Getting Tips - The Waiter Method

[Benji Bruce]

I did a lecture on restaurant magic and talked about The Waiter Method for getting people to tip you while doing your restaurant gig. I've talked about this method a few times so at the lecture I gave a brief demonstration of it. The video is short but it has a ton of information in it so be sure to listen closely

Here is a video of the lecture...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HycQmOY24bc

 

[nIvan]

Not going to reveal that secret that you cut off? Haha. Thanks for the tips (no pun intended), I'll try to find a way to work this into any restaurant work I do in the future.

 

[Mat La Vore]

I think the idea itself is great, but I'm curious how the servers feel about this. With all the stuff they have going on already, are they really interested in trying to help someone else make tips as opposed to concentrating on their own work and customers? I waited tables in college, and what I remember was it usually was a hurricane of things to keep up on. Had a performer been strolling around performing, I don't think many of us would have been helping him out as we almost always had too much to keep up with ourselves.

Again, I think the idea itself is great, I'm just curious how practical it is to ask and/or expect servers to actually do this for you when they're already working hard and have several other priorities they're tending to. And considering the natural human tendency--what's in it for them if they do make it a point to do it? Also, quite a few servers (whether it's true or not) tend to see a tip in the performer's pocket a tip out of their pocket. So, again, what's their motivation here and how is this mindset overcome when you do encounter it? I can see it working out OK if you're actually friends with one of the servers, but otherwise I'm not so sure.

As a side note, love the videos you've made, Benji. Good stuff, man.

 

[Randy]

This method would probably work if you've working there for awhile and the servers aren't concerned with you taking their tips (which they shouldn't be in the first place because usually having the extra help at said place tends to cause them to get extra tips from the customers who enjoyed it there.).

The only one that I could see being practical was the one where he was just putting a 5 or 10 in his pocket as he approached the table.

 

[Benji Bruce]

Hey Mat

The method works...I used it a lot when I was performing in restaurants. If I get a chance, I'll interview the General Manager of a restaurant who was "in" on the method with me a few times. They don't mind doing it.


Randy,

If you're performing in a restaurant and the staff doesn't see you as one of them, then getting tips is the last thing you should be worrying about. Servers aren't concerned with you taking their tips...I'll interview a few servers I've worked with so we can hear what they think about the "magician" getting "their" tips.


This waiter method isn't a "theory"...it is something I used to do all the time.

 

[Mat La Vore]

Hey Mat

The method works...I used it a lot when I was performing in restaurants. If I get a chance, I'll interview the General Manager of a restaurant who was "in" on the method with me a few times. They don't mind doing it.

Yeah, I imagine it would. It's a great idea. I was just curious how practical it was for the servers to find the time to do it, and how they generally tend to feel about it. Look forward to hearing more, man.