Compulsory valet parking
 

I understand the need for valet parking when there's no decent onsite parking. However, I've seen a few restaurants which have a big lot out front, all blocked off by cones. You're supposed to give your car to the valet, who drives it 30 feet to park it.

I admit there've been cases where I just parked it myself. Do you play ball with the valet even when it's totally unnecessary?

In this situation, I usually just stride up to the parking area and drive away in someone else's car. Keep 'em guessing, say I.

I hate that, City Island does that. Even if the lot has three cars in it, you need to use the valet. I wouldn't care if it was a tiny lot, and they needed to pack the cars in, and it's not about the buck or two to get it back, it's just a painto wait and wait for them to find it even though you have pointed it out to them three times.

I also hate it when you go to a place that doesn't have parking, park in a lot around the corner, and on the way in see they offer valet parking in the same lot for $2 more. Works both ways I guess.

i dont like the idea of someone else going through my car... would avoid valet
when i can

in some cases its cheaper... but i still try to avoid it.

A lot of restaurants here in Cleveland have valet parking only.

Every biz I've encountered with mandatory valet parking was free.

It allows them to better manage their parking spaces, which includes the blocking in of employee cars (who will be leaving the restaurant last).

Have you been to Los Angeles? It is really ridiculous sometimes. Pay some idiot with a holier-than-thou attitude $20 to move my car, literally, 2 meters. Once showed up to a parking lot, totally out of the way (i.e. valet parking was hardly of any benefit because I still had to walk a while) so that the valet could get into my car, and move it into the parking space. Unfortunately, there were no other options.

:rolleyes:

And then there are the instances when, if your car is not worth at least $120K, they will be loath to valet park your car, or will insist you park it somewhere else far away. All the "worthy" cars get parked out front (and they sometimes have no license plates, indicating they may just be 24-hour test drives).

:rolleyes:

Valet Only!
 

A few months ago, my friends had a celebration and I was invited. It was held at a restaurant on top of a hill in Orange, CA. Most everybody decided to drive separately for whatever reason. We had to drive almost a mile up a steep and windy driveway to the top of the hill. When we got there, we found out it was valet only! :mad:

Now that's definately one way to hold you hostage, valet or find somewhere miles away and down the hill to park!


Steve :mad:

Although to be fair to LA... some of the better restaurants that had mandatory valet parking charged fair prices (circa $5) and it indeed seemed geared towards maximizing available parking areas and providing a service, while the idiot valet parking seemed confined to clubs and "popular" areas.

This idiocy is absolutely epidemic here in Newport Beach and other areas in/around Orange County...If the service is complementary I begrudgingly use it and tip modestly but if there is a charge from the restaurant, I avoid the place out of principle.

If you want to see a truly bizarre, segregated valet lot, pass by Mastro´s Ocean club in Newport Coast some evening. As usual, the Bentleys and Ferraris are parked right out front. However, the Mastro´s valets have another area for the S500s, next to the BMW 7 series, across from the porsches...literally they SEGREGATE THE CARS IN THE LOT BY MAKE AND MODEL. I still haven´t figured out where the Ford Tauruses and Honda Civics are parked. Even more ridiculous, there is an enormous self parking lot within a 1 minute walk of the front door of this place yet there are 100 cars valet parked. And there is a fee ($3 I think.)

The restaurant is terrible and horribly overpriced, but this is a great place for tourists to see OC and all of its ostentation in full force.

Only in America can guys who work for $1 tips sit in judgement of the worthiness of millionaires!

I love pulling up to top-end restaurants in my usually dirty Honda Civic.

The only time I've had stuff stolen out of my car was at a mandatory valet parking place.

If you have an unusually nice or fast car, it is not a good idea to valet it. It is likely to be taken for a "test drive".

i'm more concerned about the personal information in my car...
Insurance, registration... credit card receipts etc..

I try not to keep a lot of stuff.. but somethings are just unavoidable..

Here in Tucson, the new J.W. Marriott is valet park only. When it was newly opened we drove up to get my Brother-in-Law who worked for Marriott Corporate out of DC and they wanted me to Valet Park. Found a place and they chewed me out. Told my BIL about the hassle. Even Corporate thought it was a good idea.

So we haven't been up to the JW for even a meal since. With the forced Valet Parking, I don't think they will get any of my business.

(They bus in the help, so even employees cannot park on site.)