Maybe it needs bald naked men singing.:) Naw, scotch that.

There are certain areas of San Francisco or New York where that format might work... LOL

Working in a restaurant, I've always felt that it was the chef's job to get people in the place and my job to keep them there for another drink or two ... even my wife isn't going to spend money to hear me play in a place where the food is bad ...
How many of you can honestly say you bring in $1000.00 or more each night by playing there ... most of the time we are just part of the cost of doing business ... "If my competition has music than maybe I should too." ...
If you can get more than the other guy, good for you ...
otherwise get what you are worth ...

I LIKE the idea of getting a fair salary, or percentage, whichever is greater.

I've put in my time and my name is worth something...extra dollars in the til.

Tony is right. Generally, it's the place that's responsible to get the folks there....unless you happen to be a draw.

When I left one place after 14 years (got tired of playing outside) customers....400 OF THEM...signed a petition to get me back.

These folks have just opened another place and want me there.

It's going to be $150.00 for three hours or 5% of the bar.
They sometimes do 600 covers a night at an average plate price of $27.90. $10,000 is a mediocre night.

I'll average $250-300.00 a night, plus tips. And, with the incentive, I'll work harder. And, this one will be inside, with music via a weatherproof sound system outside. I'll line out of my PA head inside. Occasionally, I'll set up a small PA and a guitar to alternate inside and out, to draw people inside when they're finished with dinner.

I'm done with patio's on a regular basis.


Works for me!


Russ

I agree... the function of music in a bar or club IS to be the draw. You can drink beer or liquor in any bar you choose, it is the job of the entertainment to make the bar busy.

But a restaurant... you go there for the food. The music is an incidental extra. It is a service provided by the restaurant, to further ADD to the value of the restaurant, and perhaps keep people waiting for a table happy and adds to the atmosphere of the place.

As such, the entertainment should not be required to bring in enough extra business to justify its cost. It is the restaurant manager, trying to add cachet to his place.

Exactly. The idea is to keep the crowd 'up' and having a good time. A feelgood crowd will stay there rather than wander off somwhere else, and they're more likely to put their hand in their pocket. They feed off you, you 'feed' off them.

At the Tiki Bar where I'm playing tomorrow and Friday nights, I am the draw. The resort manager told me there is usually a half dozen or so locals that came to the happy hour on Wednesday and Friday. They hired several "Have Guitar Will Travel" type entertainers, and the crowd doubled to about a dozen locals, none of which stayed any longer than the 3-hour happy-hour time. When the price went up, it was like the roaches scattering when the lights come on.

When this upstart Yankee arrived on the scene, which was a couple months ago, the crowd size grew from a dozen to 50 or so the second night a performed. (Guess word of mouth advertising still works.) Last Wednesday evening I had just over 100, and for the most part they all stayed until I quit playing, which was just after 8:30 p.m. - 2-1/2 hours after happy hour ended.

Here at the marina, the guitar player, who was he guy who got the Saturday evening jam session started six years ago, the average crowd this time of year was about 30 people. Now, the crowds range from 125 to 175, depending on the weather.

I'm not braggin', but on the nights when the guitar guys are at the resort's tiki bar, the crowd drops back to a dozen locals. The manager said she would love to have me there every night, but even with 100 people at the bar, there's not enough profit to justify the expense. Additionally, the bar tender said unless she hires another bar tender to help him on the nights I was performing, he was seriously considering finding another job because he couldn't keep up with the additional workload.

Now, I only get paid $100 from the resort for a three-hour performance, and the tips range from $85 to $125 for the period. From that I have to subtract $14 in taxi fare to get to and from the job. Not a bad take for a three-hour performance, and I have a ball performing for the audiences here in Paradise. Unfortunately, the cost of living here is so high that you cannot make a living at these wages, even if you performed every night of the week, and lived aboard a sailboat. I'm looking forward to getting home and going back to the senior circuit once again.

Cheers,

Gary

What utter rubbish! You are bringing in about 100 more people than usual. If they only bought ONE drink each, your pay is paid for! Profit margin on liquor is massive. $6 a drink, about 17-20 shots in a bottle (depending on pour), $100-120 roughly per bottle (that cost them probably $12 wholesale). So let's say maybe $100 profit per 20 drinks. So $500 extra profit for 100 people buying ONE drink.

Any of your crowd only buy ONE drink?

You don't need to be talking to the bartender... you need to be talking to the OWNER!

UTTER RUBISH? Lets see, What part about happy hour don't you understand. $2 draft beers, $3 mixed drinks, pay the bartender, pay the tiki bar rent, pay the utilities - yep, they're making a REAL KILLING. Give me a break.

Gary

Do the math... even at $3 a mixed drink (and trust me, that's bottom shelf stuff for those!), that's at least $250 per 100 people, paying for ONE drink (and don't tell me the Tiki bar is the AA hangout!). OVER THE TOP of their usual profit.

Bartenders do not make even minimum wage, as tips are counted as part of their income (same with waitresses).

You are bringing in at least 3-4 times the business the bar has when they stick to the kid guitarist on a stool. Somehow they can stay open for that, but they can't when you bring in 3 or 4 times as many people?

Yes... rubbish!