Does anyone do restaurant clowning? I just worked something out with my wife's boss and they do a kids night every Monday. I did it twice, but the first Monday wasn't successful at all. The second Monday I did alright in tips. What I wanna know is should i go around to tables and ask if they want a balloon. I personally have had this happen from a twister before which I thought was rude. I have a table by the front door and greet the customers as they come in and tell them bye when they leave. I think having the table is a good idea because people/kids can come up when their parents say its ok. I know some parents are strict and want their kids to eat before playing any games etc.

If anyone has any suggestions that would be great!!

Normally when I am working a restaurant I go from table to table. The most important thing to remember when working restaurants is that you are not there to make tips. Tips are nice but they are not your primary focus. Each new table is an audition, an interview for your next job. Each of those kids at that table have a birthday and you want to show them what you can do and hand them a card letting them know you do private parties. I feel that people who go into a restaurant with the sole purpose of makeing tips have the wrong mind set and when you dont make good tips it effects your performance which effects peoples opinions of you as an entertainer hurting your chances for real paying gigs.

I'm not looking to get tips. The owner said he would pay me, I said I'm not looking to get paid, I'm looking to get my name out there. I think that the tip thing came off wrong. I'm looking to continue clowning and if I don't get my name out there then the outfit would have to get hung up, and I don't want to do that.
Maybe next week I will try and go from table to table.
Stuart, what do you usually do from table to table? Balloon, magic, jokes, etc.?

part of the reason it might come off "rude" is the way you introduce yourself. If you just walk up and say "wanna balloon?" then yeah it's gonna come off rude and you won't look like a good entertainer. When I did restaurant work, I just did magic and balloons in normal clothes and was working for a local magician. I would introduce myself like this: "Hey guys! What's up? I'm Adam with Extreme Entertainment. Would you guys like to see some magic and maybe get a balloon while you're waiting on your food?" If you say it enthusiastically and use a "performer voice" instead of a monotone voice that sounds like you're bored and don't really wanna be there, it'll work for you. Remember to entertain and not just stand there and twist. Ask the kids questions and make them laugh. Like Sean said, It's an audition. My circumstances were a little different because i was promoting my boss and not myself, He did the parties and stuff like that and he hired teenagers to do the restaurants because he did about 10 restaurants a week. I was one of the two that he let do magic, everyone else just did balloons and facepainting. The two of us that did magic did parties from time to time in the party store that he owned. They had party rooms in the back of the store kinda like a Pizza King or Chuck E Cheese, where you could basically come there to have your party and the cake and pizza and show were all included in the cost.

When I do balloons and face painting at a restaurant, I usually set up in one place and let the kids come to me. Most places don't have the room for me to be wandering. If it is a slow night, I might make a few balloons and then deliver them to the kids or nice grandmas... Yes, I realize that the kids might enjoy watching me make the balloon...

That's how this restaurant is. It's small and when it gets busy its really hard to stay out of the way of the waitresses.

I twisted balloons at one restaurant for 2 years, and at another for 8 years. I always went table to table. As mentioned before, your main focus should be to entertain the guests... not just stand there and twist balloons. Engage them in conversation, tell a few lame jokes, be energetic, smile alot, do a little magic... try all these things while twisting balloons. I use to try to guess kids' ages all the time. Kids loved that. Sometimes I would seriously try to guess it correctly; other times I'd guess some outrageous number (86... uh... 204... or "you don't look a day over 397"). The kids always got a kick out of it. And when I would actually guess their age right, their eyes would bug out & their mouths would drop open in surprise. The experience they receive while getting the balloon is more important than actually getting the balloon. That "experience" is what will bring them back time & time again.

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Working a restaurant can be great for getting exposure. Most often it occurs on a day when you wouldn't normally have party work.
I come from a circus family ( 4 generation ) but during hiatus would quite often work a restaurant. Sometimes for a fee+tips, sometimes for a small% of sales during my time period.
One of my favorite trick/gags was... quite often your overhear a parent say a child's name or you can have the waitress tip you off.... As you walk up say " Hi,Billy" .The reaction can be amazing. When they ask how you knew their name..." Santa told me you were coming here today. he's my Uncle" It can be Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, etc.
BUT my favorite reaction is when the parent wants to know HOW?????
I make a little face and say" SANTA TOLD ME ......................( maybe just a little bit of Don Rickles )