Restaurant
Etiquette
Where did you learn your
manners for going out to eat? Perhaps from
a book on etiquette or in school but more
than likely you learned them from your parents,
grandparents and/or your friends. How about
tipping when you're out? Here again the answers
may be the same. But are you properly equipped
to know how to interact with the magician
who performs at your table? How will you treat
him? What is the proper procedure for getting
the entertainer over to your table, what do
you say to him, what do you not say to him,
how much do you tip him?
As
a magician perhaps you haven't thought about
these questions. But as a restaurant patron
who is unaccustomed to being personally entertained
at the table (except by the occasional Mariachi
band), these questions and many more must
race through their mind. As an entertainer
in a restaurant you need to be keenly aware
of your audience. They are not necessarily
there to see you but rather to have an enjoyable,
uninterrupted meal. You need to choose your
time wisely when to approach the table, if
at all. Maybe they are engrossed in a personal
or business conversation that defies interruption.
There have been many articles and books written
about this field and detail how to approach
a table. If you are a restaurant magician,
then I just want you to be conscientious of
your audience and their feelings.
If
you are a magician visiting another working
magician in his restaurant, then the same
rules of etiquette apply to you as they do
to the other patrons. Let's go over the major
points. When coming into the restaurant to
watch a fellow magician perform, be seated
like the other diners, place your food order
then ask your waitperson to have the house
magician visit your table when he is available.
When he is able to get to your table, introduce
yourself as a magician if you have not yet
met. If it's a slow night or he is on break,
then you can spend a bit more time talking
with him. By introducing yourself to him,
he may show you his regular routine but more
than likely he will show you something special
that he has ready to show his repeat customers.
Since he is treating you like one of the regular
patrons, then you should treat him like you
would if you were a regular . . . specifically,
that means you should tip him. The amount
of the tip is up to you, but shouldn't you
tip him as much as you would like to receive
if you were on the opposite end of the wand?
Then, on your way out, be sure to thank the
management for providing such fine entertainment
to the diners. This would be polite restaurant
etiquette for visiting magicians.
On
the other hand, let's go over improper etiquette.
When coming into the restaurant to watch a
fellow magician perform, rather than be seated
you immediately go looking for the magician.
Once you locate the performer, stand beside
him or look over his shoulder, because after
all, you are a magician too, you know all
this stuff and you're just as good as him.
And by standing beside him you are subliminally
telling the other patrons that you are his
equal. No doubt he will end his routine short
with his current audience in order to acknowledge
you presence. By the way, this ensures that
he won't be getting a tip from that table.
You can spend a lot of time with him by introducing
yourself then telling him the kind of magic
you do, where you have worked, who you know,
where you have been, and most importantly
showing him some of your moves. You can do
this because you have, of course, brought
along a "few" things just in case he might
need someone to help him out if they get too
busy. While you're talking with him, be sure
to talk rather loudly so others know that
you too are a magician.
Once
you have made your initial contact, try to
be seated near the middle of the restaurant
so you can watch him work the room. While
you're sitting there for a couple of hours,
you can save money by just ordering a soda
pop or, better still, coffee because you get
free refills. If there is someone with you,
then be sure to loudly critique his routine
and detail how each effect is accomplished.
You might even want to duplicate it for your
companion. Then you can perform your own magic
at your table, because your stuff is much
better. If some of those at the surrounding
tables are watching, then so much the better
. . . show them, too.
When
you're ready to go, leave the waitperson about
a 10% tip for your beverage (a quarter ought
to do), no need to tip the magician since
he didn't fool you. While you're checking
out at the cashier, ask for the manager on
duty. Since management obviously supports
live entertainment, then why shouldn't he
hire you? Give him your business card and
tell him that you would like to fill in when
the house magician is off or, better still,
replace him altogether. After all, you're
better than the guy he has now and you can
prove it. You may even want to prove it right
then . . . dueling magicians. Just let you
work a few tables and allow the customers
to choose who they enjoyed the most. If you
try this ploy, then be sure that you've got
your best stuff with you so you can really
blow them away. Oh, don't forget to wear your
winky blinky rabbit lapel pin.
