What are some good lines a magician can use for ice breaking when walking up to patrons at restaurants?

I know I am going to get hammered for this one, but the following introduction has served me well for over a decade...

Good Evening... I'm JR, (insert name of Restaurant)'s magician. If you would like, I would be glad to entertain you for a few moments. (pause... if no response, continue) I don't want to interrupt anything. It's entirely up to you." (Pause.. at this point you have to read the patrons... if they look the slighest bit interested I go into a strong opener... Steve Freeman's Time Traveller or Chicago Opener (Red Hot Mama).

If at any point they seem annoyed or uninterested then I say with a big smile on my face, "Folks, have a great evening," and I move on.

I observe the table first. I try to make eye contact with someone. I smile.

This fits my personality and style.

Let the feeding begin.

MAGICIAN: "Would you like to see a trick from the world's greatest magician?"

DINER: "Sure"

MAGICIAN: "Well, he's not here, will I do?"

Never tried it, let me know if it works.

Rick

I have a quick question. I am in the Marines and currently in Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri
and there isn't much to do here, go to dance clubs and gentlemans clubs. My question is,
would it be just as easy to be able to do table hopping there as it would be at a restaurant?

thanx
tink

Tink,
I couldn't help but respond... I thinks there's quite a bit more noise in dance clubs and gentlemen's clubs than in a standard restaurant/bar/lounge. Could make it harder to be heard so you need much more visual magic. I also have a hard time paying attention to a card trick when Candy, Buffy, or whoever, is table dancing.

Semper Fi Devil Dog,

Brett
Hospital Corpsman First Class/USN (Former)

You're 100% right about the noise in a dance club and the resultant need to perform very visual magic. It's that exact performing venue which led Chad Long to develop much of his visual magic. Re: the Gentleman's club, I love magic but I agree that the only table
"hopping" I'd like to see is that which is performed by the dancers. I wouldn't even want to see your stripper deck.

In regards to the Dance/Gentlemens club:
The only way I can see to make this scenario work is purely visual stuff.

BUT

If any guy is in a gentleman's club I seriously doubt he will be there for the club magician ...

(You might get a fringe benefit or two from an employee tho.)

Walk up, tap your watch, and say


"If I'm right... and I think I am, it's time for me to perform another miracle."

For an excellent discussion on the PSYCHOLOGY of approaching someone's "space" - how often have you cringed at interrupting someone in deep discussion to perform tricks that are largely self-serving to US?? - You must read Derren Brown's book "Absolute Magic".

I don't just want to be someone's trained monkey who swoops in and does a few tricks - instead, I wanted and still desire to make a lasting IMPACT with my magic. I sure hope I'm not standing alone in this view!

Therefore, just like in marketing a new car or any product, how we position ourselves from the start, i.e... how we define ourselves and our image, will often 'pre-frame' how our effects impact them.

I'd welcome your thoughts on this subject.

Disturbing space..... yep.... I don't work restaurants anymore... I grew to hate approaching tables....hated it!!! HATED IT!

But, there were many, many people, who wanted to see me..... but sometimes invading peoples space... not great.... look at the table before you approach... are they laughing.... or are they looking lovingly into each others eyes... think about it before you approach... and most of the time you will know when and when not to approach.

koz

The first 3 and a half years I did table hopping, I would approach a table EXACTLY as J.R. I was fine, it worked out. But every once in awhile, I got the occasional, "No".

I then met a person who gave me the best tips I have ever gotten for table magic. He is a person who now employs me to do table hopping for him when he cannot be there. He said to me, "I have only had once, in the past 25 years, 2 people that have ever said no to me."

First of all. Don't tell them you're the magician because at that point some people will immediately think, "&*^(, this is the guy that's going to try to make a fool out of us." Some people will say, "OH! We'll move so the kids can see you! (I HATE that one, LOL)" Or they might say, "We don't want to pick a card, have you pull a coin out of our ear or pull a rabbit out of your hat."

So there I am, already closing all these doors just because I said I was the magician. You need to approach the table. Ask if anything special is going on. Be funny. Talk to people for 30 seconds or so. And do a QUICK opening bit. Say 15 seconds.

I quickly say, "What is that over there?" I've been holding a coin in classic palm the entire time while I am shaking hands and everything. I let the coin go to Ramsay sublety and I pluck out the coin floating there.

I say "Wow, do you guys always keep these here?" Cheesy but gets a laugh. I say, can you see this alright. I'll make it a little bigger. At that point I turn it into a Jumbo Coin.

Stop: Here's What You've done.

1. Established Credibility As A Performer
2. Established Credibility As A Person
3. Established That You Are Not Some Lame Magician Who's Gonna Pull A Rabbit Our Of Their Hat Or Entertain Just Their Children.
4. At this point, you have done what the resturaunt has told you to do: Show some magic to people. Make them be happy and delay time before the food arrives.

They may say, oh we don't want to see any magic, Thanks. But, at this point, you already have. They have no chance to say no because the little bit I did with magic was all in the conversation I have had with them since I approached the table. 99% of the time, I will show them more.

Just my two cents. Tell me what you think. Man, this has turned into an essay!

I particularly agree with Mr. Schwartz's post above, because - with such an approach one does NOT take a toddler-like "look at me, pay attention to me, here I am!!" approach that so many magicians take. I must admit this used to be my approach as well for quite some time!

Rightly, Mr. Schwartz;
(1) Builds rapport first and foremost;
(2) Establishes himself as someone they are allowing to enter THEIR space (remember - it's their space, not ours, until people agree to let us "in");
(3) Only then is he gently easing them into his magic.

As a side note - All of us (well, many at least) got into magic for some degree of attention getting and feelings of importance. I love the reactions I get and I love performing. But within all us performers there is some deep seated need and desire to be paid attention to.

We can't let this drive get in the way of performing for strangers. We need a way, a method, a patient way of approaching people and easing people into our magic. In such a way that people respect us, are open to our magic, and are left with jaws dropping the table when we leave, desperate for more.

And yes, I'll admit that a loud, drunken bar crowd must be handled completely different then an upscale lounge. But within this variation there exists a strategy and method for approaching people that WILL make them vastly more receptive to our magic. Peace!

This might be a little off topic but what about working with the management and staff to gently raise the profile of the resident magician? Table tents, words from a sympathetic waitperson or lobby signs might take some of the heat off of approaching a table cold. Then again, much depends on the venue and the clientele.

- Bill

I love the idea of being a "resident" magician. The best DJ's in the world are billed as "residents" and they call a particular nightclub their home. And they're treated as mini-celebrities.

I personally won't work a venue unless I'm positioned as a 'resident' if only for the evening. People will rever you and respect your work in direct relationship to the degree that you do.

Being a known 'resident' positions you differently then 'one of a dozen dudes we're rotating through the restaurant.'

This all comes down to marketing yourself better. All the wealth in magic, business, etc., is often derived NOT from the most talented amongst us - but - he/she who is the superior marketer of what we do.

There were vastly better magicians then Houdini and in fact Houdini himself admitted this - but - what is inarguable was his incredible and persistant ability to market himself!

Why should we be any different? In summary, when working any venue, I always first and foremost give some thought to (a) how I will be positoned i.e. 'billed' and defined by that venue; (b) being congruent in that positoning in my approach to people at that venue.

I've found very little in the magic literature on this subject, yet the receptivity (is that a word??) of the audience accounts for at least 50% of the subsequent impact and reaction to our magic.

Frank try this one, it's loads of fun.. Walk up to a table and sit down looking at your watch saying, oh I am so sorry for being late, traffic was so bad.. (start opening up a menu) then look around at the people, oh, wait, you're not my family.... I am sorry... well as long as I am here, go into your stuff..

The table will think your nuts! Very funny... I find, most tables say; oh that's ok, you can eat with us....

Ha ha... I like that LOL.. I wanna try that sometime... LOL

When I walk up to a table, and the diner tells me, "No thanks, that's ok sir." I always say, "But it's free, it's already paid for." If they still are not interested I hand them a $20. I do the retention pass and give them nothing as I walk away. lol

I've had a bunch of people PM me about recommendations regarding good marketing books for magicians.

Probably the best marketing text of all time - is one that can be purchased for less than $10 from almost any regular book store. Called "The Ultimate Marketing Plan" by Dan Kennedy.

Also, Dave Dee's materials are excellent for guerrilla style marketing that produce results.

The best money one can ever spend is in marketing know how. No magician ever went broke having TOO MANY gigs.

I used to "table hop" restaurants a lot, and had both good and bad experiences with it, in terms of awkward approaches, and the ever present danger of interfering with the wait staff or bartenders. (Magic from behind the bar is SO much fun, but it takes finesse to do it properly.) Now when I perform in these venues, I set up a few tables in a corner, in a semi-circle around me, and have 6 or 8 chairs placed. I have the hostess let customers know of my presence, and this gives the control to the customer.

This avoids the timing problem of having to stop a routine because the food is arriving, and the wait staff is much more inclined to work with you, if you're not getting in their way.

I usually do 15 to 20 minute segments, then pause, giving those present a "break" to get their table, or move to the bar or leave, depending on whether they catch me before or after they've eaten.

As I'm sitting here, I recall one of my worst "cold" approaches from many years ago. There was a couple, and I mistakenly assumed they were on a date. They were actually sorting out the details of an ugly divorce, and my "cheerful" arrival did NOT go over well.

Having the customers come to you eliminates the difficulties. I definitely suggest trying this out, sometime. It's worked well for me.

-- Jeff Binning

I thought you're not supposed to ask them if they want to see magic. Because, most likely, they will say no. Amaze them before they realize what's going on.