Empire Parking Services [EPS]
Reviews and Complaints

Medical emergency due to panic attack. Pulled in to lot and paid 3 dollers fee. Came outside and car booted due to back right tear in lane next to me and will not take off boot until paid . Left stranded anno extra money due to emergency bill. Patient in car needing to pick up med asap. No compassion . Left for two hours to punish me for video taping. I had no money and sick son with no way to pick up meds. This happened 3/9/2016 on ralph mcgill. Called police. Private parking and must be civil suit. When asked technician 130 to call his supervisor, he gave me number . Called supervisor to explain situation paid for service but didn't notice back right rear tire was not all the way in my lane. Left message that it could take up to 24 hrs for someone to return call. I needed medication asap. I had no money due to medical bill. He wanted $75 or no removel. WAITING 24 was not an option since I needed patients med. He was mad because I was video taping everything. He pulled his Hoodia over his head. WHY ? No compassion, I followed the rules. They got their money for parking. But wanted more due to the right tire. I offered 3 dollers and was declined. No managers, no customer service, no compassion. That's not the Atlanta I grew up in. I want my money back. I have pics and video. Putting this all over social media and I'm call the news.

Hopefully you learned you lesson and will pay to park, as you are supposed to, next time you are using a paid parking lot.

This is very similar to another story posted on this exact website, but it just happened to my gf and I on 6/30/2012. Around 2pm, we went to the Starbucks Coffee at 506 Moreland Avenue in Little Five Points. We bought drinks after parking in a spot with no warning around it. There are 4 spots designated as parking only for a Cleaners and another small business, but we made sure to not park at those spots. We got our drinks, came out drinking them, and then decided to walk around a bit and then come back.

When we did, we came back to a notice on the car telling us that it had been booted and our only option was to call a number. We did, and across the parking lot, I notice a man in a truck who I had seen staring at us pick up the phone. Sure enough, the words on the other end of the phone came from him. He told us it would be a $50 fine and that we needed to come to his truck. I don't see how this is legal at all since we were paying customers of the Starbucks previously mentioned. We told him that both on the phone and in person, but he repeatedly kept saying the phrase "it's on the 7 foot (sic) sign right there". When my girlfriend took a second while I was speaking to him to go attempt to read the "7 foot sign", she had to get within 3 feet of it to physically be able to read it. The font on these signs is such that you cannot possibly view them in a car as you are parking. They have several paragraphs on the sign in microscopic font, and the signs at this location were enshrouded by trees/plant growth, making the text very obscured and difficult to read.

The most sketchy part about this whole thing is that there is someone who is paid to sit there in a truck and wait on someone to physically leave the premises so that he can boot your car. When I told him we were paying customers, with my gf and I both holding Starbucks cups that in essence proved we had just come from the Starbucks in this "business center", he said it did not matter and that "as soon as you walk off the premises, we can boot your car. It's on the 7 foot (sic) sign". As though the guy had some sort of nervous tick, he said the phrase "7 foot sign" repeatedly when questioned to the legality of the whole situation, as though that somehow constitutes a contract between us, the paying customers that this company is supposedly trying to "protect" against freeloading "illegal parkers" according to their site, and the businesses at this small mini strip mall on Moreland. You have to walk over to a truck with a man inside of it. You don't know if he is going to pull a gun on you, you don't know if he is trustworthy or not, just that he booted your car and you can't do anything about it. He also had a video camera filming she and I the entire time we were at his truck. I assume they do this to protect their "technicians" in case they get a combative "client", but how is it legal to film someone that doesn't consent to it?

My issue with this whole ordeal is that we WERE paying customers of this property, so why it is right to boot us (which directly contradicts EPS' vision on their site) is beyond me. If this is to stay at this location, I will NEVER come back to it or give my money to any business / chain that supports EPS. If you can make a living off of treating someone rudely and punishing them monetarily for shopping somewhere and doing nothing wrong, where is the line legally? This is entrapment, this is unethical, and it shames me to think these sort of "businesses" exist in this country that simply exist to make a quick buck by being vultures that prey on people over quasi-legally binding signs being placed in a business that are not even clearly visible or able to be read by a human being in a car, you have to be within 3 feet of them to read them.

To the business owners who think that this is a good method of protecting your bottom line: myself and many others still believe in the old version of America. We will not support your business if you do things like this, and if your goal is to eliminate people who are taking parking spaces from "paying customers", you should learn to not punish people who actually DID support your business and fine those who did not. I will never come back to your business and I will tell everyone I know not to go to any business that "hires" EPS. You WILL lose money from doing this once you anger enough people. Every business has competition, and I can always go get an identical product elsewhere that will treat me better and give my money to someone else. I will be voting with my wallet on this one, and you will never see another dime from me or anything I know.

Ban the Boot on Facebook

My car was booted as well on 1-14-17 at the Starbucks parking lot off moreland are. Me and my 8 year old son were paying customers and we're in the general area when done degenerate booted my vehicle. I thought he was scamming, he flashed an ID card and represented himself to be law enforcement. I informed him I'm with my small child and he was looking at something he refused to remove boot without paying75$. I told him this is illegal I've never heard a person having to pay a fine without a chance to have a court hear both sides. This is theft, if money is not paid they keep car and have it towed 3 or 4 days later. No evidence no nothing just pay me or #### off. Like another person commented booter was mysteriously parked next to me EPS is breaking the law we all should get out money back then some and all booters past and present should be locked up

Is there a class action lawsuit or not for this company in Atlanta? Who knows the GA Laws/statutes for this illegal activity? Has anyone sued this company and won if so please state the case #. Has anyone out there disputed and received a refund? please reply to fearsonline@hotmail.com

I also was booted while standing 2 cars away speaking to security for clarification about parking and I say I'M standing here, and I was told you had no business to speaking to security I also asked the group of men if they were lot attendants or worked there was told no and I need to pay 75.00 dollars and as I was leaning on my vehicle the booting guy puts another boot on my back tire I then asked for supervisor or manger name was told no and then I call number on sign and sticker got no response, so I called police explain situation officer was like they're wrong, so after calling and waiting for 1 1/2 hours them to come back because officer had too call them too the attendant was like man you know me I'M fair, so APD officer has did a complete 360 and stated he couldn't do anything, this is a scam cause the other APD officer stated they just sit and watch people get out they're vehicles and boot them please beware you never know who's ! in on the scam

I was booted at Subway on Feb. 2, 2016 adjacent to the Hookah House on 14th Street. I was a paying Subway customer. There is a sign specifically stating "2 Hours for Paying Customers." I've parked there before without incident, until this past Sunday. My car was booted. The young lady was unpleasant and refused to accept that I was a paid Subway customer. Unfortunately, I paid the $75. What I should've done was do my research there in the parking lot. FOR ALL TO KNOW: IT IS ILLEGAL TO BOOT CARS IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA! Know the laws, because I found out after the fact. (Continue Reading and Fight For Your Rights!).

The Georgia Code section that deals with alleged trespassing of cars on private property is in the real property section of the Code, OCGA 44-1-13. That Code Section allows the towing of trespassing vehicles on private property. What it DOES NOT do is allow the booting or immobilization of vehicles on private property in the State of Georgia. In other words, it appears to be illegal to boot cars in Georgia on private property. How do I know this even moreso? Because in 201l Representatives Heckstall and Fludd (Whoever they are, feel free to vote them out of office) introduced bill HB 490 into the General Assembly to amend OCGA 44-1-13 to allow the booting of cars on private property in the State of Georgia. The law has not been passed, and therefore in my opinion it is illegal to do so in Georgia. Obviously, the General Assembly, or at least Heckstall and Fludd, felt that it was necessary to amend OCGA 44-1-13 so that it would be legal, so it appears obvious that as the statute stands, it is illegal. Yet it goes on all over the place.

In its infinite wisdom, the Atlanta City Code purports to regulate "vehicle immobilization" in the City of Atlanta and vehicle booting companies. It has requirements regarding signs, booting companies, etc. When I read this I thought, where is the enabling legislation to give this authority to the City of Atlanta? The City Code does not say when a car may be booted on private property, or put another way, what constitutes a violation permitting a boot. I searched the Georgia Code and came up empty. All I could find was OCGA 44-1-13 and the failed attempt to amend it to allow booting on private property. So unless I am missing something (I am by no means an expert in state and municipality jurisdictional relations, but I did pass the Georgia Bar) vehicle operators in the city of Atlanta are being scammed by parking lot owners and the vehicle immobilization business.

I agree with these complaints. I was visiting my daughter we stopped at Starbucks on Moreland Ave after church. I am not from this area so while drinking our coffee we decided to walk around. I looked when I first parked because some signs said for certain businesses. The place I parked did not have anything. We stepped out and was just walking around the next building Junkmans daughter and they booted my car. Happy Freakin Mothers Day! Well I don't want to visit there again. They remind me of Mexico drug cartell. May be if people quit going to Atlanta let them pay all their own taxes may be they will appreciate guests and treat them better.

We paid for 2 spots because the machine wouldn't give us change. Then were booted because the right back tire was 1 inch on the white line. When we showed the technician the receipt, he wrote "non payment " on our receipt. I asked that he take that wording off because we had a paid receipt for 2 spots. He basically said we could either pay the boot fee or not get our car... We filed a dispute online...no response.. They have no customer service and you have no choice but to pay their dishonestly written tickets... How can they continue to run a business like this that is so dishonest.

My car was booted on Irby street in Buckhead (East Andrews area). My friend and I got there early, around 6:30, there was no valet, no box to pay for parking, and NO SIGNS saying we could not park there. I have been parking in Atlanta for 4 years now, and there were two of us looking for any signage or place to pay, but there was nothing. When I returned to my car that night it was booted, but none of the other cars around me were booted. The guy guy that came to take it off (who was already parked next to my car which was strange) told us that the other cars weren't booted because they paid the valet. We told him there was no one to pay otherwise we happily would have paid them. Needless to say I was forced to pay this corrupt company $75 to get the boot off. I have been fighting it ever since, but to no avail. It's obvious they are just told not to refund people's money no matter how unjust their actions were! It really makes me sick that a company like this exists in America. I will never drive to Buckhead again. Empire Parking is corrupt and gives Atlanta a bod name. I don't know who hires them to boot cars, but it's a bad idea if it's the stores that they monitor because, like I said, I wont be going back to that area again. This company in CORRUPT and needs to be taken down. I'd be happy to help in any way!

My car was booted in a lot behind Truva restaurant in Downtown Atlanta on a 3/18/2012 Sunday night around 10pm. The lot had two payment machines, one of which with "out or service" signs. The 'working' machine would not read my credit card, and no one picked up the phone number posted on the nearby sign. I walk away (to pick up my new vehicle tag from my dad who was having dinner in the restaurant) and come back within 10 minutes to notice a boot on my car, with no notice/sticker to be found so that i know which company to call for removal. I finally call the owner of the restaurant out for help, who has no authority over the neighboring parking lot. The restaurant owner was shocked they booted me so quickly (he saw i was only there for less than 8 minutes). I find a number for EPS on a bent and scratched up sign. When EPS finally arrives, I explain that the payment machine is not reading cards and offer to demonstrate again. The EPS guy who booted me, "Tech-114" i was told, said the machine is run by another company who I would have to call the next morning when open (it was Sunday 10pm). Tech-114 did come down on the price by $25, and said "just give me $50" for the boot removal and you can call EPS tomorrow to ask for a refund. I was momentarily tired of arguing and accepted his offer. After he swiped my card, but before i signed the receipt, I asked 'tech-114' to show me where exactly he claimed to have put the notice/sticker that i had been booted. He refused to show me (because he never placed the notice) unless i signed the receipt. I finally gave in and gave him a signed receipt. He removes the boot and would not answer me when i asked him to show me where he put the sticker/notice. He returns to his vehicle - a new white Chrysler 300 with shiny 22" rims - and pretends to do paper work. Now, I'm standing 2 feet away from this driver side window, money has been paid, boot has been taken off, waiting for my copy of the paper work. I repeatedly ask him for a copy of what the sticker/notice he's supposed to place on vehicles he boots looks like since he said the one he apparently stuck on my car fell off. Tech-114 could NOT provide me with this sticker/notice because he never had one on him. At this time, Tech-114, a large 300+ pound black male, claims he feels threatened by me and asks me to return to my car. I step away 5+ yards, but do not return to my car out of concern that he'll drive off without giving me my copy of the paper work, which i clearly voiced i was waiting for multiple times. About a minute later, 'tech-114' floors the gas pedal and try's to drive away from me. I run after his vehicle and he stops since he has no where to go in the parking lot. I'm yelling for him to provide me with a copy of the paper work he spent so long filling out and entering. He takes a moment and rolls down the passenger side window to throw me a yellow piece on paper, and speeds off right away.
I am extremely dissatisfied with the business practices of what I believe is a fraudulent company, EPS, and will be happy to support any lawsuit brought against them.
I have several photos and video clips of the events I experienced on this night, including the chase to get my copy of the receipt.

I would like to make a complaint regarding a parking violation which subsequently got my car clamped which we had to pay $75 for. I would like these fees reversed and an answer regarding my complaint. I would like the fee reversed for the below reason.
We went for dinner at Flip Burger and then drinks at Tin Lizzy's and got a ticket because we where parked in a parking slot that was supposedly for the Tuxedo Festival. However after calling Flip Burger they have advised us that the slot was also considered their space and that we should not have received a ticket. They told us to contact the issuer of the ticket regarding the fee. Please advise about our complaint and we will also be following up with Flip Burger. We have record of the date and time we are sending this email and a copy for our records if we have to take this further.

One a side note: I have filled in all the information that I have on the receipt, as it was not completed by the employee who wrote the ticket.

Thank you,
Daniel

I was booted on 12/6/11 on Peachtree St I wasn't even inside for 10 min and there were no signs saying i could not park there. I came outside to a boot on my car. I paid the $75 with my card to get the boot removed but when i checked my account they charged me twice. Now i am getting the run around and all these different people Julia, Chip, and Joseph act as if they are going to do something to resolve the issue. Here it is 12/15/11 and I still have not received a call back. Luckily my bank will reimburse the money back to me and they will go after Empire, but nonetheless EMPIRE IS THE WORST

I had a similar experience with these crooks. I put money in the slot when I left the lot. When I came back the next morning, my money was still in the slot, but the car was booted. The technician claimed that there was no money in the slot when he checked it the night before. He refused to show a video. He only showed a video after I called the police, and the video showed only the empty receptacle inside the cash box. Of course, that receptacle would only show coins if I had dropped them in – the $5 bill I folded up and stuffed in was still lodged in the slot above. I contacted the Better Business Bureau but had no luck (so far). I called Chris Aughtman, the GM, and he promised to look into it and call me back, but of course he never did. These people are crooks who only care about ripping people off. For them the customer is only wrong, and it’s a crying shame that the city of Atlanta allows them to continue to rob honest people who get lured in by a cheap parking rate. They don’t make their money from the $5 per day fees. They make their money by groundlessly booting cars from out of state. Someone needs to stop them.

I just got hijacked for $75.00 because they put a boot on my son's car while he was doing a delivery for Uber Eats. This is criminal and I don't like being held for ransom by a private company...not even the city or cops. Ridiculous. I am going to dispute the charge just to give them some grief.

Not at all. AnotherRegularGuy is right about the response from them. I had a problem that was quickly sorted out by calling and talking to them (instead of ranting and raving online). Call and talk to them first. [protected] and ask to speak to a manager.

Lmao he isn't a nice guy he's a complete a-hole who will reassure you and lie to say anything to make you feel like he gives a damn . please dont buy his ### his cell number is [protected]

The gentleman was never arrested and never assaulted this woman. There is video evidence to prove the woman was the aggressor and the booting technician was trying to defuse the situation by leaving the property because the woman was acting completely irrational.

Park my vehicle at Pure Taqueria Inman park. Order my lunch from Pure Taqueria and proceed to drop package off at neighboring business call BarTaco. Came out to see a boot on my vehicle. Please see attached photos. Events occurred today Thursday Feb 23 at 2:02pm. I'm requesting to be reimbursed due to paying at the desired establishment. As well there were no signs nor parking meters indicating a boot/immobilizer for parking. I regularly support this local patreon (Pure Taqueria) and to boot/immobilizer on my vehicle is an outrage.

When: 1/17/2023

Where:1280 West Peachtree Atlanta 30309

Re: my car was illegally booted. I had a parking pass. It did not expire until 6:22 PM in the boot in my car at 4:17 AM.

I parked at lynex mall parking lot to eat dinner at the cheesecake factory. When I walked back to my car, it was booted. It's absolutely ridiculous that you can not even go in the mall anymore without having to be booted.

Even I was forced to pay 75$ to remove the boot near lenox square mall. We moved to Atlanta from Baltimore a week ago. I came to mall with my 3 years old daughter. I parked my car in the mall area and when I came back after 1/2 hr, I was surprise to see a boot on my car wheel. I called the number on the notice they placed on my car window. The security person came and told me to need to pay 75$ for parking here. He told me there is a sign when entering the parking lot and one more on the corner, which no one will notice while entering unless you are local to that area. With my 3 years old daughter with me, i don't have a choice. I asked him can i talk to your management. He laughed and said every day at least 20-30 people will pay the fine, Don't you think they tried to fight back. He said my advice just leave it, at least you can save some time. I was helpless and had to return to home with heavy heart. every day 20-30 people that's ridiculous, I don't know how the city government is allowing these empire parking service and other services to steel money from the hard earning citizens, I cam home and searched in google. I see numerous number of people had same issue. I had to work for 7 hrs to earn that 75$. I hope some one will stop these unethical service companies who has no shame in steeling peoples money. Shame on you . Law has to protect people and make sure citizens are protected not the service people like these guys. At least they need to put bigger signs or mark on the each parking spot not on the corners or in the entrance with small board where no one will notice while driving with the traffic we have in downtown.

Unethical company. I been trying to reach empire parking company for 3 day. I left 5 messages. No response. Need to dispute boot . Also, file a claim against company for scratching my tints on my window.

If there was a way to give these people 0 stars I would. I went to Negril Village with a friend for dinner and we were unsure about parking fees due to us not being from Atlanta. We saw a sign that had the price for parking but on the bottom of the sign held some verbiage we were unsure of when we parked. After we parked, we went inside to ask the waitress to make sure we had to pay for parking. After the waitress confirmed we walked back out to pay and EPS had already booted my car after 30 secs. I saw the EPS technicians and told them that I was coming to pay parking and the waitress confirmed for me but they refused to take the boot off. The technician (#131) was very rude and told me I had to pay $75 to get it off and in the middle of me talking to them they put another boot on my car while I was standing there. After they put the second boot on they left. I called the number to get them to come back to get the boot off and it literally took them more than an hour to come back to unboot my car which is illegal. Once again the technician was very rude when they came back to take my boot off the car. I deserve my $75 back. This company seems to be a problem even for employees at Negril Village.

These people are crooks and bullies. My car was booted because I allegedly "left the property" even though I was standing outside the store making a phone call. The "technician 136" claims he went in the store and did not see me. This company run by bullies and you will not get a refund. Bryan is obnoxious and rude, I was speaking to him about the incident and his response was well you are not getting a refund and hang up on me.

This company "sets people up" by having a guy or woman come by and offer you a ticket. They will tell you that it is good all day. You use the ticket and put it in your window. They then come by and boot your car. Now how do they know this, because they intentionally set you up to boot your car. They guy is sent by EPS, and you are the ploy. Don't fall for these tactics. Also, they ticket is now bent on both sides so that when you roll your window down it jams your window as was my case. My window literally broke on site. So I rode home over an hour with no window. They company charged me 75.00 for the boot and then cause my window to jam and break. They are a rip off..watch out for them. tneal4321@yahoo.com. I plan to sue them for this. Do the same!

Hey everyone,

We went in starbucks, paid for two coffees and walked around the park. We came back to a boot on the car. The sign was 4 parking spots down and not clearly visible.

If you would like to know who is behind this scam it is Joseph Goldstein the son of councilman Philip Goldstein for Marietta Ward 7. Joseph Goldstein owns JRG 30 WHITLOCK AVE, LLC which is owner of the law firm that owns the Starbucks parking lot which pays Empire Parking Services to monitor the parking lot. Welcome to Marietta, where we scam our own people! Post clear signs in front of every parking spot. Don't ticket people when the starbucks is CLOSED.

Tech 113 booted my vehicle, while someone that was with me was technically still on the property. I ordered food from the tech Plaza & at the adjacent pizza spot. My cousin however was in the Chinese restaurant and also inquiring about a tattoo in the tattoo parlor. When I paid, and asked the technician for the management information. I was told it didn't matter because I wouldn't be getting a refund, it's not her place to tell me if I shouldn't or should call a company that is now doing business with me. Nor should I be talked to like I'm her child, and also told that if they do give you a refund I'd like to see it because it'll never happen. If that's the type of spokes person you want for your company, prepared to get a lot more bad ratings. My car should have never been booted regardless if I walked across the street to pick up an order or not, there was someone that exited my vehicle still on that property. I live over there and have never had that problem. I'm sure it's because it was a Saturday night and she assumed I would be hanging out at the pizza spot, since clearly she was watching everything from the moment I hit the lot. I would hope, I get a call Monday, but reading all these reviews, I'm sure the horrible customer service isn't just with the techs you hire. I don't argue with people and she was very argumentative from the moment I asked about management. She was wrong and decided to play judge & jury. It's more about the principal & she needs a serious attitude adjustment, or a new job! My car shouldn't have been booted, and I won't be letting this one go until it's resolved properly.