Restaurant Residencies: A Playbook for Magicians

Are you looking for a great way to market yourself to potential clients while also booking in guaranteed weekly performance time?

Let’s talk about residencies.

Over the past few years, I’ve held residencies at restaurants in London, France, and even at a mini-golf spot in Australia!

Some of the biggest names in magic started with a residency, such as Fay Presto at Langan’s in London or Chris Kenner at Illusions Restaurant in Indiana.

In fact, I owe most of what I learned about residencies to Fay. She is responsible for practically inventing the concept of magic residencies in London.

Watching Fay perform at London institution Langan’s Brasserie on a Thursday night teaches you all there is to know about performing in that environment.

When lockdown struck, and many of London’s restaurants closed their doors, Fay was the first person I called for advice. Following her guidance of just working for tips, I was presented an offer to the restaurant that they couldn’t refuse and managed to hang on to that weekly performance time.

Why Perform Magic at a Restaurant?

Residencies are guaranteed performance time. While the fee may be nominal (or non-existent if you’re working for tips), the benefit comes from the frequency and ability to put yourself in front of prospective clients.

Residencies will also make you a stronger performer. If you can handle the often noisy, cramped, slightly chaotic conditions that come with a restaurant at peak time, then you can handle most private gigs, which will seem a breeze in comparison!

Both table space and time are limited. Be prepared only to have time for one trick, so make it a great one.

How to Get a Residency as a Magician?

Restaurants do not need magic.

Whilst that’s probably an odd thing to say, think about the last time you went to a restaurant. Was it to try a new dessert? Or because it was a local place you knew would have a table? Entertainment rarely comes into the question.

So, to secure a residency, you need to be offering a solution to the restaurant owner.

The solution, entertaining their clientele, may solve many problems.

For example, at peak times (usually Friday or Saturday nights), there might be longer waiting times for food to arrive, and lots of young families or parties may have booked a private dining room for a special occasion.

If you can distract a table of five from realizing their food is fifteen minutes late, then you have done your job. Servers will often send you to that table as soon as they know there’s a problem in the kitchen.

So get on their side and know that’s precisely why you’re there - to make their job easier. In turn, they are usually happy to help you with loading duplicate cards under plates and secrets, placing borrowed rings in desserts, etc.