Short answer: create a tip page in an app such as TipIns, print the QR code and put it on your lanyard or the back of your ID badge. Customers scan it with their phone camera and tip by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. They do not need an app or an account.
Yours is a cash-only tip handed through a car window in about four seconds. Drivers who pay for everything by phone arrive at that moment with nothing, and there is no terminal at the kerb to fall back on.
How a QR code tip jar works
You create a tip page once and get a personal QR code and link. A customer points their phone camera at the code, a secure payment page opens in their browser, and they pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card. The tip shows in your balance straight away and is paid out to your bank account.
Where valets put the code
- On your lanyard or the back of your ID badge.
- Printed on the valet ticket.
- On a sign at the valet stand.
- On the hang tag left on the mirror, so the driver sees it as they get in.
Size the code for the distance: a phone reads one from about ten times its width. The measurements are in how to make a tip jar QR code sign.
What to write on the sign
No cash? Scan to tip your valet.
Put your own name where the brackets are. You can export a print-ready design from the app in business card, A5, A4 or A3 size.
How to mention it
As you hand back the keys: "All set. If you are not carrying cash, the code is on your ticket."
Your own code or a shared one
A group for the stand is the usual choice, since several attendants handle each car. With active shifts, only the valets working share the tip.
What customers usually tip a valet
The usual tip for a valet in the US is $2 to $5, given when your car is brought back.
| Situation | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Car returned | $2 to $5 |
| Bad weather, a long run or a quick turnaround | $5 or more |
| Hotel stay with several retrievals | Tip each time the car is brought round |
Customers looking for the etiquette can read how to tip a valet without cash.
What it costs
TipIns is free to download and has no monthly fee. Each tip carries a 10% platform fee plus a small card processing fee, and by default the person tipping covers both, so you receive the amount they chose. Weekly payouts to your bank are free. The details are in the FAQ.
Common questions
Where should a valet put a tip QR code?
On your lanyard or the back of your ID badge. Printed on the valet ticket.
What should a valet's tip sign say?
Try: "No cash? Scan to tip your valet." Give a reason, show a large code and include your name.
Should I use a personal code or a team code?
A group for the stand is the usual choice, since several attendants handle each car. With active shifts, only the valets working share the tip.