Hey Paddy! I saw you at the Edgewood LaRosa's tonight! I looked over and I was like, "I wonder if I know that guy..." and then I saw that it said Paddy on your balloon holster(?) and then I looked at the face and I'm like, "Wait, I recognize that beard glasses and hat!" I was sitting by the party room type area, wearing a black shirt. I believe I made eye contact once or twice. I was with my brother, who was wearing a purple shirt, and my parents.

Anyway, it was cool to see somebody doing what they say they do on the forums.

Yes, that was me. I'll be there every Sat from 6 to 8 PM. Next time say something. I was also doing some magic when I had time without the balloons. You saw that balloons are more than a one balloon 3 twist dog I hope. That's the difference between me and the Improbable Circus idiots at the Levy.

Paddy

Yeah I wanted to say something, but I just didn't want to bother you or anything like that. I'll try to say something next time.

Never feel that way!! remember that we are there to ENTERTAIN YOU!! Talking, answering your questions, all that is part of being a performer so we are never bothered when someone stops us tio talk. in fact I would have sat down for a few minutes and shown you some magic.

Paddy

Darn! A missed opportunity! Maybe I can get my family to come back soon...

I have been working at the same family restaurant for the past two and a half years. I won't say exactly what my rate is, but I will say that it is very close to what the original poster was talking about working for. This is for a few reasons.

When I first started looking for work in restaurants, it was very difficult to get anywhere to consider me unless I would work for tips only, which I refused to do. I live in an area with a ton of chain restaurants everywhere, but virtually no privately owned restaurants. The very few private restaurants in the area are all extremely high-end, which would do me no good. My target audience is families since I do a lot of family parties, birthday parties, etc. Over the past couple of years my restaurant gig has yielded many private gigs in that respect.

The first restaurant gig I ever had was at a local pizza hut, working minimum wage + tips, for a total of nine months. This gig was not fun and I wouldn't recommend it, but it gave me something to put on my resume for future restaurant gigs. It also gave me experience that would prove valuable for when I booked the gig that I still have today.

Now, keep in mind that before settling on this family place, I tried many other places in the area. I pitched myself very very well, and the reaction from management was virtually the same every time. The general manager would be really excited to hire me, understanding the benefit of my performance. However, they would quickly change their tune after asking for my fee. I started out asking for $100 per night, then lowered it to $75, all for a three hour night. I was told by manager after manager, that they could never afford to pay someone that much, and that they would never get approval from corporate. Most of the places said after talking with their regional managers, that they could only allow me to work for tips.

Finally one place agreed to pay me what they pay their hosts, plus tips. It was the best option I had been offered so far, and I continued looking even after this restaurant, to no avail. So that is where I have stayed for the past two and a half years. It isn't great money, but it has gotten me a lot of outside private gigs. And it is still a steady job, which in this economy, is not easy to secure. Now keep in mind that I am a college student, and I'm sure that people like Paddy and others who are doing this for a true living will need to work for privately owned places, in an area where they can get paid a lot more. I am only a part time magician, and a full time student. But I don't think that I have hurt the industry or anything like that by working for cheap. I have never told anyone how much I make at the restaurant, and no other restaurants have been turning down magicians because of me. They had been turning down performers long before me simply because these chains just aren't willing to pay. Yet there are other performers at restaurants in the area. There are several who are way older than me with way more experience. I've talked to them and many of them have settled for working tips only. I know of two that get paid at a TGI Fridays, one a balloon artist and one a magician. I don't know exactly what they are paid, but they've told me that it is way below what they should be getting.

Besides, I have been working professionally for four years now, and have charged regularly high rates for my private gigs. I would like to get paid more at the restaurant for what I do, but I just don't know where I could go around here that would be willing to pay me at a better rate. Maybe I should just go for busking

i would definetly charge more, i'm in the same boat as you, just getting started, and i would start on a trial period, like work for food for a couple weeks. then after they've seen what you got, then talk money, by then you will have gained your experience.

My rate for weekly restaurant work is $50 for 2 hours plus tips. I offer a ONE NIGHT audition as a freebie but that's all. If it's a one night thing then it's $150 for 2 hours. There is no reason to work for a $10 hourly rate. You are an ENTERTAINER and you are bringing in the family business to see you. You don't work for the restaurant, you are self employed and are responsible for all liability insurance, taxes, etc that the restaurant doesn't have to deal with.

We sell our benefits to the restaurant, that's how we get paid what we're worth. You are selling the benefit to you not stressing how you actually make the place more money than you cost. In fact I just came home from my fri night gig and the manager mentioned that he has increased sales by over $1000 on Fridays since I started there. Not a bad return for the $50 he pays me every Friday, plus the tips I make

Paddy

Right on point fellow magineer! I am upfront with the managers of the Restaurants I work for. I let them know that using me every week also helps me promote myself and gives me incentive to lower my price for them. They are informed that my private shows start at $300, they hear this and know they are getting a deal, which they are. My incentive for my lower weekly rate, is consistency and I get to promote myself while I increase word of mouth business for the restaurant.

Also they are informed that I do not ask for tips, but if the customer offers I take it. At first its surprising how often you will get tips when you entertain and amaze. I'm even asked if my performance will cost anything and I say, " Its at no extra charge. Its the restaurants gift to you. " At the end of my set I get a tip anyway. I know there are differing opinions on this, I'm offering this as the road I've chosen.

A restaurant owner is going to hire you if they feel you will bring in more business. So its important to keep your rate lower than what they pay a month for their local advertising. Thats an average of $600 easily or more. Your angle to get the owner interested is to show you have more value and you do that by telling them you increase word of mouth by providing a positive experience. If your rate is too low you run the risk of not getting hired because they will not see your value.

After 3 month of performing at a local restaurant the paper did a story on me. This brought more people to the restaurant and many customers told me they liked the idea of entertainment at no additional cost. Most of them tipped any way . My point is, this philosophy helped create a feeling of comfort and more people came to the restaurant. The manager also made a huge poster with my picture on it advertising for me.

Success is possible, all we have to do bring value.

BAD idea to tell them it is a learning experience...People who want entertainment do NOT want people who are doing it as a "Learning experience"... They want professional entertainers who can entertain without messing up, offending people, saying the wrong thing, making mistakes, etc. They want somebody who is on top of their game and ready for anything you can throw at them. You'll never get hired as an entertainer by claiming your approach is a "learning experience"

K, here is what you gotta do...

#1 Do not sell yourself cheap! If you can perform well, do not tell them that you are learning! If you tell them this they are gonna think you are cheap, and you are going to think you are cheap. I think that 15-20 dollars per hour + tips is more than fair. but do not sell yourself cheap because you are learning. if you have only a few tricks that you can perform really well, dont worry! They dont know you are learning, and if you act professional you will be treated as a professional!

#2 Watch "Big B and Little S" by Brian Campbell. This is a FREE Youtube video series that is given by Penguin Magic! Brian teaches everything you need to know! start to finish! He deals with how much to charge, how to deal with people, and how to get hired and keep a job. It is all great information, that everyone should know. Check it out here http://www.penguinmagic.com/showbusiness.php

#3 Be confident. If you act professional, and not like a 17 year old that has never done anything like this before, you are going to have a 99% better chance at getting hired. You need to plan out everything before you even ask for a job. Like I said, check out the video series!

Hope this helps you out a bit! Good luck!

I agree with Paddy,

Its not about stealing jobs, its about the name or image you give magic. We're not some street husslers who do some cool kiddies magic tricks blow up a balloon and run off giggling. We're top notch high quality classy preformers/entertainers. Our prices should reflect that. If your going to be cheap, your image will be cheap. A magicians image is anything but cheap (unless your some sort of street hussler/pickpocket preformer).

Thats just my opinion anyway! .

If you know your material, can step up to any random person and start preforming and having a great time. Then go for it really! But charge reflecting OUR image.

I would not be offended if a magician charged $10 a night for performing. They can do what they like.
If i was a person who was HIRING a magician however, I would not hire somebody charging such a small amount.

When i was about 14, i got my first restaurant gig for $60 an hour. And in my humble opinion, looking back, i was a terrible magician.

So believe me, if i could get that, anybody should get at LEAST that.

I think it's a bad idea and very poor etiquette to take other magician's gigs. It's better to land your own gig without stealing or infringing on the gigs of other magicians...it's just very bad etiquette to do something like that. Very bad. If some magician attempted to steal my gig, I would remember him and make sure I never ever think of considering offering him any surplus gigs I might land. If I were to charge what I think I was worth, then I would be Bill Gates. It's probably best to get an idea of what a reasonable going market rate is to charge for restaurant work rather than charge what you think you are worth.