A recent thread on the balloon twisters list raised the question of what to do in a restaurant when there is "down time" to fill. You know, those moments when it seems every table has been visited, and you almost feel that one wrong step would put you right in the path of a busy member of the wait staff. None of us want to be seen by the manager as an obstruction to the regular night's business, or as dead weight. Besides, we all know that that time passes much faster when we keep busy.
My method of handling this annoying pin-prick is to change my approach to restaurant ballooning entirely. In fact, very seldom do I even enter the seating area in a restaurant these days. Occasionally I'll visit a dining party, but weeks can go by without my having done a single table-side routine. What I have become is more of an alternative to annoyance.
As of late I have approached the restaurants that offer the added benefit of "self contemplation time" before the meal. In fact, by six in the evening many of these dining establishments feature as much as a 90 minute wait. Now this can be a real plus if you need time to balance your checkbook, or write next week's curriculum, or go over the presentation notes for your business meeting, or do your taxes. Surprisingly enough, most people don't know how to plan their lives around the hour and a half table wait! Many of these people take the opportunity to slip into something more comfortable. Like a coma. Others practice their crisis parenting skills. Still others take this opportunity to develop lovely people skills and exercise their colorful vocabulary. Yes, these guests present the possibility of becoming human time bombs. One wrong move by their server after they are seated, and *BOOM!!!!*
The service that I have been selling recently has been that of the lobby entertainer. My approach has been "If your guests are kept happy while they wait for a table, they will be more manageable after they are seated." The final product of this equation includes happier diners, resulting in less complaints, bigger tips, and more return business. Everyone wins!
Now, what to do in the lobby? I set up as I would in a street performance, but one with limited space. Having an efficient work station is definitely a plus. Mine is stable and portable, and holds all of the balloons, tools, and promotional material I will need for the show in and easily accessible manner. Find a spot in the lobby that makes you visible by all waiting, but is not obtrusive to the reception area. You are ready to begin the show!
I utilize my storytelling skills and weave little tales that I illustrate with the use of balloons. This keeps the main body of the patrons entertained while awaiting a table. It also extends an invitation for the crowd to interact, as my storytelling methods are very audience participatory in nature. Keeping the stories extremely short (usually less than a minute) disallows any opportunity for the flow to be broken by a request for a balloon. In fact, these *interruptions* become part of the flow, and allow great opportunity for improvisation.
The biggest challenge I have found has been to discourage line formation. So far I haven't had such a crowd that I was was unable to keep track mentally of who was *next* for a balloon. If it gets to be so, there are many ways to handle this challenge. Tickets with numbers may work well. Some restaurants lobbies are set up in such a fashion as to lend themselves well to line formation. My advice is not to get used to it, as these are definitely the exception!
Individual balloon requesters are usually steered gently in the direction of hats, as these tend to get the most attention and point out to management that I am doing my job! Bring the victim up to your work station, develop the hat with much ceremony, and ask for a hand from the crowd when done. Make the recipient the star for the moment!
When the lobby tends to thin out, I find my way around the bar, scoping out the *lovers* in the crowd and making appropriately cutesy stuff for them. Naturally, birthday parties are prime targets, and usually fetch remarkable tips.
These approaches to restaurant twisting have worked well for me, and hopefully you will be able to apply some of the techniques to your own shows. In fact, once a few weeks ago I had a family in the lobby who was called for their table, but requested that they be allowed to watch me finish my current routine before being seated! And this after waiting over an hour! Hey, it's a great job to begin with, but moments like those are truly sauce for the goose!
Knock 'em dead!
See my website for more information, or you may e-mail me at info@airtothekingdom.org.
Until next time, I remain *Air-tistically* yours! Jack [an error occurred while processing this directive]