Advice on restaurant gig..

I just got notice that I'm allowed to volunteer my services at a local pizzeria in town, every Tuesday night from 4-7. It gets my name out there I guess.

I am not allowed to have a tip jar out - but wondering what others would do if the parent(s) gave you a tip on the side?? Also, I'm only wanting to have 10 basic designs: 5 for the girls, 5 for the boys. I need some help deciding these. What would you say are the top 5 sellers for either category?

In exchange, I get a free 12" pizza to take home...so all I gotta worry about is the calories!

Thanks all!

I personally wouldn't do it for "exposer" but that is completely up to you. I also think it is pretty bogus that on top of wanting you to volunteer your time they won't even allow you to ask for tips... I would hold out for something better, just my opinion.

Whose idea was that? No tips? Only one 12" pizza? I'd give them the option to see how it goes THE FIRST NIGHT and let them decide if they want to PAY YOU MORE in actual cash or in a decent amount of vouchers for free pizza to be redeemed when YOU want them. Do they ask their waitresses to work for free tips? NOPE.

If it goes good the first night, then renegotiate. Tell them THEY can put up a sign OFFERING YOUR SERVICES. It draws families into their establishment, it might actually inspire them to have birthday parties, etc. there. They aren't doing you a favor, you are doing them one.

I agree with Luvs...an following a tip I was taught, pin a $5 bill in the pocket of your apron, so the corner of it shows...

You should hold out for something better. Do you have an Applebee's nearby? Those are the types of food gigs that are used to tipping and the customers are used to giving tips. You could approach with no out of pocket to them, just tips and a dinner. I have worked at chick-fil-a for over a year once a month. I have booked 1 paying job from that. Most of my work comes from Facebook.

Even if you were allowed to have a tip jar, people are going to think that Pizzeria is paying you, so tips may not be all that great anyway.

But, if someone gave me a tip, I am going to keep it. In fact, I would try to insist on them allowing me to put up a sign saying the face painting is being provided free by (my business name).

Some attention getting designs are: robot/transformer, skull, tiger, wolf, snake, butterfly, diva eye art, princess and the famous spiderman.

Painting for free will not get you jobs. It will get you empty paint containers and dirty brushes.

^well said. Good "exposure" is a myth. Hard work and promoting your business is where it's at.

Is the local pizzeria giving away foodstuffs and not putting out a tip jar?
Hhhmmmmm.
Why not?
Do they want to APPEAR as if they are paying a fabulous face painter to be there?
The only jobs you get from free jobs is more free jobs. Those jobs are not truly 'free'. Your supplies cost money. Your time, training, mileage, event insurance all cost money.
I think the pizzeria wants to appear as if they have hired an amazing face painter, without actually paying for you, OR allowing you to make a living.
Face painting is how I make a living. I donate my time, attention and materials to SickKids Hospital. I feel good about how I donate, and I have no guilt about charging a living wage for my art to help feed my family.
Exposure.
Smexposure.
You can die from exposure.

Well, after my "free gig" at the pizzeria (that many suggested NOT to do), I walked away with $30 in tips, a $20 pizza for free, and 2 people booked me for birthday parties. So I guess it pays to do a "free gig" once every so often. I'll be going back next week. I did want to post a picture of my FIRST try at a Sugar Skull - I got alot of compliments and a $20 tip from it! I think it looks pretty good. Another little girl came up and wanted me to paint her to look like her puppy (a pug)..I went off a picture of her pug, but sadly I didn't take a picture of the finished product. But her dad liked it so well, and thought it looked so good, that I got a $10 tip for it! Not bad for the first time!

I'm glad it worked out so well. How long did you paint? Let us know if the bookings follow through.

yes please let us know if the bookings follow thru.
I paint at 3 restaraunts and they pay me to be there, let me put out a tip jar, because they pay me a reduced rate, they also feed me.These are weekly gigs . so I paint 3 days a week and it works out just fine...but I have never had to paint at them for free.

rthling wrote:Painting for free will not get you jobs. It will get you empty paint containers and dirty brushes.

That is so true!!

How many people did you paint. If you received $30 in tips, and they were from 2 people, does that mean the others you painted didn't tip you? Am glad to see those that DID tip, tipped BIG. Unfortunately, other customers probably won't tip as well. Does this mean the restaurant will allow you to receive tips now?

yes you will usually won't get tips that big. if you get any at all...I have one family with 5 kids and they never tip. I did however get a tip from them one time. but I went out of my way to get the balloons made for them in between the other kids that were waiting...they gave me a tip that night...but most of the time they don't.

restaurant gigs are funny some nights you will get lots of tips..like I did last night. and some nights you won't like Monday night.. it just depends on the customers there...

rthling wrote:Painting for free will not get you jobs. It will get you empty paint containers and dirty brushes.

amen.


the only good that comes from painting for free is the practice....


when I get new brushes or paints, I will "break them in" by painting the neighbour kids for free....but that's as far as I go, and I make them all take my business card home to get signed by their parents first-so at least my name is getting spread around.



now, if you are as poor as I was, and have no money for food, then heck yes-take it!food counts as payment in MY book.
if someone tips you, hand them a business card-to me, it means they are willing to pay.



also, in this situation, I would only offer designs that I feel like painting.

for instance,if i'm currently learning how to draw a half skull, half monster-guess what!that's what everybody is gonna get, unless they want swirls and teardrops.

if they protest, you kindly explain "Well, that is the design I'm doing for free. If you would like something else, it will be $5."
they'll either pay or they won't.YOU are the artist, YOU set the price.

"f they protest, you kindly explain "Well, that is the design I'm doing for free. If you would like something else, it will be $5."
they'll either pay or they won't.YOU are the artist, YOU set the price."





OOOOOOO! am loving that answer Nikkili26

nikkili26 wrote:
now, if you are as poor as I was, and have no money for food, then heck yes-take it!food counts as payment in MY book.
if someone tips you, hand them a business card-to me, it means they are willing to pay.



also, in this situation, I would only offer designs that I feel like painting.

for instance,if i'm currently learning how to draw a half skull, half monster-guess what!that's what everybody is gonna get, unless they want swirls and teardrops.

if they protest, you kindly explain "Well, that is the design I'm doing for free.  If you would like something else, it will be $5."
they'll either pay or they won't.YOU are the artist, YOU set the price.

Exactly. Any time I get out my paints and paint for free, it's for practice, photos, and/or compensation in some other form. If I want practice, my "dummies" get whatever design I need to practice.
If I want photos, their parent's sign a waiver for me to paint and take pictures.
And even then, I paint what I need photos of.

And, by all means, if you need the food, paint for it. It's called bartering, and isn't used often enough, in my opinion.

twobeesdesigns wrote:I just got notice that I'm allowed to volunteer my services at a local pizzeria in town, every Tuesday night from 4-7. It gets my name out there I guess.

I am not allowed to have a tip jar out - but wondering what others would do if the parent(s) gave you a tip on the side?? Also, I'm only wanting to have 10 basic designs: 5 for the girls, 5 for the boys. I need some help deciding these. What would you say are the top 5 sellers for either category?

In exchange, I get a free 12" pizza to take home...so all I gotta worry about is the calories!

Thanks all!

Hey TwoBees, I was glad I found this thread because me and my daughter was considering approaching some local restaurants about working for tips for the exposure for the first night and then if a decent turnout seeing if they would hire us on a weekly basis at a discounted rate... I'm curious how things are going with the pizza joint (if you're still doing it) and are you doing any others and if the party bookings were sucessful. Thanks, Tammy

What do y'all consider a discount rate? 25% off or half? I want go get in at the new chick fa le by my house..but not sure how .much to charge?

uh....discount is my discretion.

also, I have never had a tip jar-I find parents slip me tips and I slip into my paint bag....keep it on the down low.


other people see, and follow suit-but they also discreetly slip it to me.

it's one of those "folded bill in the handshake" deals- I think it is adorable, especially when I AM allowed to have a tip cup.

I think I make more tips without a tip cup though, to be honest.

Our chick-fil-A pays all entertainers the same amount. I told them my hourly rate and let them throw me an offer. It was more than I would've asked for.

The Chick-fil-A near me has a $200 budget per event. If the event is 2 hours, they pay me my hourly rate. If the event is 3 hours, they pay me $200 and then we barter for the remainder.