Everyone here is posting about what restaurant magis get paid.

I'm curious about the tips ... Do you expect tips from the customers at the end of the act? Do you get tips rarely / sometimes / usually from the customers at each table? If tips are received,about what amount of money are they? Does the management frown on tips, do they ever instruct you not to accept them no matter what?

it depends on where your working. alot of restraunts are different about this kind of thing.

Most restaurants allow tips, I wear 2 buttons, 3" in diameter one has "I WORK FOR TIPS" and the other says "SUGGESTED TIP $2435.80" There is one restaurant that I work that does not let me wear the buttons so I upcharge the hourly rate for them and they are happy.

I prefer to get a lower hourly rate and get tips because my tips average approx. $30 to $40 per hour which is in addition to what the restaurant pays me. Also remember the tips are cash. People do not tell the IRS how much they tip, but the restaurant sends a form 1099 to you and to the tax man at the end of the year.

Tips are nicer.

Peter

I was wondering too, when do they tip you?

Piece of advice on tips....If you plan on accepting tips ALWAYS make sure that before you start your last trick of your set, you tell the audience it's your last trick and you're leaving after it. This allows the person who's got the money some time to get out an appropriate tip if they plan on giving you one. If you finish up without letting them know before you start the last trick, there could be a very awkward moment when you're finished if they start reaching for money. Letting them know ahead of time that you're finishing up and moving on will dramatically increase your chance of being tipped.

I did restraunt work for years and now no longer do them on a regular basis so I will let you know my way to get them to SHOW ME THE MONEY.....I would use a sharpie marker for my last trick as well as a borrowed bill...Do the bill switch ect......but here is the deal after they sign there one dollar bill I would point to the end of the marker and ask them if they know what this is 99% of the time they would say a marker, then I would say no,no,no its the tip and this is the end(pointing to the other end of the marker) gets a laugh and lets them know whats up. have fun.....

haha, thats good, i will have to try that with the routine from on the spot. sounds awesome!

lol tpdmagic, sweet idea

If you think about it, you shouldn't have to state that this is your going to perform your 'last trick'. If you have a nice routine with a killer climax, thin something like a lemon production, it says the end. The audience should feel a build up and be awaiting a climax, you slay them and they furiously reach for their wallets and give the whole thing to you. It is much nicer than stating this is the last trick of the series of unrelated tricks I just showed you...

BTW tdpmagic, that sounds good... not sure if I could pull it off. What happens if they don't want to tip... your pretty much forcing them... have you had any experience like this.

Moes

paddy, just out of curiosity where did u buy those buttons??

because i want some but i dont know where to get them from

I had them made for me. Anyone with a Badge-A-Minut kit can set them up for you.

Peter

or go to ur local office depot or any kind of printin place... they can usually make buttons or business cards or whatever else..

But even if they know it's over after that trick, there's that awkward moment when they get their money. And secondly, a layperson doesn't know about routines. They don't know your best effect is your last effect. Sure it makes sense, but they don't know it until after they've seen it.