How do you get restaurant gigs?

I have seen that several of you work at restaurant gigs. I have never pursued this but want to try it. January is my month for marketing. I am trying lots of new things. So, do you face paint at restaurants or mostly do balloons? How do you go about it?

I mean I have no qualms about marketing myself to anyone, but, I do want to use what works already. Do you offer a % of what you sell to the manager? Or do you offer to pay them to set up or simply ask them to hire you for events in the future? I know that the other balloon guy at the mall was raking it in. He had no rent, no mall insurance and just made profit so I know I am missing out on something here LOL...someone let me in on the secret!!!

Terina. I face paint at 2 restraunts.. one in the summer the other in the winter.. I just took my book and talked to them.. one has kids night. it was a fairly easy one to get. Fazolis//the other one does car cruise nights and I took my book and spoke with them.. He new my husband which made it a little eaiser..he has to locations. so I paint on the days he has cars and the days he has motorcycles...it keeps the kids away from the cars and bikes..good for me and good for the people with cars and bikes. I have been trying to get into perkins..not much luch there.. but will still try..
good luck

barbb919 wrote:Terina. I face paint at 2 restraunts.. one in the summer the other in the winter.. I just took my book and talked to them.. one has kids night. it was a fairly easy one to get. Fazolis//the other one does car cruise nights and I took my book and spoke with them.. He new my husband which made it a little eaiser..he has to locations. so I paint on the days he has cars and the days he has motorcycles...it keeps the kids away from the cars and bikes..good for me and good for the people with cars and bikes. I have been trying to get into perkins..not much luch there.. but will still try..
good luck

Awesome..but besides showing your book, how do you approach them? do you ask to be hire or you do PPF ??

This is how restaurants work where I'm at: I paint for 2 hours at around 1/2 my going rate. I'm allowed to politely pursue tips(I wear a BIG button saying "TIPS MAKE ME SMILE! THANK YOU!"), and a soft drink & meal per entertainer is part of the deal(since I'm working through dinner time). You could alternate balloon twisting & face painting or have 2 entertainers. The more services you offer, the better as a lot of restaurants want variety each week.
As far as advertising, we have a local website that lists all the restaurants that have free kids nights. I went their & complied a list. I emailed, sent post cards & called them or their corporate office. I'll offer the 1st night for free(tipping & meal will be included) so they can get a feel for what I do & then we negotiate from there. I've been a little lax in this & need to go after some more restaurants. They can get you tons of leads for future parties & events, it's great to facebook & email to let people know you'll be there & ask all your friends to come out & support you, etc.

Awesome ideas guys. I just need to get out there and try it!!!

yes they won't pay the full price mine feed me and my husband he always helps me out..and great with kids..and i do put out a tip jar and can pass out flyers.. I had one little boy around 4 and his sister around 6 i paint them every time im there..he sang happy birthday to me. and they brought me a christmas sucker..they are so cute..i am very busy the whole time Im there.. the mgr started me at 1 price a few weeks later she started giving me 10.00 more. she said she loved what I was doing//great gig fazolis

Wow that is great. Our Fazoli's shut down here. But I think there is one about 45 minutes from my house. I think that I will do some research to see who offers kids nights and see what I can get worked out. If I could paint and my husband twist then we could maybe do ok. Are you guys charging like half your regular rates? Or how do you decide what to charge customers? I have done like all designs for $5 before but have never charged any less for painting...what is the typical rate for restaurant work? Thanks!

Terina wrote:Wow that is great. Our Fazoli's shut down here. But I think there is one about 45 minutes from my house. I think that I will do some research to see who offers kids nights and see what I can get worked out. If I could paint and my husband twist then we could maybe do ok. Are you guys charging like half your regular rates? Or how do you decide what to charge customers? I have done like all designs for $5 before but have never charged any less for painting...what is the typical rate for restaurant work? Thanks!

Now, I can't speak from actual restaurant work experience so please take this with a grain of salt.


From my perspective as a "Restaurant Customer" :

• I have kids. I'm tired. I want a restaurant where my kids won't embarrass me (loud enough). If it is fast food I want to be able to let them run off and play while I finish eating.

• I do not want to pay for any extra entertainment that night. If someone was doing PPF or PPB (pay per balloon) you can bet I wouldn't let my kids near it for fear of them pestering me all night & then being grouchy that night b/c I said no.

• If an entertainer was free but obnoxiously soliciting tips I also would not want to make the entertainer feel cheesed off so I would grudgingly give my kids a tip. But I would probably not come back to the restaurant next week since I wouldn't want to remember how crappy not wanting to tip them felt. In fact, I probably didn't pay attention to the dates of when the entertainer was going to be there so I just avoid that place like it's on fire during dinner time. I hate feeling tricked into giving up money or feeling like a jerk for being stingy in front of others.

And from the Restaurant Manager's perspective:

• I need more customers. Corporate is cutting restaurants all over the country and I need to step my game up.

• But I also have a budget and I really can't afford to shell out huge bux for anything.

So the manager wants to keep his customers happy and coming back each week to see you, the face painter. And he also does not want to pay you... anything. Which is why you have to explain why working for tips or PPF makes his customers not come back again and it will kill his bottom line. If you do anything to make the customers uneasy about money they won't come back and they won't recommend eating there to their friends.

So my inexperienced self says you should not do PPF (or working for tips etc. which I know you didn't mention but it has been discussed before). And any kinds of tipping paraphernalia should be subtle.

But again, grain of salt. This is all hypothetical. I just like to brainstorm

~Heff

I've been doing restaurant gigs on & off for 5 years now. Some have been mom & pop places & some major chains. Some want me to collect tips & some don't. The ones that don't allow tips will pay my full rate. But, no one has ever been offended by my tipping button & I've never outright asked for a tip(that would be rude & inappropriate). That's why I said, "Gently Pursue Tips." When asked if it cost anything, I say, "My services are being provided by 'said restaurant'. Tips are appreciated but not required. To be honest, I just love painting the kids! So, if it's ok with you, can they get painted?" I've never had a parent turn my down. They usually talk with me, the kids talk with me, etc. through the whole face painting process. I think it's as fun for the parent as the child(and sometimes the mom or dad jumps in & gets painted too:-) I give them a card & let them know the easy removal instructions are on the back & the kids & parents are always very happy. Of course, I'm in the south & people are pretty laid back here. It might be different in other areas of the country.
Another great thing to do is write numbers on the back of your business cards & have the kids take one. Then you just take them in order & it puts a card in each families hand.

Psalmbook wrote:
Another great thing to do is write numbers on the back of your business cards & have the kids take one. Then you just take them in order & it puts a card in each families hand.

Oh baby! I love that idea!

Sorry - I wasn't trying to point fingers about the tips thing. I was just sort of freewriting or stream of consciousness writing my thoughts

Rock out with your conch out!
~Heff

the restraunts i work for pay me and feed me..they also let me put out a tip jar.. i don't ask for tips if they want to thats fine..i get the same families back each time i paint a fazolis..the mgr gives me an extra 10 on top of what we oringally set on..so this gig is a good one for me..good contacts
the other one is Rudys Drive In they are only open from april to oct. I paint there from june till sept..every tuesday.. they have 2 locations.. so 3 weeks of the month i am painting 2 nights a week...they pay me and feed me and my husband.. and i put out a tip jar..they have car cruise nights and motorcycle nights..these have been 2 really good gigs for me.. I have gotten a family reunion off the Rudys and they have had be back 2 times for there reunion.. I have gotten some birthday parties also..the money may not be full price, but its good free advertising

Michelle Heffner wrote:

Psalmbook wrote:
Another great thing to do is write numbers on the back of your business cards & have the kids take one. Then you just take them in order & it puts a card in each families hand.

Oh baby! I love that idea!

Sorry - I wasn't trying to point fingers about the tips thing. I was just sort of freewriting or stream of consciousness writing my thoughts

Rock out with your conch out!
~Heff

LOL! No problem. I agree that I wouldn't face paint anywhere just for tips. If you do, then everyone expects it & no one gets paid. Do face paints really cost money? I thought the face paint fairy put them under your pillow if you were a good little face painter ... or ninjas bring them?

Psalmbook wrote:

LOL! No problem. I agree that I wouldn't face paint anywhere just for tips. If you do, then everyone expects it & no one gets paid. Do face paints really cost money? I thought the face paint fairy put them under your pillow if you were a good little face painter ... or ninjas bring them?

...dude. face painting ninjas.

I'm totally calling myself that

~Heff

Michelle Heffner wrote:
...dude. face painting ninjas.
I'm totally calling myself that

~Heff

Heh heh heh... I love that.

I drove myself nuts last year trying to get restaurant/steady gigs. I've given up. People would be interested but want to pay me in gift certificates or in "trade" for them advertising for me. Lame. Hopefully now that I have steady parties and events all summer long something will come up for the weekdays.