot is private property, the owner can do what it wants with its parking spaces. What you can do is chose not to do business there and let them know why...it's called capitalism; enjoy it as it beats all other alternatives!

 

sort of off-topic, but on a similar subject: any of you Ferrari or other exotic car owners ever offer your keys to a valet guy? I have a couple friends that are valet guys, and they get to drive cool stuff sometimes. I dunno, maybe it's just me, but I'd never hand over the keys to an exotic car to a valet guy.

 

My friend who valets at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando valeted a 360 Spider recently. He's actually showing me the pictures as I type. It's red/tan with the modular wheels (I think that's what they're called). Best of all, it has a 6-speed. He said the clutch was surprisingly easy to use and not as difficult as he expected.

P.S. The driver tipped $20 each time for 3 days. He's not sure if it was rented or not. It has 11k miles, though.

Edit: He just showed me a pic of a white Ford GT with blue stripes that was valeted! He didn't valet it because it was at the Portofino Bay hotel across the street.

 

There are no valet areas down here at all---just up in DC or Baltimore at fancy rest and hotels...

 

The sooner you break her of the 'me by her side' thing, the happier you'll both be. My wife refuses to ask me to the mall.

 

What bothers me is when valets cone off public parking spots on the street.
So now i can't find a spot.....

 

accutually no they can't, city ordinances and the fire dept control the parking lot. complian to the city planning dept. i'll explain later in detail. gotta go to a submittal.

 

If you're spending that kind of cash in a restaurant every two weeks they should know you buy name and I'd say you should just ask them.

Living here in LA trying not to use the valet is a city wide sport with most of the people I know. I F*ck'n hate valeting my car. More than once I've gotten back into it and something’s not right. From being able to smell my clutch when they pull up with the car, having some change missing or items shifted around as someone must have been looking through the glove box or door pockets. I once was even out on a date, drove around for a quick parking spot, then decided to do the deed when my date said "you're not about to valet it are you?" I looked incredulously at her and said "you don't mind walking?" Her reply was "I f*ck'n hate valets. I had my car screwed up by some over at Bar Marmont, I’d rather walk than Valet.” We got along quite well. But, I’ve dated others that were the exact opposite.

Also valets cost a bit more here in LA depending on where you are. The worst charge I’d head of was almost $40 for a friend who wound up valeting at The Standard on the strip. She and a friend were there for a few drinks. They then were told it was so high because they weren’t staying there. Never mind they had been at the bar. But, if they got something at the restaurant and had validation, it would be reduced but not by much. When it was all said and done after they had a bite to eat (they were going to be spending the money there might as well get some food for it) the valet came to $18 as they had been there about three hours.

 

Here in France they do it in the streets , not in malls. They cone the street in front of the restaurant for 3-4 cars.

 

I had a quarter panel look like it was hit with a bowling ball after getting it back from a valet on Sunset. Unfortunately it was on the passenger side and they gave it to me on driver's side- I drove it home, left it in the garage and didn't even notice until I was walking towards it after getting the mail two days later.

Lesson learned.. do a walk-around before you leave!

 

I have valet parked cars in the past & in every case, on every property, for every valet company...they can threaten until they're blue in the face, but they have no legal right to actually tow your car; too much liability involved. I have even TRIED to get someone's car towed that parked in the valet spots...boss would not actually let us do it. Worse we could do was park a car on each side of the offending car (VERY CLOSE) so that the driver would have no way to get into their car to drive off without coming to get us to move the cars.....& we would have the opportunity to let them know not to park there in the future....& embaress them for sneaking into the valet cars only area in the first place.

Just my experience....

 

well one time i came out to see my car was in the valet parking and I KNOW i didnt park there (when it was valet) they just made the cones go farther....

and one time i did park in valet i saw what they did (like if they put anything on the window or anything) and i backed in at the end....one time i moved the cone cause everttime a car would leave they made it bigger...and thats wrong (i was a small lot and very bizzy)

i have many friends who own, work, run the valet and if my car was going in valet i would put it there myself....(and sometimes i do)lol

i saw a lambo on i-95 weeks ago going jail time speeds, then he gets off and goes to valet lot and got out was a 18 kid handing the keys over to this older man.....

 

You can park there. Give the valet $20 (maybe even $10) and he won't care. If you're in a Ferrari, they would probably prefer to leave you up front.

And no, personally I don't let valets drive my cars. I tip them and ask them where they want me to park (up front, ideally). However, I view valet parking as a negative on balance, and generally try to avoid it.

If you're trying to cheap out and park there for free, well, I wouldn't recommend it. Especially in a Ferrari.

 

Trust me I waited tables. If you're a regular, spend good money and tip well they'll know you. A good management staff will be in constant communication with their wait staff. I'd be surprised that if/when you ask your server that the manager wouldn't address the question himself. If I were posed the question even if I had the answer for the customer I'd still let the manager know along with the particulars about the customer who's asking. If it were a regular I'd expect at least a "fly-by" by the manager just to make sure you guys were happy.

Don't forget in Texas waiters only make $2.15 and hour + tips. Your tips are their income.