How do magicians know when to approach people eating at a restaurant?
Updated: May 27
We answer “How do magicians know when to approach people eating at a restaurant” plus tips for working restaurants.
QUESTION: How do magicians know when to approach people eating at a restaurant?
ANSWER: They don’t. Magicians should never approach anyone at a restaurant to perform magic while they are eating. Food is the highest priority. It’s important to work along with the servers and staff to provide an incredible experience.
Here are a few tips for magicians who want to start working restaurants
Listen to the full answer below.
How do magicians know when to approach people eating at a restaurant?
Recently on the podcast, Graeme and I were discussing restaurant magic, strolling magic and table-side magic. We were specifically talking about a question that we found on Reddit about how magicians should approach people while they are eating.
Bottom line: magicians shouldn’t perform during dinner service.
No one wants to see a magic trick with BBQ sauce on their fingers. Not ideal for card tricks either. The only way you could approach a table that has not been shown magic, yet because really the key time and you can pace yourself at a restaurant once
Let’s jump into the basics.
Strolling Magic: The Basics of Approaching Tables
It’s essential for magicians to realize that food and foodservice are a priority. Magicians help make the kitchen’s service appear faster by elevating the guest’s experience with a unique, interactive performance.
Magicians help cover kitchen mistakes and delays in service.
If you have never worked a restaurant, be aware of the rhythm and flow of each individual restaurant and how the kitchen and serving staff interact.
It’s a magician’s job to be as unobtrusive as possible while elevating the guest’s experience.
3 Tips for Magicians Working Restaurants
Follow the Menus. Once the menus leave the table, go and do your bit.
Leave the tables tidy. Make sure you don’t make a mess. Leave and in good order.
Keep your sets short. 3 - 4 minutes is a good amount of time.
BONUS TIP
Keep your routines simple and easy to follow. Restaurants can be loud places. Keep your instructions easy to understand and learn to be a little more direct.
Sometimes you’ll find a table with a lot of appetizers or it's a restaurant with free salad or bread. You can be frequently interrupted and if food arrives while you are performing, wrap-up your trick quickly and move to the next table
Here’s how you can approach a table while they are eating
Sometimes the occasion will present itself and a table has been served food. On the podcast, Graeme shared a little script he uses. Walk over, introduce yourself quickly and tell them you’ll come back after they have finished eating.
You can say something like:
“Hi, my name is _______. I'm a magician. I see that you're eating. I don't want to share magic with you right now because you're eating, but can I come by after and share some magic?”
A few tips for magicians who want to start getting into restaurant magic work.
