we are staying at the Fairfax at Embassy Row in D.C. and I think will be forced to use the hotel valet parking. How much is an appropriate tip and do you give it when you have your car parked and each time you take it out? I needy a speedy reply. Thanks.

If you are going in and out a lot $3 would be my idea, each time. If once each way a bit more IN and less out. Better more when they take it to park if you get my drift. Less out, cause they have already driven you car. I think I learned that here on Fodors.

Although I agree it makes sense to hand cash with the keys, it is my understanding that tipping the return of your car is the norm.

No one ever said I was "norm"

$3 each time is what we'd do, but it's not hard and fast. Could be $5 if we haven't any smaller bills. I do wish we Americans could come up with sensible rules for tipping for visitors from other cultures, and I'm sorry we haven't, but there it is!

And yet you give Abbie Normal advice?

You pay $6 - $10 on top of a parking fee?

Have you gotten cranky again...was is all that snow up there this past winter?

It was a Young Frankenstein reference? When you reaffirmed my mention of the norm. I guess I could have used a Cheer's reference? It is a wonderful Boston Strong Marathon Day. Cranky? Not in the least.

Cheers reference would have been easily recognized. The sound you heard was the remark whooshing over my head.

It was a great run, watched it.

I was thinking of your comments back on that awful day. Not sure if you or Mimi started the thread saying what had happened. What a terrible day...

$3 when getting my car back, nothing when dropping it off.

That's what we do, too, Brian. But now I'm wondering if it isn't smarter to pay the valet when they take your car. I do not think it's necessary to pay both times.

Trouble with tipping only one direction is that you rarely get the same valet each time. Maybe they should have tip jar??

I suppose it doesn't matter too much which way, but to me it seems more logical to tip once the service is complete than at its start.

Good point, Deb. I think a lot of hotels pool the valet tips. Could be wrong, but that's what I would hope.

I do what Brian does, tip when they bring your car to you.

$2 when I get the car back. They're not waitstaff and I'm not an ATM.

And the rationale for tipping on return is that depositing the car with the valet is a bailment for safekeeping and the tip is for them having ensured the car didn't become Reynolds Wrap in your absence.

Tip when you pick up the car. Have never tipped dropping it offf. (I htink the attendants do share tips.) We do $3 to $5 depending on circumstances.

That's where we were when we were waiting for the valet to bring up our car. Here he comes. Why is he not looking where he's going? Ouch! Why did he just run into the car ahead of him? No damage to my vehicle, but he dented the bumper of the car he ran into. No tip at all in that case. Oh, by the way, he never even apologized to us. Worst valet Parker ever!

I always get aa thank you for $2 when picking up my car. If you drive a flashy car, tip more.

HTtY