Hey everyone!

I've had a restaurant job for the past 5 months. I love it! I get payed from the restaurant and make tips. I work Friday and Saturday nights and am willing to help out anyone who has any questions relating to starting out with a job, routines, etc. I'm here to help!


Shane--

How much do you get paid, and how many hours a week do you work?

I work Friday and Saturday nights from 7-9. The restaurant pays me $25 for one night, and I usually make about $25-30 in tips. So for a weekend of working 4 hours, I'll come home with over $100.


Shane--

Tips should average $40 to 50 per hour, at least that is what my weekend tips have been averaging for the last 5 years. Week night tips average between $25 to 30 an hour.

This is what I make as a full time restaurant entertainer. I work 4 hours a night plus have 2 restaurants on Sunday. Fired some places so I only work 5 days a week now instead of six days. If you are not making that rate after you have been doing this for a while change restaurants.

Peter

Paddy is right.

Ultimately it's up to you but I would also ask for more $$ from the restaurant.

Your entertainment is providing a service that profits the restaurant. Kind of like an advertisement does. Customers are less likely to go somewhere else during the "rush" or busy hours so this results in more revenue for the business. If you are there on a continuing basis this will draw customers to return which also results in increased revenues for the restaurant. All this is definitely worth more than $25 per night. Bump it up to $50 unless the restaurant is not very busy during peak hours. Only thing that can happen is they would say no.

What effects are you seing the BIGGEST response from?

Holland, there are many ways to go about asking for more money. I think $25 for two hours is way too little. Depending on the kind of restaurant you work in, you can find ways to justify being paid more. For example, at a restaurant/ bar I work at I told the owner I could pay for myself within the first 1/2 hour. He told me to prove it. I went straight to the bar area, got some people cheering, and within 4 minutes, had the crowd order themselves 10 shots of Kamikazi (at $7.00 a shot). I turned to look at the owner and he said "Your hired".

You are providing a service no one else can provide and if you are smart, you'll make it clear to the restaurant that you are making them money.

KSalaz

ps. the way to get them to order shots is do a two card monte, explaining that if they guess right you will buy the shots, if wrong, they will buy the shots. Either way, shots are being ordered. I have never paid for the shots

After you won the bet did you let them know that you performed a trick on them? In that situation a magic effect was turned in to a gambling proposition and you had a HUGE advantage in determining the outcome that they did not know about.

True, EZrhythm, but consider -- they didn't all buy ksalaz a drink. They all bought a drink and consumed it themselves. They didn't have to "pay off" the bet -- they would only be welching on themselves. It was an encouragement to order a drink that they were obviously willing to buy anyway. A good sales technique, I'd say. They were entertained, and that's why they went along with the "bet".

Robert V Frazier

Thanks Robert, good insight!

Robert is correct, I always feel out the people before I put out the proposition. It is perfect to intoduce into a group that is out to have a good time with their evening. I never include ordering a shot for myself. As far as feeling cheated or fooled, they know I am there to perform magic and "fool" them anyway and the reactions have always been so positive when they are actually getting "fooled" into enjoying themselves, not for my own megalomania.

KSalaz

Holland,do u perform Mind Bender and if so does it get good reactions.I Know it does for me.Just wondering?

Awesome Ksalaz! Great plan and ideas. Thanks for sharing too.

ksalaz:

I know the effect, but dont do it at the restaurant. I actually should considering it would be perfect! If you say you get good reactions then I'll have to test it out. I do a lot of card magic and flourishes. I should incorporate some 'other' material. Thanks for the suggestion!


Shane--

Glad you guys like the ideas. Here's another to try out that causes a little less to come out of there pockets, but they almost always go for.

Same idea, except only one shot or drink is ordered (sometimes everyone jumps on the bandwagon anyway)

Have a spectator do "Out of this World" or "Galaxy" by Paul Harris ( I prefer Galaxy). Before they do the effect, let everyone agree that if they can sucessfully seperate the cards into two piles of red and black without seeing the faces, they will be bought a shot to celebrate. People really get into this one! They cheer, stamp, count down the cards, etc. Afterwards, some people say "Heck I need a shot after that one!"

KSalaz