Forgive me if this is one of the TUSCL topics that's been rehashed over the years.
Why do clubs insist on valet service? Why not just charge customers to park in your lot? I'm totally fine with coughing up the same $10 (price for DET) if I can park it myself.
Originally started as a way to pay for a personal to observe vehicles and prevent thefts and vandalism often used by places with limited parking to cram more vehicles into a small parking lot. Now it’s become just another source of revenue.
In some cases a valet can fit more cars in a small lot by blocking in some cars. He has all the keys so he can move a car to get to yours if necessary. The valet can also park cars closer together.
Forced valet is the exception around the country AFAIK - with all the clubbing I've done in 20-years only in Detroit was I forced to hand my keys over in order to enter the club ((Follies in ATL also but I would often park at the Pep Boys next door or the shopping-center across the street)
Valet at Follies became a necessity in order to prevent grid lock with customers trying to come in and leave. The service was not owned by the club but was in fact owned by the son of one of the owners.
"valet is a good way for the bar to size your level of intoxication before you drive off."
I agree. If you leave a bar when drunk and get into an accident, you can pursue legal action against them.
"In some cases a valet can fit more cars in a small lot by blocking in some cars."
Also this. It's like Tetris with cars! Think of Landing Strip with it's tiny ass parking lot. They always block in damcers' cars before customers's cars. Though they did back my car into a fucking post and tried to tell me a truck hit it driving through from the lot next door. They paid for a new rear bumper and had the scratch along the side of my car fixed. I was so pissed off. But they're a separate company from the club despite wearing Landing Strip t-shirts.
Or look at Legends. They don't have a parking lot, but they are in downtown Detroit. The price of valet there is so high because they rent parking spaces in the lot across the street. Post pandemic, there are new valet guys and a friend told me they park cars along the street now instead, but I don't know if that's true. At least at Legends though, you can park in the lot behind the club for $10 instead and not wait almost an hour for your car at the end of the night. Or you can park for free at the casino and walk two blocks.
Can't remember the place (might have been Thee Dollhouse in Tampa), but I had a girl tell me that they took the dancer's keys while they were dancing and didn't give them back before they were sober. While that could cause some dancers to move to another club, that wasn't a bad idea to protect everyone.
^ I heard a similar thing from a dancer a while back but don't recall which club it was
I had heard that Follies did that and the house mom gave them a breath analyzer test before they got their keys back but some dancers managed to bypass the procedure.
It is another way they can nickle and dime the customer along with cover charges and private room wristbands. The vast majority of customers arrive in their own vehicles.
It also prevents guys from going outside to loiter in the parking lot. Sometimes I dip out out of the club into the parking lot to take a pull off of alcohol in my vehicle, so I don't end up spending $100+ on a tab inside the club to get a buzz. Other people probably go out to their cars to use drugs. Valets prevent "parking lot fun".
Forced valet could also be to prevent custies from leaving w/o paying
Gee, and I thought it was because dumbasses like me who park right on the other side of the wall outside the lapdance area and then don't take the keys out of my pocket before she pushes on the emergency button with her ass... (OK, that didn't really happen, but the I think she did hit the unlock button) (It was just one of those fobs, with no key, and no sharp edges, I didn't think having it in my pocket was going to be a problem.) (and I @$#% hate how Hertz keeps putting that stupid "1" tag on all there keys that can't be taken off so that it's only the fob in your pocket.)
They also log every car and license plate, another way to keep track of 70% who is coming and going without scanning IDs.
I agree. I would pay the extra $10 or whatever it is to park myself. But often times these clubs are catering to a certain clientele and that clientele probably doesnt care about the valet(if not prefer it).
Why have a shoe shine stand inside a club? Because customers need shiny shoes to sit and watch dancing whores? No, it’s to separate you from more of your money. Valet is the same deal. They aren’t better qualified to park your car.
I was at Club Platinum in Atlanta yesterday and did notice that cars were being washed in the parking lot.
I don't know the motivation of every club but I do know that valet is a good way for the bar to size your level of intoxication before you drive off. This would give them an opportunity to push you to find another way home. This could possibly give them some liability coverage. Just speculation though.