I have done fine dining shops before, but not valet there. Will it be weird that we valet our very average model/average age car on an unseasonably nice day? What is a normal tip for complimentary valet? Only tip upon return of the vehicle?

I'm comfortable with the online menu, but worried drinks (prices rarely listed even at the restaurant ) will put us over budget. What's a good drink to order at the bar and at the table to keep that cost down? I'm not a big drinker, so I'm not familiar with many options. Cocktail at the bar and house wine at the table?

Average car: Unless the MSC has an instruction about your vehicle, I would not worry about it. Even very "average" folks will go out to very nice meals every once in a while, such as for special occasions.

Valet Tip: Check the restaurant's policies. There are some upscale restaurants in my area that have policies that do not permit the valets to accept cash tips at all. They are a part of the restaurant's overall service team and get a cut from what gratuities left at the table. Otherwise, $3 is generally reasonable. You offer the tip when you retrieve the vehicle.

I don't drink much either and will generally order the very minimum for required alcohol purchases. When possible, I prefer a beer - but will pay a couple bucks extra for something good. You'll likely get better advice from others on this question.....

Regarding budget: The compensation for some of these nice restaurants is more of a huge discount than anything. It is sometimes difficult to stay under the reimbursement amounts and/or shop fees. I think most folks take them so as to make a very nice meal out affordable as opposed to a way to make a profit. My wife and I will shop one such place about once every two or three months. I typically spend just over $100, but the compensation is only $75. I do it because we love the food (it's one of the best seafood places in the Seattle area) and the required timings and other details are not particularly onerous, allowing us to really enjoy the meal. In other words: it's fine dinning for the price of Chipotle.

Some people tip on the way in, some on the way out, I sometimes tip $2 in and $2 out. I do a very nice steakhouse with complimentary valet parking where I tip $5 ($2 in and $3 out) because the max reimbursement for the tip is $5. I like to help the valet out by giving them the max whenever possible.

I generally do house wine at the bar and house wine at the table, and usually only one person has to have a drink anyway and the other is allowed a chargeable non-alcoholic drink or sometimes even is allowed to have water. Check your guidelines on that and if it isn't clear, email your scheduler. If you aren't much of a drinker a little alcohol can make you a little less clear on details so keep that in mind.

I do very much agree with @JASFLALMT on the tip. I figure that if somebody is getting written up on my reports, I'll give them the max tip allowed - unless their service is really problematic...

The reason I do partial on the way in and partial on the way out is that sometimes the valet upon arrival gets off work early, so sometimes the valet who "closes" gets all the tips. They are probably supposed to share and put the first valet's tips in an envelope for when they come back to work the next time, but if valet 2 is the only one around, who knows whether or not they actually do that?

Also consider that many people who look perfectly fine cannot walk because of back or foot injury, balance issues, etc. The valet isn't going to think twice about it. I dress nicely and in heels when I do fine dining and I don't like to walk very far in heels, and if they are particularly nice shoes the less I walk in them in parking lots, etc. the better condition they stay in!

Draft Beer.

Draft beer gives me a headache, personally, and some of us ladies are old-fashioned when it comes to fine dining--wine or a cocktail seems more appropriate when wearing dressy clothing and in elegant surroundings. Draft beer is great for wing joints and sports bars in blue jeans. And some of the fine dining establishments I have been to don't have any beer on tap.

Sorry JAS, draft beer is good at all times. Breakfast, lunch ...

Sorry Rob, I didn't realize you were a lady who likes to drink draft beer in fine dining establishments, LOL. How do you look in a dress and high heels?

I have a hard time walking anyway, had to lose the heels. I wonder if my problems stem from draft beer at breakfast, lunch...

That could be. When I was in college I drank draft beer and cold pizza for breakfast on weekends. I kinda outgrew that.

Must be a girl thing. Outgrew?

Cocktail at the bar 5 to 7 are always much less expensive, nowadays everyone has a happy hour, then wine and dinner...go a bit earlier to incorperate this with your reservation. I just spent 5.00 for a upscale drink at the bar that would have cost double at the table. Be sure to ask them to add the bar tab to the dinner tab, so one receipt. Tipping for me is normally after dinner when picking up car, otherwise proving you paid half makes it confusing for the attendant and holds line up.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/2018 08:12PM by Irene_L.A..

I;ve never seen beer allowed on a bar audit, just saying. They want the pours recorded and one booze drink,
Beer she says holding her nose...although BJ's has some good ones these days.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/2018 08:12PM by Irene_L.A..

No Rob, I am in my 50s and drinking beer in the morning isn't a thing unless I am in Mexico on vacation or in New Orleans. I don't mind beer, but it doesn't leave much room for upsell. Also, we are supposed to not stand out. I think a cocktail or a glass of wine seems more common for a woman in an upscale environment. I know that there are some women who would argue that they would drink beer at a nice restaurant, but I am generalizing. I'd say only 20% of my female friends drink beer at all, much less when fine dining.

Some of this may be regional.

In the Seattle area, beer is always available and often upscale restaurants have some of the highest quality local brews. We go to such restaurants in blue jeans and sneakers.... In fact, you'll stand out if you are dressed up. I've never done a bar audit where I couldn't have beer. There are waste considerations as it is common for bartenders to allow the beer to foam up too much and spill. It's also possible to upsell as bars will often sell national brand beers for a couple bucks less than local brands or imports.

I'm talking about bar audits....beer isn't allowed..I've never seen a bar audit where I've seen beer allowed, how do they do the "pours", and upsell house to Grey Goose? Could be you go to brewery's, not upscale dining.....
Even when I do BJ's Brewery, tI used to do them often, not done much now, but hey say have a house drink, then if you want a beer with appetizer, that's fine.

@Threemom, don't even worry about the car/valet situation. They are happy to make tips no matter what kind of car you have...

For drinks; If I'm driving I will usually order a drink for my guest and just water for myself. It makes the observation even easier if you give you guest cash to purchase the drink, then stand beside them and take notes while they interact naturally with the bartender.

If your guest is not a big drinker, they can bring their drink from the bar and you can order house wine at the table. Don't order beer at the table for a fine dining. IMHO that's a WAY bigger giveaway that you don't belong there than driving an economy car.

Yes, I have done multiple bar audits where beer is permitted. I sit at the bar and drink beer while watching a game or whatever. I watch other drinks getting poured with the jigger, posi-pour, or whatever.

I know the difference between a brewery and fine dining. What I am saying is that the PNW tends to have a *far* more casual culture than much of the rest of the country. We do go to fine dining in blue jeans and sneakers. We drink a lot of beer - even at fine restaurants -and that includes ladies.

Our casual dress extends beyond eating out. Folks here will go to the opera dressed casually. I lived in Virginia as a kid and going to church always mean that I would wear a tie. When I moved to this side of the country, I was the only kid that dressed like that. I grew up calling my friends' parents by their last name. When I came out here, I was told to use their first names.

I'm not worried about getting tipsy, more that my taste is pretty unsophisticated. And I don't like beer. Good advice!

@JASFLALMT wrote:

If you aren't much of a drinker a little alcohol can make you a little less clear on details so keep that in mind.

MFJ, you are no lady.

My wife would be upset if that were the case.....

@MFJohnston wrote:

Some of this may be regional.

We go to such restaurants in blue jeans and sneakers.... /quote]

Well you have to wear bluejeans alot when you are out hugging trees in your spare time, LOL

And I didn't even bring up the socks-and-sandals thing........

Oh my. Birkenstocks?

Oh, yes... and wool socks....with shorts and a jacket.... I still have too much East Coast in me, so I just can't partake in these impressive fashion statements, but they are very real.....

Yeah, I am familiar. My niece went to Puget Sound. She and her boyfriend are hemp-clothed whenever possible and very into tofu and are practically vegan.

Thanks, all. Valet went smoothly. The guys seemed happy with their tips. Came in a bit under budget - thank goodness- it was three times our weekly grocery budget. Who seriously orders a $110 steak, sides extra? No worries after all about "blending in." Everything from suits to jeans and hoodies with stocking caps. All in all, wonderful evening... And now I type...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/2018 07:31PM by Threemom.

Great! Next time try pinot grigio? I don't like oaked, either. I love $110 steaks, especially when it gets reimbursed