Working as a valet is not all it's cracked up to be. Sure, you get to drive some fancy cars, but some smell bad and some are dysfunctional, and some are kinda scary.
My boyfriend is a valet for the hospital in our hometown, and like most valets, this service is complimentary, but tips are willingly accepted.
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For a college student, this is a pretty good job. It pays well and is flexible with a school schedule, which allows you to work as many hours as possible, without using up all your time and energy. When the day is slow, they get breaks and enjoy some downtime with their co-workers.
There are loyal customers that come on a regular basis and make the job a little more fun, but same with any job, some customers will come in and make the job a little less enjoyable.
Most people use the valet service when it's available, but they don't think about how many cars are parked in a day and how many customers are seen. Most people don't know valet etiquette and forget their manners when someone is just doing their job.
With that said, here are some tips and pointers to consider if you ever need to use a valet service
1. Don't stare.
If you're using the valet, the only way we'll know is if you make an effort to get out of your car.
2. Don't leave your car unattended.
If you don't see an attendant, be patient! If we are not in sight, we are either picking a car up or dropping one off for another customer. We will be back to assist you as soon as we can!
3. Tip.
Of course, you don't have to and it's not required, but it is super nice! Remember, most of us are struggling college students who could use the extra money. Any tip is better than no tip, even if it's a handful of change. If you can't or don't want to tip, that's fine, just know that we're judging you as you drive off in your 2016 Buick.
4. Don't make jokes about washing your car.
If we had a dollar for every time we heard, "Did you wash it while you had it back there," we wouldn't stay employed at the valet much longer.
5. Small talk is no fun.
Don't comment on the weather. Yes, we know it's cold, we stand outside in it for hours on end.
6. Don't apologize.
Don't apologize for the likes of your car. Chances are, we've seen worse. We've valeted some cars that look like they haven't been cleaned in years. Just take your ticket and walk inside, and we'll deal with the mess like we would any other car.
7. Leave your car running.
Don't turn your car off. It doesn't save any gas; it actually wastes more gas for us to crank it back up. We don't mind turning it back on, but seriously, why turn it off when we're going to immediately get in it.
8. We are up to date with our car knowledge.
We know how to work a push-to-start car. It's 2016. Trust us, you aren't the first person ever to own a keyless-start car. If you just hand us your key fob, we know what to do with it. (Trust me, I'm a doctor. Well, we work near doctors. Close enough, right?)
9. Don't be rude.
If you need a wheelchair, just ask. Contrary to popular belief, we are kind and will, to the best of our abilities, accompany you. If you do need a wheelchair, it's part of our job to run and grab one. Don't yell at us to get one. Just ask. However, if we go to get a wheelchair and there are none available (this happens too often -- it's a hospital and wheelchairs are needed in every department), please don't get mad at us. We can't make a wheelchair magically appear, and it's not our fault that there are none available. We just park cars.
10. There are other options.
You don't have to use valet. We don't mind if you don't use valet, although we'd prefer if you did. You can park your own car after dropping off a patient, but make sure to follow the rules of public parking. Don't use a valet spot. If you take our spots, that means fewer spots we have for customers that are actually using our service. If you don't know where public parking is, just ask. We'll be more than happy to assist you.
Most public places offer this service. Take advantage of it. Valets are pretty good people and would love to make your experience better!
If you choose to use this service, consider these tips! Your valet will appreciate you!
