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electronics_magician New user 4 Posts |
Has anyone figured out a good system for accepting tips electronically at your restaurant, table side? Paypal,Venmo, something else that I'm not thinking of?
thanks |
Paul Rathbun Inner circle Michigan 2543 Posts |
I think the Square is free and even sends you the device for free.
https://www.penguinmagic.com/p/9160
Sleightly Better Magic Reviews - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9rkXnNp8CxftN-rxU_WcbQ |
electronics_magician New user 4 Posts |
Yes, of course they are almost all free. But does someone have a good system worked out? Like for square, the vendor has to enter a price. Do you ask how much they would like to tip? That almost seems rude.
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TheRealMagicMike Regular user Las Vegas, NV 178 Posts |
While I do hear evey now and then, "oh, we don't have any cash on us", I'm not yet convinced that swiping cards at tables would be beneficial. IMO one of the most common reasons people say "no" to table-hopping magic is that they think there is a fee. I hear somewhat regularly, "how much is your show". Im afraid if other tables see me "swiping cards" I may get a whole lot more "No's" right off the bat when I approach tables.
I'm in Vegas and it rarely happens that someone at the table doesn't have cash or chips... a few folks have even gone to an ATM to get cash to tip with. I can see the day where electronic tipping would definitely be needed, I'm just not sure we are there yet... at least not where I work. |
Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Personally I just don't like the feel of it. It is only an opinion and nothing more.
But I'm glad I don't have to worry about it. It will be a problem very soon for workers. Cash is on the way out. It is a good issue to get out in front of.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
Would it be possible to work something out with the management where people can tip you on their bill? I don't know if the system can handle two separate tips (one of you and one for the waiter) but that would be ideal in my opinion.
I remember one magician saying that when people offered to buy him a drink he would tell them to pay the bartender for the drink and he would drink it later off duty. The bartender just kept track and gave him the money. |
MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
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TheRealMagicMike Regular user Las Vegas, NV 178 Posts |
Quote:
On Sep 13, 2017, MeetMagicMike wrote: Those are both great ideas and both can work. Many years ago at a bar in NY people would "buy me a drink" and they would get a "chip" to give to me so I could get my next drink when I was ready. At the end of the night I would trade the chips back to the bartender for $8 each. Im not sure if the place I'm at can record 2 separate tips however I have a couple of times in the past year have had customers put an additional tip on their check for me... I just split it with the server. Excellent suggestions if they can work at your gig. |
Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
I would not want to burden the bartender with my tips. Especially now since it is all IRS stuff going on and that. It is not as easy a solution as it used to be.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
Another solution is to move away from tipping. I'm one of those in between people who get paid by the venue but never turn down tips. I tell people the show and balloons are free but some still tip and it's a nice bonus.
If I felt like my tips were declining significantly I think I would compensate by asking for a raise. That is not to say there is anything wrong with electronic tipping systems but I can't seem them ever having the cultural familiarity that cash tipping does presently. |
Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
It will be a while if ever before it has the simple ease of handing a bill.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
TheRealMagicMike Regular user Las Vegas, NV 178 Posts |
Danny is right about IRS changes since the "old days"... makes this it more difficult. Being at a place on the "Strip", I would have a hard time getting my establishment to pay me anywhere near what I make in tips most nights (I do get a salary, but doesn't rival the tip amount... but, I think that is a possible strategy in the right situation.
Servers really help me out with getting tables interested. Most won't let me "tip them out" when I get a good tip. I think from now on when I run into the "no cash" people, I will tell them they can simply add my tip to the servers tip and we will square up later (just make sure you tell the server what you added for the magician). I will simply let the server keep everything... another way of now and then showing appreciation for the servers and keeping them motivated to talk me up at their tables. (Also, I suppose I would somewhat enjoy "calling their bluff" to those who tell me how they wish they had cash to tip, but may just be "blowing smoke".) |
MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
Them: "I want to tip you but I don't have any cash"
Me: "Spreading the word by a Facebook post or any other means is the best tip you can give me" |
TheRealMagicMike Regular user Las Vegas, NV 178 Posts |
Quote:
On Sep 14, 2017, MeetMagicMike wrote: I like that, if they do it... I try to get as many 5 star reviews as I can for my place on trip advisor and yelp. I print them out so I always have a hard copy. If/when I need another gig, I can slap down a stack of nearly 40 5 star reviews I've acquired over the past year and say "this is what I can do for you". Real tangible evidence of something rather than the normal magicians "sales pitch". |
Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Quote:
On Sep 14, 2017, MeetMagicMike wrote: This can work, though for me personally it seems pretty self serving. It is not my style, but I can certainly see it being a good thing.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
Well, it's self-serving only in the sense that you're letting people know that social media has value to you at a point where they have expressed that they want to give you something of value.
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
I am not being critical, it is just not for me is all.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
Oh I understood that Danny. No problem.
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imgic Inner circle Moved back to Midwest to see 1337 Posts |
I'd worked with company that we helped implement Square as their credit card reader. You can get a free readier and they charge 2.75% for swiped charge. A bit more if your looking manually input the card number. You can set up square to have preset amounts for tips ($2, $5, etc) or they can manually input amount.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
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