Hey guys feel free to make this a sticky mods, I wanted to make a post dedicated to the gear (tricks, or utilities) that a restraunt worker needs to get started. So just everyone add to the list.

These are some esentials

Utility wise-
-sharpie
-paper clips
-wax
-paper
-string
-and a butt load of pocket space

trick wise this is what I use
-Sponge balls 3 regular size, 3 half inch, and a jumbo
-TT
-2 packs of cards
-8 half dollars
-ring
-pen through bill with a twist
-my jumping penny routine, so a penny and a dime


if there is a table i have with me...
-a chop cup, and my regular copper cups


so any way just add on to this with the tools you use in your restraunt work.

yes this will be fairly general, but its still all a personal preference.

Some good recommendations, but still depends on what you're comfortable doing. I carry 4 Sponges on me while table hopping and will soon be using a handling of Scott Guinn's Peanut Butter and Jelly routine, which makes the jumbo and 1" sponges useless for me.

sounds good to me, but then again, I do more walk around... I guess it is the same thing.... I just cary a breifcase

any other restraunt workers post what tools of the trade you bring lets get a list going.

What I have on me when I'm strolling at a restaurant.

Sponge balls (sometimes I switch them out for multiplying rabbits if there are a lot of kids)

3 decks of cards (1 marked deck... and 2 regualr decks. I always use red backed decks because I am a fan of signed card effects and black sharpy shows up better on a red back. I have a few gaff cards that I keep on my person to use depending on my mood)

Scotch and Soda ( I know it takes time to reset, but there is a reason it's the #1 most popular selling nearly self working coin effect on the market. It gets great reactions, period. Especialy if you buy yourself a few extra centavo's or english pennies and have the waiters load them in impossible places for you... in the salt shaker, under the plate that they carry out to the table after the efect has already begun... etc)

a handfull of poket change (half dollars, silver dollars, quarters. leaves you open for literaly hundreds of effects all depending on your mood and the feel of the table.)

Pen thru Dollar ( I don't use it so much anymore, but there was a time that I had customers that would keep coming back to the restaurant on the nights I was working just to try and figure this effect out. I'd be offered "I'll give you this $1 as a tip if yout do the pen trick again" and sometimes the spectators would keep "tipping" me 7 or 8 times before they'd give up for the evening and let me get on with the show)

3 stacks of business cards (2 stacks are pre aranged in a few "Out to lunch" variations I do, and the 3rd stack is set up for Michael Close's "Pot Holed" These are great comercial and visual efects that get the spectator involved and end with your business card in their hand.

TT (you never know when you can fit it in to a set)

2 white silks and 1 black hank (Slydini's disolving knot in silks effect, and the black hank is great for any number of hank effects. The black hank is also a devils hank.)

Post-it notes (center tear and any number of prediction effects)

3 mini sharpies (the hang on my keychain and are always avialable. different collors so I can verry the effects for repeat customers)

Greed (I've only just started using this.. but I'm getting great responces from it)

Cups and balls (depending on the restaurant I might have enough table space for my 2 cup routene)

Close-up mat (again, depending on the restaurant I may have space to set it down to help creat a "zone of performance" a mat goes a long way to help people focus and also understand that the performing area is isolated and you are not to put your hands in it unless invited. I have 3 sizes to fit the venue, anymore I only use them if the tables are not covered with a tablecloth of their own.)

I own a couple pairs of black cargo pants and a matching suit coat that I've had extra pockets and whatnot installed in. All this fits on my person comfortably. I don't feel wieghted down and I don't have huge bulging pockets.

card wallets.

they're only 99 cents.

90 cents with the 10% discount.



Once the specs see this, they will know that you are a professional.

OMG! STOP ADVERTISING AND RECOMMENDING THESE!Every frick post even if its off topic you say this. STOP!

Not true. Sometimes I tell people to repent and save their soul.

I carry:

Silk
TT
Sponges
Balloons
Wand

I keep everything in pockets ;]

Whenever I leave the house with the intent to perform, I always bring 2 decks of cards, 3 seperate cards for my melting card routine(s), a differently backed card, and my gimmicked levitating card [or a piece if plastic to quickly stick onto the top card on a deck].

I bring 5 quarters [use those in two different routines]

One dollar bill, and a 20/10/5 dollar bill.

As I am using this site to expand my horizons, so I will soon at the Stealth pen to go with the bills, and hopefully some more small props, and invisible string.