I have educated MANY youths in seminars on obtaining restaurant work - I have worked restaurants for some time - and have established myself in 3 different cities that have NEVER had the experience of close up magic in restaurants before...so I have had to be a trail blazer, so I have vaste experience in selling magic to restaurant owner's.
This being said: I will ask you this first - ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH FOR RESTAURANTS? It is one of the hardest venues to work, and if you have never tried it - and you don't have the tricks that work in this venue, or the right idea of how to make it work for the restaurant - then you could be hurting yourself long term....like being a "joe" on pro's verus Joes - you may just end up looking like a "guy that does tricks" and I have seen many good magicians get eaten up by restaurant crowds. There - I have a small disclaimer...read on.
First, I don't recommend a video, as promo video's may be good for peaking interest in what you do, but not making the pitch to a restaurant. I think it is best to set up a meeting, I usually stop in during slower restaurant times (read: NOT lunch or dinner) and introduce myself. I ask the owner/manager if we can meet to discuss a business opportunity. They will want to know what it is about - then you give them a small pitch.
What you have in your video is a start - but focus on answering questions they may have:
Will people like this?
Will in interfere with business? How does it work (will everyone see it/table to table)?
When will you perform?
Is he any good?
Unthought of stuff - how do you help their business? Alleviate time wait, entertainment, etc.
Don't talk price right away - they may ask you at this point, but I defer and say, "Well, my prices are reasonable, but I would love to meet and see how I can best meet your needs before we talk a price" - because it works on a hourly/per day charge - your price WILL vary, so this is a honest answer. Moreover, it allows me to "up sell" my skills - which may include a portfolio of newspaper clipping and recommendation letters OR I discuss how I would up the patonage by acting as a living advertisment in telling people where they can see me perform.
AS for price - You have to keep things in mind - MOST restaurants work on a ROI (return on investment) principle - so if you charge $50.00 for a hour, they want to know you are pulling in more than that...sometimes as much as three times more - depending on the ROI plan. I don't care WHO you are - you can't PROVE you are making three times MORE for a restaurant, a hour - so, the focus should be on the intangibles - and hope they see a draw, how you effect the atmosphere, and what it adds for customers. I AM NOT SAYING CHARGE LITTLE - I am just saying keep in mind budgets and perceived value/expense.
Again - the topic of price - ask for what you feel comfortable with, but NO restaurant is going to pay you $120.00 a hour...for 2-4 hours every week. Also, if this is the price of your private show, realize that it is on the low side - restaurant fees vary from 100-200 for a few hours, and is usually negotiated based on how many hours, while private shows can profit you 4 to 10 times that amount.
I compare it, I hope not insultingly, to a one night stand with an escort versus a long term relationship - with a one night stand...you are paying A LOT to get what you pay little by little for in a long term relationship.
However, much like a long term relationship, you get a longer chance to prove your worth - and in magic - work gets work. Working restaurants allows you to sell yourself, while you are getting paid. I know some guys that work restaurants for free, because they can sell themselves so well to tables for private shows, where they make more money.
I wouldn't recommend charing a lower fee just to get in restaurants - I find this a stupid move I have seen many do and wish they hadn't. If you are making $25 a hour...and work at this place for awhile - then you meet a guy that you feel you are better and more entertaining than, and he is making double - you may think - I am going to ask for more money? However, what will you tell your Owner? My pass is better, so can you pay me more? Your rate will set things out early, and as hard as it is to get restaurant work - it will be harder after some time to double your pay and get increases worthy of your time/talent after a few years.
Therefore, I recommend NOT doing restaurant magic until you feel like you can ask for a price that is competitive. When setting a fee it is smart to ask what you feel comfortable for, but if you don't feel comfortable in asking for the going rate - maybe your magic is not ready for restaurants yet? There is no rush - because once you start working in magic, it is hard to back track - and you don't want to be one of those guys that is trying to quickly (and SLOPPYILY, for a lack of a term) learn new things just because the regulars have seen your Invisible Deck routine five times...and it's getting old.
Well, I know I wrote a lot - but I hope you see there is much valuable info here - feel free to PM me with any specific questions. I could honestly write on the topic forever...there are many books and videos on it - but no book or video will do you justice, just like no video will - because each experience is different. There are many things that are the same each time you talk to a restaurant Owner, but just as with magic audiences, each one will see it different. I have had some see it as an art, others as a waste of money - but in the end, they are paying for YOU (and what you can do to help them make $) - not just the magic.
It is show business - two words. Make sure your show part is 100% and then get ready to try and learn about the business part of it. There is MUCH about the business part that, if you do not know, will close many doors for you. So - be careful.
Good luck in selling your skills!
