Should You Be Playing Restaurants?

Let me be clear that this isn't about bar & grills, this is about restaurants, where the primary business is food. But recent trends are starting to blur this distinction, as you'll see.

If you are a solo act, or a band that plays country, Americana, folk, or any other "softer" and "family friendly" genres, then you should definitely consider playing restaurants!

During the recent (ongoing?) recession, restaurants suffered and started looking for ways to attract new customers. Live music proved to be the answer for many. It creates a unique experience for diners, and could result in repeat business for the restaurant, but what does it do for you?

Playing restaurants exposes your music to people who may not normally patronize the club scene. If you're selling cds or other merchandise, this is a whole new segment of the public to recruit as fans and who will buy your merch. Do this right and it could be a gold mine!

Something I noticed about restaurant gigs is that families often go to these shows expecting to spend some money and have a memorable family experience. They send the kids to put money in your tip jar, or buy your cd. They buy tshirts for themselves and the kids. These families typically spend more money than the average club patrons.

On the flip side, restaurants don't directly profit from live music - they cannot have a cover charge or they would lose, rather than gain, customers. They are hiring you to fill seats with hungry diners. The pay may be less than a club of the same size. This is why you should have your merchandising in order before playing restaurants - merch, and your tip jar, will be necessary to make up for the lower pay.

One last benefit : even though many of the restaurant patrons are not into the club scene, if they really like your music, chances are good that some will come see you when you're playing a nearby club. They'll probably bring a few friends, too. Multiply this a few times and you could see a noticeable increase in your following.

UrbanSpoon lists 400 restaurants in Dallas/Fort Worth that offer live entertainment, and 351 restaurants in Houston that offer live entertainment. Use this under-tapped resource and see if it doesn't help grow your fan base.

If you have played live music in restaurants, I would love to hear about your experiences!