The tips alone is a big no-no for a number of reasons. We can discuss that later. A couple of things to think about. In this economy there is no way a customer is going to be willing to pay your full rate if you are working on a weekly basis. So there are a couple of things you can do to sweeten the pot for them and still make it worthwhile for you. If you like to go out for $100 but are willing to go out for $70 or $75 dollars then start with the number $75 in your head. Then think about how long you will be at the restaurant. For a party you are there generally about an hour, but for a family night, you probably start thinking about two or three hours. 5:30 to 7:30 or 6p-8p is usually pretty common. So figure how important it is to have that steady check coming in from the restaurant as well as how much visibility you will have to potential clients. Now when you start talking to the manager you have some numbers you can play with. "Well sir, normally I charge $100 an hour but since we are talking about an ongoing committment I was thinking more along the lines of... " "Since your family night is two hours long, lets do it this was I'll work from 6p until 8p for $75 a night. I may decide to stay a little later once in a while if we are pretty busy but most often I will leave shortly after 8p. I won't solicit tips but I will accept them if they are offered. And I will be passing out my business cards."
Okay so the wording is a bit rough (I got sidetracked in the middle) but you get the idea. To make it worth your while to get dressed up and lock in that time every week you need to make a minimum of $75. Time is of less importance because once you are there, you are having fun. Besides, in the middle of winter there is isn't much difference between getting home at 7:15 or 8:30, it is still dark.
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