talkmagic.co.uk

Hey,
A fairly new restaurant opened up in a plaza nearby, and I have already asked about working in the restaurant performing magic to people from table to table. They all liked the idea as it would really attract more customers.

They wanted me to list all the stuff I would be doing, why I wanted to do this, and they also want to know how much magicians get payed to perform in restaurants.

I like in a small city, and there are no magicians working in any pubs/bar/restaurant ANY where nearby. The closest is in the main city about 60km away.

This is my first time performing in a restaurant, and they never had anyone perform there. I wanted to know, what would the pay be for me performing probably 2,3+ days a week for an average of 3hrs/day.


I have heard others get payed $50/hour, about 100 pounds/hour.
But, compared to the other workers, and waiters, that would seem way too unfair if I get payed so much an hour. Plus, those people work in restaurants/pubs that already had people performing there, and in the main city or something.

What should I do?

i do 150 per hour..............but only an hour at a time...........theres a good sticky on it

wouldn't that be weird?

Manager - "So, how much do magicians get payed hourly at restaurants?"
Me - "About $100-150 and hour"
Manager - "Um.. well, thanks anyways thats too much, even I don't get that much."

yeh, the thing is though doing a one off event like a wedding for an hour is different to working 6hours, 3 times a week in the same venue.

If it was a one off event you could charge 150 for an hour but being employed in a restaurant you won't get anywhere near as much per hour.

Considering new restaurants need every penny they can get to get going and not go bust in the first 3 months.

I can't tell you how much you should get as I don't know how good you are, I don't know the realistic entertainment budget of the restaurant and I don't know what you and your employer would deem FAIR.

If you want to be paid the same as the waiting staff...... Quit magic and become a waiter.
the resterant look on magicians as a marketing tool, to get punters in through the doors. on the other hand, waiting staff are there to wait at tables.

YAlso. your not charging for the time you are there. you Have to charge for theyears of study, and learning, and practice, and the cost of equipment, and transport etc. waiting staff, get paid to wait at tables.
Its hard back breaking work waiting at tables. but so is doing magic at tables.

all in all, a magician must always charge more than a waiter.

MasterCyde wrote:I can't tell you how much you should get as I don't know how good you are, I don't know the realistic entertainment budget of the restaurant and I don't know what you and your employer would deem FAIR.

talk about a helpful post... LOL

B0bbY_CaT wrote:

MasterCyde wrote:I can't tell you how much you should get as I don't know how good you are, I don't know the realistic entertainment budget of the restaurant and I don't know what you and your employer would deem FAIR.

talk about a helpful post... LOL

yeh, your post was JUST as helpful

First off they want to know how much magicians get paid for this? They can figure that out on their own. You only need to be concerned with how much you are getting paid. They can do thier own legwork. As stated you are not wait staff. Don't worry about what you think is fair. You are a professional entertainer and deserve to paid a professional wage.

Magic for 6 hours a day? That is insane, Here is what I would do take my advice as you wish. Figure out the peak hours, your job would then be to entertain at the table while the patrons are waiting for food, during peak hours the wait may be longer due to the volume of customers, keeps the customers from noticing they've been sitting for half an hour and still have nothing to eat. Now you are working only 2 or 3 hours a night and can charge 150.00 per hour. If the restaurant is very good and they have people waiting in line, you can also work the line.

Or you can figure out the really slow times and the restaurant can advertize a magician working those hours, they would do this in an attempt to get people in at those times. This is a lot more tricky as it depends a lot on the demographic, they may be slow at a particular time because the restaurant may be in an industrial park and people are working at lunch and may not have time for a sit down meal in a fancy restaurant that has a magician working the tables, (this of course is just an example).

This is a business, treat it like one. Figure out all your expenses, what you think you are worth, what you need to clear and of course what the market will bear. (I suggest a good business plan, many can be found online, your bank may have one, your local library or gov't agency that deals with employment.

daleshrimpton wrote:If you want to be paid the same as the waiting staff...... Quit magic and become a waiter.
the resterant look on magicians as a marketing tool, to get punters in through the doors. on the other hand, waiting staff are there to wait at tables.

YAlso. your not charging for the time you are there. you Have to charge for theyears of study, and learning, and practice, and the cost of equipment, and transport etc. waiting staff, get paid to wait at tables.
Its hard back breaking work waiting at tables. but so is doing magic at tables.

all in all, a magician must always charge more than a waiter.

exactly....i only do paid gigs maybe once every couple of months but in my mind a magician gets paid for entertaining and his (or her) expertise...plus if a plumber said he would give you a new central heating system for a hundred quid you would be mad to pay because its ludacriss (i spelt it like that for the kids)....its basically a big step and a big responsibility (you are after all potentially faffing about with some guys business) so be prepared (as they say in the boy scouts) and brace your self (something else they say in the boy scouts) for some knock backs. All im saying is "if" going pro you must do then make sure youve planned it properly , organised an "appropriate" payment and be scrupulously proffesional......though as i say im sure theres a sticky on it and many posts in the past that may help.....

sorry, I meant an average or 3 hours a day. must have pressed 6 without noticing.

Thanks, I understand now why its high payed. Guess thats a good thing for us.
But, for the safety, since the restaurant has never had any kind of entertainment like this, I will start off lower, and then move on up to the higher rate/hour if they want me to stay and perform always.

do you think this would be a good idea?
Its like getting them to know me better as a magician, and then after about 1 month or two or whatever, increase the rate to professional pay standards.


Thanks again.

Hi Frymus, are you situated in the UK or elsewhere?

I only ask as people from the UK or where ever you are from may be able to offer advice relevant for your area in regards to fees.

I have a feeling you're from America? Please correct me if I'm wrong

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic14335. ... urning+pro

this i feel may help

taffy wrote:I have a feeling you're from America? Please correct me if I'm wrong

correct.

and thanks to that site.

Frymus wrote:sorry, I meant an average or 3 hours a day. must have pressed 6 without noticing.

Thanks, I understand now why its high payed. Guess thats a good thing for us.
But, for the safety, since the restaurant has never had any kind of entertainment like this, I will start off lower, and then move on up to the higher rate/hour if they want me to stay and perform always.

do you think this would be a good idea?
Its like getting them to know me better as a magician, and then after about 1 month or two or whatever, increase the rate to professional pay standards.


Thanks again.

Not the way I would go about it, but that is just me. You have to get it into your head that you are a professional, these are your services, this is my price and here is the reason why.

But this all depends on you. Personally I cannot work at a rate of pay that would not gain me profit. There is no point in working for 7 dollars an hour if it is going to cost me 10.00 to put on the same show, (and yes I figure my time into my costs), Nor would I work for 7 an hour but its only costing me 6. A dollar profit is not for me.

If you are living at home and doing this for the 'experience' then first think of other magicians in your area who may perform for a living and you are taking away a paid gig from them. You can always get experience volunteering in hospitals and the like.

In the end its all on you and what you are comfortable with. If you are living at home and have no bills and are just working for some experience and some spending money then go cheap, but be warned if you are not commanding professional prices you will not command the respect of a professional magician either.

To make a short story long I am not in your situation or location. I cannot tell you what to do. I would have approached this in a whole different manner. You are in it now. Go with your gut and some knowleged and you'll be fine.

yes, I know what you mean.
And I'm not saying I want to get payed low at first like 10/hour. But more. About half+, the average hourly rate restaurant magicians get payed.

I am here to earn money and make a profit, so maybe I could put up a better show.

I am also doing some rope magic, at a retirement home for some extra practice or whatever I get new. I'm just waiting to see when I am able to perform.