Valet parking, a question about tipping

[helenk]

I'm thinking of doing valet parking during our stay at the Poly. I've never done this before so excuse my stupid question.
Who do you tip, the driver that brings you your car, or the driver that parks your car when you come back...or both

 

[jctwizzer]

Conventional practices call for tipping when you pick up the car; and at WDW that's what I did for a long time, assuming the valets shared the tip "pool"
After asking, I found that at WDW they do not share tips. Since then, I tip a couple of bucks on drop off and another couple on pick up. And am glad I never had to do that job!!

 

[skiwee1]

I tip a $2-3 each way.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Conventional practices call for tipping when you pick up the car; and at WDW that's what I did for a long time, assuming the valets shared the tip "pool"
After asking, I found that at WDW they do not share tips. Since then, I tip a couple of bucks on drop off and another couple on pick up. And am glad I never had to do that job!!

I'm not against tipping, and I'm CERTAINLY not about to attempt to discourage anyone from tipping any person providing any service! I just wanted to try to explain: Even if the drivers don't pool the tips, they split the jobs somewhat equitably. I mean, it's not as if two valets spend the entire shift parking cars and two others spend the same shift retrieving cars. So it does all work itself out.

Now, this could be more important: While Disney now charges ($6 or $7) in most cases for Valet Parking at the various Resorts, this money does NOT go to the Valets!

 

[jctwizzer]

I'm not against tipping,.... Even if the drivers don't pool the tips, they split the jobs somewhat equitably. I mean, it's not as if two valets spend the entire shift parking cars and two others spend the same shift retrieving cars. So it does all work itself out.

and the guy parking the car does exactly the same amount of work as the guy retrieving...hence tipping each...jmho

 

[skiwee1]

I'm not against tipping,.... Even if the drivers don't pool the tips, they split the jobs somewhat equitably. I mean, it's not as if two valets spend the entire shift parking cars and two others spend the same shift retrieving cars. So it does all work itself out.

and the guy parking the car does exactly the same amount of work as the guy retrieving...hence tipping each...jmho

ITA. I never understood the tipping one way thing. They are both doing a service. I'm just as happy with the guy taking the car as I am with the guy picking it up. Both deserve a tip.

 

[bicker]

The service is safely parking and returning the car. I tip the last person I interact with, and only after the service is completed to my satisfaction. Conceptually splitting the service into two parts makes no sense to me, since I cannot evaluate how effectively the car is parked at the time I last have contact with the valet who parks the car.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Just to add--the fellow/gal who actually greets you at Valet and takes your keys (and whom you tip) may NOT be the person taking your car to the valet lot. Often they'll let cars sit (especially if they are busy ) and it's entirely possible someone else (whom you won't even see) will take your car to the lot and park it.

 

[CleveRocks]

There are SOME times that I view tipping as a defensive, selfish action rather than an actual "thank you" for a service performed. Valet parking is one of those times for me. I tip the guy who greets me/parks my car because I want to avoid his deciding that he's going to be rough with my car or put it in a very tight/bad spot because he's annoyed with me because I didn't tip him.

Is this a cynical view of society? Sure. I just consider it a type of insurance for the one in a hundred times I get a valet parker with a very bad attitude.

-- Eric

 

[TDC Nala]

I'm kind of against tipping everyone who touches anything, since I make a lot of trips in a year. I self park when I have a car and carry my own luggage (sometimes I don't have a choice, at some resorts they have to drive you to your room if you don't have your own car or you'll never find it). I've seen people tip the guy who calls for someone to unload your car, and the guy who unloads the car, and the guy who carries the luggage to the room. I'd have to cancel a couple of trips if I did that.

But it does seem correct to tip everybody who touches your car.

 

[ducklite]

$2 coming and going, and a bit extra if the weather is nasty.

Anne

 

[helenk]

Okay, alot of different answers but majority seems to be tipping both ways. So I will go with that.
Thank you