Save your money -- I've never had a scratch or dent at the $0(dropoff)/$1-2(pickup) level. Or, spend it on more insurance.

We were at the Hyatt Maui in September and our Gray Buick suddenly had a huge white scrape mark all down the side. This was in spite of good tipping. :eek: :eek:

IMHO, never valet park your car, except for those situations when you absolutely cannot avoid it.

Based on sitting in the Beverly Hills Courthouse for several days and hearing all the suits against valet companies for, among other things, stolen cell phones, stolen radios, stolen clothes, and, even, used condoms and female underwear found in heavily stained backseat.

always $5
except if it's bad service

A further transatlantic cultural difference is that in the UK people are notably discreet about how they go about tipping and will make some effort to do so without it coming to the attention of the rest of their party, whereas in the US the opposite is true.

I have often thought that a useful addition to the inventory of a US waiter or valet parker would be a bullhorn, so those who have tipped more than the "going rate" (which itself seems to increase each year by well above inflation) could announce excitedly and at the tops of their voices to all the other patrons the amount of their largesse. Of course, a further $5 tip would be expected for the use of the bullhorn.

i usually give 2 dollars unless i have to pay for parking, in san francisco it's 20 a day or more to park at the hotel, i'm not tipping on top of that, but occasionally i will tip 1 dollar if i have it in my pocket, but it bugs me.