Curious does anybody who works in a restaurant have a specific table set up just to do magic where the patrons come to you thinking about trying something different in one of my restaurants

Square footage in restaurants is designed to generate money.

This is how restaurant people think.

This I know,the space and bar area is there.

Same issue.

It isn’t a bad idea. I’m just trying to help you frame it to those you want to pitch it to.

Maybe offering to rent the space would work?

I honestly like the idea, and I think it could do really well, but I do have a concern. With this idea, families are encouraged to get up and walk away from their table. When you approach you have more control over when and how long, as well as giving the server a not only a visual and expected time, but they can still butt in if needed. This may just become a pain for those working in the restaurant. If this is in a bar, or a restaurant where people order food and then go sit down, I think this is a winner.

I have worked MANY restaurants. Most were bar/restaurant family friendly venues. There is enough chaos with waitstaff, bussers and patrons walking about to create more obstructions.

I have performed for private events, in restaurants but it was in a banquet separate area reserved and was also used for seating when there were no special parties.

I personally feel it's a bad idea in my experience. Table to table has worked very well for me and for the owners and management. Is my opinion written in stone for a restaurant venue? NO, but those that do and find it a good idea and have a successful experience, great.

I have doubts as to if it would work well but I could be way off. I’m sure someone has done it so it isn’t set in stone as David points out.

One thing that helps in general is other tables see you working and are intrigued so they expect you.

Set off in a corner does not give you that visibility at so. If you are going to rely on the staff, at that point table to table is a better option. Hearing people from their table to your table seems unwieldy. How many seats at your table? It is just a lot of extra things.

But again certainly it can be done. I bet it has. So don’t give up.

At a restaurant I worked at many years ago, there was always a line of people waiting to be seated. The wait could be up to 30 minutes, but the food was top-notch, and people were more than willing to wait that long.

The manager pulled me aside one night and basically explained that having wait-staff, busboys, and hosts/hostesses all bustling throughout the dining area, that perhaps I focus on performing for those waiting in the foyer/lobby area instead of table-side.

It worked on many levels. I was no longer dodging the staff in the dining room to approach a table...the folks in line seemed more receptive to seeing magic as a way to kill time until they were seated, and I could stay planted, more or less, in one spot and have those interested approach me rather than interrupting a group seated at a table waiting for their meal ( a part of performing in restaurants I never felt truly comfortable with).

As others have wisely mentioned, there are no hard and true rules for restaurant entertainers. Finding an approach that fits your comfort level will make you more confident and thereby more entertaining to your audience.

Good luck!