For many South Florida restaurants, valet is not optional. Parking near Las Olas Boulevard, downtown Boca Raton, Miami Beach, or Delray's Atlantic Avenue is limited, and guests expect someone at the curb. Getting valet right before you open avoids the two most common opening-week complaints: a jammed entrance and a long wait for cars at closing.
8 to 12 weeks before opening
- Find out what your city requires. Valet that uses a public curb or city parking usually needs a city permit, and some cities review valet before they issue the Business Tax Receipt. Boca Raton, for example, requires a Valet Parking Review first. Our valet permit guide covers Fort Lauderdale, Miami Beach, Miami, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach.
- Secure the parking. Cars need somewhere to go: your own lot, a nearby garage, or a shared lot with a written agreement. The parking location decides how fast cars come back, so closer is almost always worth paying for.
- Pick the drop-off point. It should be safe to stop at, well lit, and visible to arriving guests, with room for at least two cars to unload at once.
4 to 8 weeks before opening
- Choose your valet company. Ask for a certificate of insurance, how attendants are trained, how keys are tracked, and how vehicle damage is documented. These 10 questions are a good starting point.
- Set valet hours. Match them to your service hours, with coverage starting before the first reservation and ending after the last guest leaves.
- Plan staffing for your busiest night. Staffing depends on expected cars, how tightly guests arrive, and how far the parking is. See how many valet attendants you need.
- Decide who pays. Guests may pay a valet fee, the restaurant may cover it, or you may validate. Settle this before you print menus and signage.
The last two weeks
- Walk the route with the valet lead: drop-off, path to the parking, and the return.
- Put up clear valet signage and a visible stand.
- Brief your host stand on how guests request cars, so they can help at the door.
- Run valet during friends-and-family nights. It is the cheapest rehearsal you will get.
Opening night
- Staff one more attendant than you think you need. Opening nights draw curious crowds and tight arrival times.
- Keep the drop-off lane clear of deliveries, vendors, and staff cars.
- Have one person on your team as the contact for the valet lead.
- Let guests request their car from the table. With a QR code on every claim ticket, the car is on its way before the check is paid.
Opening soon? Intrak sets up restaurant valet with you: drop-off layout, parking, staffing for your peaks, and the operating details your city's application asks for. Every guest gets a paper claim ticket with a QR code to request their car from the table. See our restaurant valet service.