When you drop off your car at the valet, you’ll be greeted by a host or valet driver who will take your car keys from you, allowing you to proceed onto your destination while they park your car.
That’s the beauty — and benefit — of valet services. You don’t have to spend time looking for parking and your car is taken care of for you while you’re shopping, dining, staying at a hotel, etc.
What happens to your car, and keys, while you’re away?
Your car keys will be stored with the valet using an organized system to heighten efficiency and customer service.
Vehicle keys are often numbered based on the parked location of your vehicle so that the valet attendant knows where to find your car. And, at many valet locations, they will be tagged with a barcode or number that matches the one on the slip provided to you at the time of drop-off. Keys are stored in a safe place — usually on a large board monitored by one valet operator who receives and distributes them to the valet driver(s) managing the parking of guest vehicles.
At valet locations that are more technologically advanced, ticketless systems can be used to track vehicle locations, however, you will still be required to leave your keys with the valet.
Is it safe to leave your keys with a valet?
Yes. Reputable valet service providers hire valet drivers who have passed thorough background checks and have completed comprehensive training.
Additionally, valet parking companies in Toronto such as GATSBY VALET are insured, for an added level of peace of mind for valet guests.
Some guests choose to remove other keys, such as house keys, from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. This is at the guests’ discretion.
The bottom line
When you valet park with a reputable service provider such as Gatsby Valet, you can rest assured that your vehicle will be professionally and expertly handled and will only be driven to and from its parking spot.
We hold onto our valet guests’ keys in order to provide a quick and efficient car drop-off and pick-up experience. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns about the process, we’d be happy to walk you through it to put your mind at ease further.
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