Guide · Valet
How much to tip a valet
What's normal, when to hand it over, and what to do when you have no cash on you.
In this guide
The short answer
Plan on $2 to $5, handed over when your car is brought back to you. Emily Post and AFAR both give that range, for restaurant and hotel valets alike. If you have no cash, ask whether the valet has a tip code you can scan.
How much to tip a valet
| Who | When | Typical tip |
|---|---|---|
| Valet, restaurant or event | When the car comes back | $2 to $51 |
| Hotel valet | When the car comes back | $2 to $52 |
| Hotel doorman, hailing a cab | Each time | $1 to $2, an extra $1 in the rain1 |
- Valet, restaurant or event When the car comes back
- $2 to $51
- Hotel valet When the car comes back
- $2 to $52
- Hotel doorman, hailing a cab Each time
- $1 to $2, an extra $1 in the rain1
Typical amounts from the sources below. Tips sent with ENVO start at $5, the top of this range.
When to tip the valet
Emily Post's advice is to tip when the car is returned to you, not when you hand over the keys. That way the tip goes to the person who brings the car back.
If you take your car out more than once, the same rule applies each time it's brought to you.
Hotel valets and doormen
At a hotel, the range is the same. AFAR's Bailey Berg found that industry experts suggested $2 to $5 for a hotel valet across the board.
If a doorman hails you a cab, Emily Post suggests $1 to $2, and an extra dollar if it's raining.
Tipping a valet without cash
Plenty of guests pull up with cards, not cash. Some valet stands take tips on a card; ask before you assume.
With ENVO, each valet has their own code on a badge or at the podium. You scan it, see who brought your car, and tip with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card. Tips start at $5, so they sit at the top of the usual range; ENVO doesn't send smaller amounts. The valet receives 100% of the tip, and you see a small service fee in dollars before you pay.
Questions
Do you tip the valet when you drop off or pick up?
When the car is brought back to you. Emily Post's advice is to tip when the car is returned.
How much do you tip a hotel valet?
$2 to $5 each time your car is brought to you. That's the range industry experts gave AFAR.
Can I tip a valet with a card?
Only if there's a way to take it, like a card reader or a tip code. With ENVO, you scan the valet's code and tip with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card. ENVO tips start at $5.