Timing is Everything: When Should Magicians Approach Restaurant Guests?

Timing is everything in restaurant magic! Learn when to approach guests, work with staff, and deliver unforgettable performances that complement their dining experience.

How do magicians know when to approach guests at a restaurant?

It's a trick question! Magicians should never approach anyone at a restaurant to perform magic while they are eating.

Food is the highest priority.  

Working with the servers and staff is important to provide an incredible experience.

Three Biggest Takeaways:

• Prioritize the Dining Experience: Never interrupt guests while they are eating. Your magic should enhance their meal, not disrupt it.

• Work with the Staff: Coordinate with servers and kitchen staff to ensure your performance complements the restaurant's flow and service.

• Keep it Short and Sweet: Aim for 3-4 minute performances with simple, engaging tricks that can be easily understood in a potentially noisy environment.

Here are a few tips for magicians who want to start working in restaurants

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When should magicians approach restaurant guests?

Recently, on the podcast, Graeme and I discussed restaurant, strolling, 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. It's not ideal for card tricks, either. The only way you could approach a table that has not been shown magic yet because it is really the key time, and you can pace yourself at a restaurant once

Let’s jump into the basics.

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Strolling Magic: The Basics of Approaching Tables

Magicians must realize that food and food service are priorities. They 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 in a restaurant, you should be aware of the rhythm and flow of each restaurant and how the kitchen and serving staff interact.

A magician’s job is to be as unobtrusive as possible while elevating the guest’s experience.

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3 Tips for Magicians Working Restaurants

Here are three tips for working in restaurants:

1. Follow the Menus. Once the menus leave the table, go and do your bit.

2. Leave the tables tidy. Make sure you don’t make a mess. Leave and in good order.

3. 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 more direct.

Sometimes, you’ll find a table with many 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.

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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?”

Here are a few tips for magicians who want to start getting into restaurant magic work.

What is your best tip for working in restaurants?