How many decks do you go through on average at a typical strolling gig?

I usually average about one deck every two hours. But I don't perform card things constantly.

Also, do you buy your decks individually or in bulk? I have found the savings of buying bricks very widely depending on your preferred brand.

Thanks.

I don’t do walk around magic but I go through about 3 decks a night in bar or restaurant work. Doing the close up show it is the same 3 decks.

I get the decks for $1.75. I get them also with the old box design as I think it like better but that is only a matter of preference.

Thanks Danny, do you have a source for those decks, or is that just the price in your area?

Oh no if you buy them locally, almost anywhere they are way too much.

Started using fanning powder on all my decks which certainly helps their lifespan.

The main reason I burn them so fast is I usually let people sign them. Also they get to keep their card most of the time, so the deck thins fairly quickly.

I worked several restaurants a week and would just keep the leftover cards after a gig. After a while, I'd create full decks and reuse them. I'd also buy Forcing Decks for those popular cards, QH, AS for example that I didn't have enough of to make a complete deck. Saves me a TON of money.

Instead of throwing away used cards (depending on the condition) I'd use the to practice a MCF or T&R card.

Ah get ya! I only perform one signed card effect, and for that I use blank faced cards with my business card printed on the back or a photo of the Bride and Groom on the back. These are added to my usual deck within the routine and then forced accordingly. So the same deck is used for quite a time now, especially using fanning powder.

Cards in a restaurant environment will quickly deteriorate. Cards coming and out of your pockets will deteriorate them as well.

I used to do the replace the cards as I use them thing but it really quickly became difficult as the deck itself was worn at different rates. Some cards brand new, some worn and not really easy to use well. If a deck wears evenly, even if it is worn it will be easier to use, at least for me.

Oil on your hands, lint from pockets, others hands, stuff from the bar and countless other things wear down a deck quickly outside of your practice room. Nothing tougher on cards than the real world.

Another thing to consider is if you let your spectators shuffle your deck. I basically never did because usually they would ruin my deck immediately with their shuffling.

Yea absolutely! That was part of what I meant by the real world. Great point. Edge get frayed almost instantly when they shuffle.

I started working at Schuliens and behind the bar. We kept cards there. That environment isn’t what you would store them in to keep them new. You couldn’t keep running someplace else to get them every time you needed them so it was what it was. No replacing them either because you’d not be able to leave to do so. We had so many random decks in random condition with random cards in them. When the deck got too thin we just put them together with no real concern for duplicates, much less condition or completeness. As a matter of fact guys used to buy imperfect cards they called “seconds” because they were cheaper.

In places where you’re doing 30 or so tables a night and behind the bar you gravitate to effects that just don’t depend upon the condition of the deck. Simon Lovell was an absolute master at doing effects that called for doubles and seconds and being able to do it with a deck in conditions that would send most card guys running into the forest to cry curled up in the fetal position. I took the position of doing less intricate work. Not Simon. It was truly a thing of beauty to watch.

Interesting that for the first time in decades I had to actually buy cards locally. Wow that was eye opening.

I’m working for the past 10 days in Utah at Mystique Dining near Salt Lake City. I was having cards delivered, but they messed up the delivery. So I bought some decks locally at Walgreens and CVS. About $5 each! I literally had no idea.

The quality wasn’t horrible and seemed the same at least for what I do. I certainly don’t do intricate work that demands exacting standards for cards.

Yeah, it's quite high nowadays.

It is a good idea to avoid Walgreens though, they are the highest I have found. They do usually have a nice selection though.

Walmart usually has two packs for $5, or individual packs at $3. Around the same price at target.

If anyone prefers plastic coated over bicycle's air cushion, you can of course get Mavericks which are cheap, but stiff.

One thing I just came across are playing cards from Dollar General. They have green backed cards made by Cartamundi. They are plastic coated and decent for $1. Perhaps better than Mavericks.

Obviously, playing cards aren't that big a cost even for the standard bikes, but I like plastic coated cards for a couple of things I do, these could end up replacing my Mavericks.

The plastic don’t fold well at all for me.

I work the Corporate and Company Function Market only and a lot of them are Strolling events prior award evenings or when guests arrive, I will do a stage show later in the evening at most events etc..
I use a brand new Bicycle deck for every strolling gig and buy in Bulk so no problems, most of my tried audience tested routines end also end with a Phantom deck finale etc but use a new deck each gig. If your working corporate and cant afford a $4 new deck each show your in the wrong market.

Certainly not charging enough but I didn’t want to go down that road.

The great thing about the Phantom deck is it will last you a lot longer than a regular deck. (Joshua claims it lasts "forever")

Decks are obviously just a cost of doing business, and not a particularly large one. Still, it's a good idea to get the best deal on whatever cards you buy.