Tips

[Matt Mello]

Hey guys,

I haven't really seen a thread that was devoted to getting tips. If you work in a restaurant venue like I do, then you understand that tips are very important. I was wondering how most of you go about letting people know that you accept tips? I think just saying, "I accept tips", is kind of awkward. Nobody wants to look like a begger. So, I was wondering if anyone had any routines that incorporated bringing tips into the equation. This is a routine that I worked out that has always worked for me.

You walk up to a table and perform a few things. Eventually you go into this routine...

Performer - "When I do stage shows, I generally like to do what's called "betting the check". It basically means the performer would put up the money he'd be making from the show in some sort of challenge. Since I don't get a check here I figure I'll try something a little smaller. In my right pocket, I have all the tips that I've made from performing here tonight. If you can guess how much is in there, you can have it. If you don't guess it, then nothing will be taken away from you. I'm going to just write something down really quick before we start."

The performer now scribbles something down onto a business card. You now have the spectator guess. Lets say they go with "$94". You now reach into your pocket and remove your tips. You count it up and show that you actually have $110. So, they lose. But, you remind them that you wrote something down before they had said anything. They turn the business card over and it says..."You'll think I have 94 dollars."

Now, one good thing about this is the fact that it lets them know you accept tips. Another is that it allows you to REMOVE the tips and show them to the spectators. It's a good thing to have a few 20's and a few 10's in there. This way people will see that others have given you 20's and 10's and will hopefully follow suit. And ANOTHER thing is that the effect is EXTREMELY powerful, and all you need to perform it is a nail writer. If you don't know what a nail writer is, look it up and buy it because it is definitely worth it.

Also, on the off chance that a spectator guesses correctly, you could give them the tips, because that is damn impressive. Or, you could do what I do, and have a five dollar bill in your other pocket which you can palm into the tip pocket if you need to. (Which is why it's always good to know how much you have.)

Well, that's my routine. I'd love to hear others.

Matt Mello

 

[SplitHeavens]

Have you ever given the prize to anyone?
If so, how much was the most?

 

[mini magician]

Thats an awesome idea. And he is write about the swami gimmick pick one up if you have the money.

 

[Jv]

The way I accept tips is also through a routine.
My routine is based off the Kissed Trick.
But I'll do it with a borrowed bill and a double-back with a folded money image.
So I go up to a spectator ask them to select and sign a card and loose it into the deck.
I'll ask for a bill and then make it vanish, scan through the deck and show that one card has a image of a dollar.
Then I pop it out into their hands and they keep the card and I keep the tip.

 

[William Draven]

Bonus Advise: When working bar magic you can get away with something you can’t do working tables. A tip jar. When using a tip jar, always place it out before you and just a bit off to the side. That way it is visible by everyone, and yet not in your way. Always stuff it with several crinkled up ones, and one large bill. If the place you are working in is fairly high end you may want to consider using a ten or twenty for the large bill. If it’s a low end place, a five will do nicely. This does two things psychologically to the spectators. 1) No one likes to be the first to tip. If the jar already has money it, then they are more likely to add too it. 2) No one likes to be out done. If they see a larger bill in the jar, they are likely to tip equal if not more than that bill! Lastly, NEVER have a full tip jar on your table. Always empty it when you don’t have too many people watching, but make sure to leave a few bills for the next group!

Taken from my Essay on How to Get Gigs and Keep Clients part 2.
http://forums.theory11.com/showthread.php?t=17121

 

[jonraiker]

Great, great topic. Interested in reading the responses to this one. I die a little inside each time I see the dreaded I Work For Tips button.

 

[Randomwrath]

I haven't tried this yet, but I thought of using the Card to Spectator's Wallet trick or the Casanova Concept. Both of these involve having the spectator's wallet on the table at the end, which means it is just one thing that they don't have to do before giving you tips. There again, I don't own either of these tricks yet, so I dunno how well they would work. Just a suggestion.

 

[The Tumbleweed]

When I did some restaurant work, I used to use a little technique I developed, not sure if it's original though.
I'd keep some notes in my pocket, and when I was finished at a table, while walking to the next table, I'd take the notes out of my pocket secretly, and as I was approaching the table, I'd visibly put the notes in, as an aside. This would cause the table to think that the previous table had tipped me, which makes them think they should follow suit. Tipping is a deception of its own.

 

[Matt Mello]

Tumbleweed,

I used to do something similar. But, I found that I got WAY more tips using the routine I described above. Some people won't see you put the money away and some people might assume it's just money you keep in your pocket.

Another thing I used to do was have a bunch of cash in my pocket. I would have a bunch of pieces of paper that I use to do my billet tear in there as well. So, I would reach into my pocket and remove the paper and "accidentally" grab a few bills as well. But, since I never specified this as tips, people just assumed that it was money I kept in my pocket.

Randomwrath,

The problem with them having the wallet on the table, doesn't necessarily mean they know you accept tips. The point of my routines are to specify that I accept tips without the situation becoming awkward. I used to do routines where it would end with legit MONEY in their hands. And it was rare that they just gave it to me at the end. I found that they tipped better when I didn't end with a money effect or an effect involving them having their wallet on the table.

Just my two cents. But, since doing the routine above, I've gone from making about 100 bucks a night in tips to about 250. (I usually work 2-3 hours) Doing this 3 times a week, I'm making 750 a week in ONLY tips. The routine above works wonders, it's rare that people give less than 10 when they see you pull out 10's and 20's. But, you also have to be good enough to deserve that kind of tip for only about a 5 minute show. I usually like to drag mine out a bit. I work in kind of a high class restaurant and like to take my time at each table. Never rush, don't worry about getting to every table. It's better to create a memorable experience with each table rather then worrying about getting to all of them. Plus, people will definitely tip you better this way because they will appreciate it much more.

Matt Mello

 

[The Tumbleweed]

Tumbleweed,

I used to do something similar. But, I found that I got WAY more tips using the routine I described above. Some people won't see you put the money away and some people might assume it's just money you keep in your pocket.

Another thing I used to do was have a bunch of cash in my pocket. I would have a bunch of pieces of paper that I use to do my billet tear in there as well. So, I would reach into my pocket and remove the paper and "accidentally" grab a few bills as well. But, since I never specified this as tips, people just assumed that it was money I kept in my pocket.

Ok, thanks
I hope you don't mind if I try out your method next time, I'd really like to see how practical and workable it is Thanks

 

[Seeker]

Borrowed Money effects are almost a must.

If I do a simple pen through bill, say something like, "Don't worry, you will get this bill back, people usually give me twentys after this one..."

Joking around and hinting at jokes are the best. That way your being funny and still planting the idea. I have also seen a Magician in the past hang a sign on his back that said "TIPS APPRICATED." Reason being was his little clip on button that said it was broken.

David Stone goes into details about how to get tips in his DVDs and so does LIVE! at the JAILHOUSE which is a great DVD that covers all of it.

-Jacob

 

[Matt Mello]

Ok, thanks
I hope you don't mind if I try out your method next time, I'd really like to see how practical and workable it is Thanks

No problem man, its the reason I posted this topic. I hoped the routine would help people to make more money doing what they do. It works for me. So, try it out and let everyone know what you think of it, and you'll see how much your tips improve.

Matt Mello
p.s. I would recommend doing this as the second to last effect. And on the last one do your most powerful effect. This way they know you accept tips AND they were just impressed the most after just realizing you accept tips. Trust me, they'll tip you.

 

[Matt Mello]

Borrowed Money effects are almost a must.

If I do a simple pen through bill, say something like, "Don't worry, you will get this bill back, people usually give me twentys after this one..."

Joking around and hinting at jokes are the best. That way your being funny and still planting the idea. I have also seen a Magician in the past hang a sign on his back that said "TIPS APPRICATED." Reason being was his little clip on button that said it was broken.

David Stone goes into details about how to get tips in his DVDs and so does LIVE! at the JAILHOUSE which is a great DVD that covers all of it.

-Jacob

I've performed in restaurants for YEARS. Whenever I borrow a bill and give it back to them, they RARELY hand it back to me and tell me to keep it. It makes sense that it would work, but it just hasn't for me.

The tips appreciated sign is, again, a form of begging which I don't like.

Not sure about David's comments or the material from Live and the Jailhouse. All I know is what works for me. And that's the routine I created. If anyone has any routines that specify that you make tips, without asking for tips, please share with the rest of us. But, just using money in an effect, there is still a chance the spectator won't give it to you. Mind you, there is still a chance that people won't tip you even if they KNOW you accept tips. But, it's very rare.

Matt Mello

EDIT: Splitheavens: I have only had the spectator guess correctly once. But like I said in the write-up. I have an extra 5 dollars in my other pants pocket that I can palm in if they guess correctly. So, if I had 75 in my pocket. And the spectator guessed 75, I would then start pulling out money from my pocket. At some point, I would go into the other pocket and palm out the five. I know bring my hands behind my back and act as if I'm patting down my back pockets to find more tips. But, I actually transfer the 5 into my other hand. I now palm this into my pocket and pull it out. Making the total 80 and making the spectator wrong. You then go onto to nail write that the spectator would say 80 and you have an awesome effect, and they know you take tips.