there are a few topics on this.
first of all.
DO NOT CALL IT TABLE HOPPING!!!!
that sounds cheap. its alright here, but when you are selling yourself, do not say im a table hopping magician, or i'll be table hopping.
strolling even sounds better.
you need reasons as to why you should work at the resturaunt. Does the rest. you are working at Need promotion? probably not too much. so why should you work there?
to bring customers back? probably not. so why in the world should they hire you?
so work on that.
Maybe, you can help the staff when the place is super busy (because you are there lol) to ENTERTAIN the clientel while they are waiting for their food. If there is a hold up on the food, you can go to a specific table and entertain!.
I dont know much about you. so i cant really judge how you are. But you really need to be ENTERTAINING. not just do tricks. you need a really good personality and have fun!. joke around, have fun! ENTERTAIN.
Magic is a GREAT form of ENTERTAINMENT. It packs small and Plays BIG. why hire a band? when its loud, they take up lots of room and you havta pay the band even more, and the music is probably music they could hear anywhere on the radio. With magic its like a tramatic Event in someones life! Most people have never seen really GOod magic! so when you go to the table, you cause them to remember what happens, and when they go home and call their friends and family. they will be like. Hey i was at Eddies (Where i work) and there was this fantastic magician, his name was Chris Wiehl and he just made my night!
when they go home and their friend is like. I wanna take my friends out for a fun dinner or my date, that guy will say. GO TO EDDIES it was soo much fun! there was a magician and he was very fun to talk to and watch, and there was really good food and fun atmosphere!
THAT is what you are selling!
For Routines this is what i perform.
sponge balls
Rubber band magic (crazy mans handcuffs, and that other trick where the rubber band jumps from your pointer and middle finger to your ring and pinky finger)
Straw Tricks(where you wrap the straw up with another straw and pull them apart(not sure where you can find this)(or some kind of PK effect)
ACR
Biddle
Card Folded to mouth (david stone (check out his French Coctail act on youtube for a good ending to this)
WOW! (masuda)
Extreme Burn(sanders)
Metal Bending (Psychonetic Silverware, liquid metal)
SOME KIND OF BUSSINESS CARD MAGIC!!! (sankey has a dvd on this)
Thoes are the tricks i usually have on me. I DO NOT PERFORM ALL OF THESE AT A TABLE!
UNLESS (and i have performed many of these at one table) it is the end of the day and not to many people are around. or for perhaps someones birthday!
Im trying to get some coin routines into my arsenal, but that is going slowly lol. so hopefully in a month or 2 i can have some.
But you want to be able to carry everything around with you.
i have, 2 packs of cards (red blue) 2 or 3 markers(sharpie or any other kind) a Pen ( i do a trick with it) Forks (Dollar General) Sponge Balls, Bussiness cards, thumbtip, Extreme Burn (in wallet with) Bussiness cards, LIghter
That is about all i carry
not too much. and its easy pocket management.
Say you can work One or 2 nights a week, Most likey your busiest days, because remember, you are a resource to the resturaunt. you help the people there stay in control of the clients.
IF they do have a slower night, you can work then too.
I work Mondays. its slower than saturday or sunday, but they use me as a way to bring people INTO the resturaunt.
its been working quite well.
ALSO what seems to help ALOT.
I actually have a PIN (like a button on my shirt) for the resturaunt, and i wear that around.
you could get a name tag or soemthing (make it legit) so when you walk up to a table, people wont think you are some weird kid selling something, or a religious nut or what ever comes to their mind. They will accept you easyer because you have a pin on, so it must mean you are with the establisment and you are legit.
This has helped me many times to be accepted into the group.
You may want to "audition" for the Boss. So bring 2 tricks. like acr and sponge balls.
SPONGE BALLS are not just for kids!
When i Auditioned i did sponge balls, and metal bending.
thats it.
But then again Eddies is a Family based resturaunt so lots of familes come in with their kids.
but if the owner wants you to Audition for the resturaunt, come in on a tuesday or wendesday or even monday, for 2 or 3 hours and just do magic for the people there.
then tell them (the people you entertain) that if they enjoyed the entertainment, to tell the management that they did so we can keep this going.
if you do a good job and the people enjoy. then BAM you got the job! (hopefully)
Hope that helps.
there are lots of other people on this site who will be glad to help, or point you in a direction!
GOOD LUCK hope you get the gig!