Getting Started In Restaurant Work

[mini magician]

I disagree. Let me rephrase that I greatly disagree. I'll even go so far as to put that into bold text. I greatly disagree.

We are programed as a society to knee jerk the "no" answer to anything we view as an intrusion without even considering if it is something that would be good for us.

That's why in sales, the first rule you are taught is to ask open ended questions. Questions that the mark can't answer with just "no."

I agree, don't offer them the option. You are hired to entertain, and entertain you must! If you want to keep your job that is. Take for example my opening line:
"Hi I'm Draven, I've been sent to your table curtasy of the management to entertain you. Here, select a card."

No where in that did I ask them If I COULD entertain. I just assumed they wanted to see it. In sales that's an assumptive close. And you know what... 99.9% of the people I approach will say "OK!" and engage me.

You objection is going to apply to maybe 3% of the overal workers experience. Hardly enough to justify not doing it.

Thats more or less what i wanted to hear.

He, for me at least, didn't really phrase it well. Like you said you are there to perform you have been hired to entertain and your opening statement seemed a bit more inviting atleast.

I admit i should have probably rephrased some of the things i said but im sure you have no problem gaining an enthusiastic ok or yes.

But you have to admit some people just arent in the mood to see magic thats all i was really trying to say. You can't ,well, shouldnt force it on someone who doesnt want to see it is all.

Tom

 

[Randy]

You're an entertainer not a used car salesmen. If there is one book most people here SHOULD get, I'd really suggest it would The Alchemical Tools by Paul Brook. Yeah it was written by a mentalist, but if it was recommended by Jeff McBride and even required reading for his Masters Class. Then that should give you an idea of how important and good it is.

Paul Brook actually has a way of getting people to change their mind. If they say "No, sorry." he would respond with "OK, well it's your loss. I've done this for higher ups and very important people." Now they don't know that he doesn't, but it made them WANT him.

But then again, if you are doing restaurant stuff. I'd suggest you simply say Thank You, tell them if they would like to change their mind, they can get one of the waiters. And if you are doing your job good enough, they will get curious by seeing the other people react (hopefully in a good way).

Another thing is that you should learn not to smile like an maniac or an idiot all the time when performing. People who generally do that, look like major kiss asses and you don't want to look like that.

 

[William Draven]

You're an entertainer not a used car salesmen.

You may be right on the technical note there, but you ARE still a salesman. And while it may not be cars that you're pushing, you are selling something of great value; yourself.

You may not realize it but sales and magic have a LOT in common with each other. I'd like to recomend that you read a few sales books like "The Little Red Book of Sales" or "The Little Green Book of Answers" By Jeff Gittomer. Not a single magic trick will be discussed in those two books, but you'll see the business end of how to deal with and treat people. Invaluable.

Also, I recomend "The Golden Rule of Schmoozing" by Aye Jaye. Another great book on dealing with people.

 

[Randy]

True, but if you want them to like you. You have to give them a good reason to. Standing there smiling while saying "pick a card." doesn't give them a good reason. Sure many magicians may think otherwise. But in the end it doesn't do much for the other person.

"People are more likely to hire a friend than they are anybody else." Forcing them to pick a card is just asking for them to not enjoy it. Plus if you are being paid already, you can generate more interest just by being genuine and causing them to see how much fun the OTHER people are having.

 

[shinichikudo992000]

True, but if you want them to like you. You have to give them a good reason to. Standing there smiling while saying "pick a card." doesn't give them a good reason. Sure many magicians may think otherwise. But in the end it doesn't do much for the other person.

"People are more likely to hire a friend than they are anybody else." Forcing them to pick a card is just asking for them to not enjoy it. Plus if you are being paid already, you can generate more interest just by being genuine and causing them to see how much fun the OTHER people are having.

its ok, just do what u like; these are the experience that I gather over that time working at a restaurant. If you don't think its affective, then don't do it. This is just a preference.

 

[Sherlock]

I believe that if you go straight into the routine without asking anything then you are being rude. Sorry for all those who disagree, but if someone just randomly came up and just sort of demanded something then I would turned off from what he was doing.

However like William said, you need to ask open ended questions to an extent in that situation. This is my line for going up to the people, "Hi there my name is so and so and I am the house magician tonight, how are you doing this evening? Great lets start off with something simple.

This is a surefire way, if they say they are doing crappy then recommend that this will most certainly brighten up the day. You aren't running in there with a frag and then letting it go, but you aren't asking for a response either while the thing is cooking in your hand.

Wait til you are a bit older to, you are a bit young to start in restaurant work. However you could do busking, birthday parties and gigs like that but restaurant people want someone professional and at your age not many will take you seriously.

This is my advice, take it or leave it. However just know I have been in your shoes and it was a long road to where I am now.

Best of luck

 

[ajp500]

As for a routine, I was thinking about approaching people, introducing myself, asking if they are busy and if they would like to see a trick. I would perform something quick, good, and visual, in this case an effect from Strip by Jose Lac'Quest. I'd then ask them if they'd like to see more. If so, I'd demonstrate my invisible palm routine mixed in with the Biddle trick. If I could tell they're amazed, I'd perform WOW by Masuda. Then to close, I'd have them select a card, sign it, and it would appear in my wallet with my business card attached to the back of their card.

Let me know what you think.

How can you tie in Strip with cards? Would it look weird bringing that out? I dont have that trick but can they examine it? Does it have to come from your pocket?

Sponge balls would be great, easy tricks to understand and not hard to follow are good.

 

[penguincdude]

How can you tie in Strip with cards? Would it look weird bringing that out? I dont have that trick but can they examine it? Does it have to come from your pocket?

Sponge balls would be great, easy tricks to understand and not hard to follow are good.

Well there's a really great trick you can do where they select a card, put it back, invisibly tear off the corner and put the card back, hand you the corner, you put the corner in the container, and flick it, shake it, or whatever and there's a corner in there that matches their card. Then, you spread the deck showing their card is missing a corner that matches the one from the container. And it doesn't really look weird at all. You just pull it out, offer them a piece and pull some magic. It really is a surprisingly common object. I've performed it tons of times and never had anyone suspect it. And to answer your other question, no they can't fully examine it at the beginning but you can show them it's empty. At the end, however, where they may actually be suspecting something, they can. Immediately after the appearance or change or whatever, you can hand it to them to open and inspect to their hearts content.

 

[e.viper]

There is a lot of great advice in this thread. All of these people have had experience in some way and they offer great knowledge in restaurant table magic. In my experience, I have performed multiple times at a restaurant/diner environment as sort of charity/volunteer performances (didn't get paid), so I didn't really have that line of "I'm the restaurant's hired magician" and so on. However, this didn't stop me of having a great and fun time with people. The bottom line you have to think about is, like many other people have said, you're there to entertain and have a good time. You're there to make the restaurant (or wherever you're performing) a fun, entertaining place. And people tend to over-think about the way they are going to approach people. They fear the rejection and the awkwardness of walking up to a table of complete strangers. Well, conquering this is the first step to becoming a street magician. Like others have said, don't be too forward and don't be too shy. Just greet them nicely, interact and socialize with them briefly to break the ice, explain what you do (a magician here to entertain), and simply ask them if they would like some entertainment. Just be casual, polite and have fun with the audience. If you have watched magicians such as Daniel Garcia or Wayne Houchin, they just simply walk up to people, socialize a little bit and ask them if they would like to see some magic. I know this isn't exactly the same as table/restaurant magic (although I've seen them do this too), it's still the same concept. Just go up to them, have confidence when you speak, be yourself and and do your thing.

Also one more quick thing. The timing of when to approach people is important for restaurant magic. Obviously, don't approach them while they're eating. A good time is to perform for them as they're waiting for their food to arrive. That's one of the main reasons why the restaurant wants entertainment. This will take the people's attentions away from the long wait and from them thinking "wow, this restaurant takes awhile to get our food ready", and also creates a fun, entertaining environment for the whole restaurant (people laughing, everyone being excited and amazed). After they are done eating is a good time too, but if they look like they're about to leave don't keep them locked in their seats.

I hope this helps!!