Choose a valet company that will study your site and give you a written plan, that carries insurance for guests' cars and can prove it, and that staffs your event with its own trained employees. Price matters, but those three things decide whether arrivals and departures run smoothly.
The valet team is the first and last part of your event that guests experience. Here is how to choose well.
Tip 1: Will the company walk your site and put the plan in writing?
A good valet company asks detailed questions before it quotes, and visits the venue when the site is unfamiliar or tricky. By the end you should have a written plan that covers:
- Where the valet stand will be and how arriving cars will approach it
- Where cars will be parked, and how attendants will get there and back
- How many attendants will work, and their arrival and finish times
- Who the on-site lead is and how you or your planner will reach them
- How keys will be stored and tracked
- How the end of the night will be handled when everyone leaves at once
A company that quotes a number without asking about guest count, arrival times or the parking area is guessing. Guesses show up as long lines.
The written quote should also spell out the deposit, the cancellation terms, how gratuity is handled, and what happens if the event runs late, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Tip 2: Does the company carry the right insurance, and can it prove it?
Accidents are rare with a good team, but they happen, and you do not want the bill to land on you or your venue. Ask every company you are considering for a certificate of insurance. Look for:
- General liability coverage
- Coverage for damage to guests' cars while they are in the company's care, often called garage keepers coverage
- Workers' compensation for the attendants
Many venues require vendors to list the venue as an additional insured, so check the venue's requirements and pass them along. Read the contract to see who is responsible for what if a car is damaged. Our page on whether valet parking is safe goes into more detail.
Tip 3: Who will actually be parking your guests' cars?
Some companies fill large events with subcontracted or day-hire staff they have never worked with. Ask directly:
- Are the attendants your own employees?
- How do you check driving records?
- Can every attendant drive a manual transmission?
- How are new attendants trained before they work an event?
- Will they be in uniform?
VIP Parking Solutions staffs every assignment with its own employees, not subcontractors. Every VIP applicant must be 21 or older, have a clean driving record, and be able to drive a manual transmission.
What else is worth checking?
Ask your venue, caterer or planner which valet companies they have seen work well on site. They have watched many events and know who shows up on time and keeps the line moving. When comparing quotes, compare the plans side by side. A lower total with fewer attendants or a shorter schedule is not the same service.
How do you get started with VIP?
Tell us your date, venue, guest count and schedule through the event quote form, and we will put together a written plan for your site. You can read more about how we handle event valet in Denver and about our Denver valet company.
Frequently asked questions
A document from the valet company's insurer showing the coverage it carries. Many venues require one from every vendor before the event.
Compare plans, not totals. A lower quote with fewer attendants often means a long wait when guests leave.
No. VIP Parking Solutions staffs every assignment with its own employees.