Family Fun Nights - At Restaurants

I was wondering if anyone has had success in setting up ongoing work at a restaurant. I know some places have family fun nights where kids eat free with an accompanying adult. I have postcards that I have sent and have even painted my daughter and gone into a few restaurants asking if they'd be interested. When I've done that the general managers were not there to see. Definitely a spur of the moment idea to come in and show some work. What's the best way to market your services for this kind of venue? It'd be really nice to set up some ongoing work. How do you sell the idea that it's good for them to have you there? Would it be wise to offer to let them have you come for a trial period (no charge) of 2 hours or so, so they can see what you can do?

I know that many have done this with success and hope to see some replies. But, I will offer my thoughts.

Why not call and schedule a time to come in and show the general manager. You will get turned down by some, but accepted by others. Just explain you only want 10 minutes to drop off some work samples and throw some ideas out.

Offer to come in and paint the staff one night or do sports themes if it is near a game. Focus on how this could boost their business and think of all of the ways to help, not just with the kids.

Do you balloon twist as well. The kids LOVE this and could help get your foot in the door as well. Even if you only learn 4 or 5 basic designs, it will get you started. That is what I did. I just learned some super basic things and then went ahead and put it on my business cards. The I got real serious about the twising and LOVE it. youtube is great for learning!

10 days and report back. I am going to throw my hat and the ring on this one as well. I need to do it.

Provide a list of the resturants, your mode of contact, a summary of the discussion and how it went. The prize will be a boost to your business, self confidence and you may have an ongoing gig on your calendar. Deadline is Sunday, Jan. 24th.

That's a great suggestion. You're on! Setting up a meeting with the general manager is a good way to go. I have a friend who does balloon twisting. She's asked me if I would like to learn so I can help her out on some larger events. I'll learn a few so I can do both when I go in to talk with the general managers.

I stopped in apple bees and hometown buffet with samples etc, and they seemed interested...anyone know any other restaurants that consider face painters for these "family fun" nights? A regular gig during the week would be awesome, even if it doesn't pay as much as weekend parties

Chick Fil A does family nights. I would also check with local restaurants that are advertised as "family friendly." Here we have a couple family friendly pizza places that do family events. Most of the restaurants won't pay you, but they will let you charge customers or work for tips.

I never recommend working for tips, but that's my personal experience.

You won't get your full hourly from a restaurant, but it's a trade off for the amount of advertising and exposure you can get for it. I've sent out things to restaurants here, I've approached a couple of them in the past, not much luck with it so far, but I will be going at it more aggressively soon... this spring I'll be filling in for a clown who is taking a "maternity leave" from a balloon twisting gig at a local restaurant. Only problem with this one for me is that it is through a clown who acts as an agent and so she's keeping a good chunk of the money as well as the requirement that only her cards can go out... But I figure it's a little bit of regular cash for a bit as well as a chance to see if I even like the restaurant scene for twisting.

I can say that sending out a letter with photos won't do anything for you, you'll need to go in and negotiate face to face. Making an appointment with the boss is probably a good idea. Let us know how it works out!

I just booked my first restaurant gig today! We're doing a trial run for 4 weeks and he's paying me. It'll be 5:30 - 7:30 pm one night a week. He didn't even ask to see my work! I did show it to him and he's going to put up 'free facepainting Tues eve' on the big 'read a board' sign he has on the restaurant street signage. I'm very excited! I start next Tues.

I was able to get something started at a local bowling alley on Saturdays...they seem to have lots of birthdays and leagues there that have children and challenged adults on that day. It is kinda like a jam for a non profilt clown group to which I belong....

Strictly for practice tho...no charge. My hope it to eventually move this to other venues, or a larger one where a face paint jam session can be started in the area. Gonna try some free advertising first and see how that goes. Great ideas on this forum....love it.

Catz,

Maybe have them say "BLAH BLAh Resturant is sponsoring complementary professional face painting" since FREE is such a 4 letter word in this biz.

Keep giving it away for free and you bring down the worth of everybody. If they charge you charge. I paint at the local Boys and Girls Club or my school when I need practice and want to do something good. For large events for both of them I charge but give a non profit rate.

Buster, why not see if the bowling alley will at least barter a trade for bowling or food since you will be meeting there and painting their customers for free. Once people get word that there are face painters there, it will be an added draw to their venue. Once it starts to drum up business for them, maybe negotiate a fee for your new guild (which is what you will have if you are holding regular jam sessions for a group of painters).
The money you earn as a group could go toward bringing in instructors to help your group improve their skills.

I painted at a Chuck E. Cheese tonight for a fundraiser, and they said that they might want to bring me back. If there are local places like that in your area or any other types of family fun centers, you should call them and ask them to offer your services to birthday parties and fundraisers. I plan on doing that this week at a mini-amusement park in my town as well as a an indoor inflatable party arena nearby. I have a decent working relationship with the owners of the amusement park, so hopefully they will let me paint there every so often.

My boyfriend and I pull in a considerable chunk of our income from restaurants.

Ryan works them 5 nights a week and I work them 2-3 nights a week(I have class the other nights..)

We have a lot of restaurants that we rotate between.

Things to know about restaurants:

*You won't get your full hourly rate, BUT you'll get a guaranteed gig every week, during a slow night. Plus, you'll probably get tips, maybe not a lot, but enough to save up and get you to a convention(that's how I do it!)

*Restaurants like it when you can customize something for them. E.G. I have a cow print cover for my balloon pump when I work Chick Fil A's... The owners love it!

*Because of the repeat exposure, you will get 'regulars' that come and see you every week. They are the best! They make me smile, and challenge me with new ideas and they always have a hug waiting for me! Eventually you will work their b-day parties and school events.. and their family will see there, and then they will book you, and so on, and so on...

*also, I would recommend any books by Bruce Kalver... he pretty much spells out the process for you.... T Myers sells his stuff..

http://www4.mailordercentral.com/tmyersmagic/products.asp?dept=86

Too bad they are out of stock! Darn!

Found one!

http://www.vikingmagic.com/?key=1490&nd=full

I bought DJ Elhert's Restaurant kit and I hope to be implementing it soon.

Reviews to come shortly!
~Michelle

Michelle Heffner wrote:Found one!

http://www.vikingmagic.com/?key=1490&nd=full

I bought DJ Elhert's Restaurant kit and I hope to be implementing it soon.

Reviews to come shortly!
~Michelle

I would love to hear what you think of the book as I am taking on the ten resturant challenge.
Susan

I wound up doing the 10 restaurant challenge by necessity when quite by accident, found out that after I worked, as usual, to a packed house Thursday nite Fuddruckers, (where I was painting every family night for well over a year) closed the next day on Friday!

I found out six days after the fact on Wensday when I went to drop off cards to an empty restaurant and my Woodbridge Jam was scheduled for Sunday!!!

Panic set in, but determination took over and lead the way to my quest for a new Jam location. So.... altho it began as a quest, here is my 10 restaurant challenge!

I know that God closes doors and opens windows but the next day was a real revelation!

Thursday I left the house at 2:30 to visit the Famous Daves resturant and as I told him about how I worked for Fuddruckers on a paid weekly basis and held a free Jam for fuddruckers (with free face painting their customers) that also benefited the restaurant I worked at, the manager seemed more interested in having me on a weekly basis and hope the general manager feels the same.

Hmmn, that was nice! So, since a Face and Body Art International Convention will be held at the end of the month, I went to where there is lots of living canvas - Hooters! The manager said 'OK!!!" (the resturant is small and the stools are high but still in the running as a choice for an occasional special event jam location).

Most encouraged, I went to South of the Border for a Jam location and Cinco de Mayo entertainment but found the resturant is too small and will be packed to the hilt May 6th. The manager felt it was too small for face painting too, altho he really wanted it but couldn't figure how to create the space for me & the line of kids.

Then onward & upward to Unos where I was very well received for both the jam and weekly painting, so I will talk to the general manager.

On to Old Country Buffet which is huge with a seperate open room off the main room, has lots of familys with kids as customers and talked to the general manager who will host the Jam but said he couldn't afford to pay me for a weekly gig.

On to El Charro and Los Amigos & will talk to both managers which are hard to catch when they are in, even tho I was told what time to come back. Guapos was too small and Chilis was sorta interested and wanted my card for Cinco De Mayo and weekly painting >Whew<

It was 5:30 by then, so I went to Fuddruckers to hand out my cards to my regulars that came to be painted every week. To my surprise only a few of them showed up. I wonder if there was an article in the paper or on the news about Fuddruckers closing?

I saw the general manager Tim at Bob Evans about weekly painting but said he could only afford special events and kept my card, because we had talked about this before, almost a year ago.

So, the challenge of going to ten restaurants has been most favorable, the first day of the quest Praise God!

The next day I talked to Eric the general manager of Unos, who approved hosting the jam, treated us like royality, complete with appetizers. Monday he wanted me to paint on a weekly basis as Unos is starting a family night. He wanted it on the same night as Fuddruckers had to bring in my regulars.

I am on a trial period we agreed on and the regional manager will be watching me, hearing all about it from he managers, to approve my painting services at the other northern Va locations, too. >whew< That's a BIGGIE!!!!

I went back to Famous Daves at the time setup by the general manager and he said that his and Alexandria's locations are too busy for weekly painting but the other one wants me, so I will call the general manager today ; )

Needless to say it has been a hectic five days, so far. Today (tuesday) I have three others to to follow up & check out today. Gotta get ready & will let ya know how it goes ; )

Susan

awesome! how exciting when things flow like that, even if half of those places follow through it will be great!

OK, I'm inspired to do the same!

I only found this thread.

With summer I have hit up cafes, nightclubs with outdoor areas and ice cream places as well as restaurants. One of the things I am offering with the restaurants is to set up outside since that's where a lot of people end up waiting so their kids can run off some energy.
We also have two drive ins and a grocery store, all of which have weekly classic car shows that attract a lot of families.

So far, I have one restaurant that is a yes, and it goes along with their car /motorcycle show.

Also two of the cafes are interested in body painting, full body paint demo's *squee*

This is just from phone calls. I haven't even walked in the door to my full list yet.

I took the restaurant challenge and happened to run across a manager like the one at Fuddruckers who realized the win/win draw of Face Painting. I'm on the payroll as a vendor with the opportunity of getting the other four Uno resturants, too. Now I go thru the agony of the first few slow weeks and may start a new topic for advertising FP services at resturants.

I put my two lawn signs & banners out, but just for the day and took the banners home the night I painted. The county seems to love taking down & trashing lawn signs, so mine are rite next to the restaurant door as you walk in but the banners are tied to the trees facing two heavily traveled streets.

I designed my signs & banners at Vista Print, altho they were on sale "free" the mounting for the banner was $3.99 and the stand & double sided printing for the sign were 3.99 & 2.99 but for what I paid & what I got, I'm a happy camper. Result; The manager said "This is the most kids we have seen in here Sunday (Jam nite) and Family Nite, so the advertising did its job.

An 8x10" laminated poster of my company name website above & below my nine photo display is attached to a free standing clear business card holder in front of the register at Unos front desk ; )

SO, my question is: what kind of advertising do you put up when you are painting at resturants, etc, on a weekly basis?
Happily painting,
Susan

Since I have four other area Uno resturants watching what I am doing, I just ordered these to attract more customers for Family Nite;
2x3' Banner that will be permanently tied to the trees out front facing the busy Hwy

Weather proof Lawn sign that goes by the door - protected from county removal!

This one is a general double sided lawn sign for Garden area where people are coming from two directions to the door that I already have and will go permanently near the door when the ones above arrive.

I would appreciate any suggestions or see the signs you put out to advertise your restaurant gigs.
Special thanks,
Susan

Lynnie wrote:I only found this thread.

With summer I have hit up cafes, nightclubs with outdoor areas and ice cream places as well as restaurants. One of the things I am offering with the restaurants is to set up outside since that's where a lot of people end up waiting so their kids can run off some energy.
We also have two drive ins and a grocery store, all of which have weekly classic car shows that attract a lot of families.

So far, I have one restaurant that is a yes, and it goes along with their car /motorcycle show.

Also two of the cafes are interested in body painting, full body paint demo's *squee*

This is just from phone calls. I haven't even walked in the door to my full list yet.

Lynnie,
Congradulations, that's fantastic prospecting, esp over the phone netting a restaurant and two cafes for body painting! Simply Awesome!!! I would love to see your phone script ; D
Can't wait to hear what you get by walking in the doors!
Susan

Metzpah wrote:awesome! how exciting when things flow like that, even if half of those places follow through it will be great!

Thanks, it's so encouraging but I'm still working on a few more, then make the rounds for weekly FP day work ; )
Here it is, the wee morning hours when I get to catch up on forums - eech, off to bed!
Susan