Valet vs self-park: who should get the closest spaces?
Drop-off stays close. Storage goes farther. Nearby spots stay available to self-parkers.
Closest spaces should generally go to people who park themselves. Valet guests already get door-side drop-off and pickup; their stored cars should usually sit farther away.
Two different jobs
Self-park means you walk from your space. Distance is the whole product.
Valet means staff walk for you after a short curb stop. Once the car is handed off, proximity to the door matters far less to the guest who is already inside.
When valet-stored cars fill the nearest row, self-parkers absorb the inconvenience — or feel pushed to pay. That’s the imbalance FairValet challenges.
Fair allocation
- Drop-off / pickup: near the entrance.
- Valet storage: less-convenient spaces.
- Nearby ordinary spots: available to self-parkers.
Venues can adopt this with a simple written policy — see the fair valet policy template.