The world of balloon entertainment, by Dale Obrochta
Restaurant balloon entertainment antics
Thirty years entertaining and I’m still tweaking how to get people to dig deep into their pockets and pull out cash. I use a tip badge, comedic banter along with a clear tip bag showing people I’m more than willing to take their disposable money for the exchange of a balloon animal. I recently read … Read more
Place your hand in a bucket of water and quickly remove it. The water ripples as you extract your hand, but notice how quickly the water settles down, restoring calm. That’s what it is like when you’re replaced. I was working with a colleague and reminiscing about the Chicago White Sox. We both worked with … Read more
I have been performing with balloons in restaurants now for just shy of a decade. In my experience, I have learned a few do’s and MANY don’ts in what seems to work best in increasing my tip income. I have found six main categories that seem to influence an audience’s willingness to empty the coin … Read more
Have you ever tried to cook a chicken with a beer can stuck inside it? No matter how careful you are, the chick is just top-heavy and wants to fall over. Years ago, I was not sure where my mom bought this handy little device, but we had a rack that you push into the … Read more
“You should let my 2-year-old go first,” bellows a woman standing behind the teenagers. The four teenage girls had no idea what the woman was complaining about; they too stood in line. “Ma’am, this is kid’s day, and they, like you, paid to get in and are entitled to balloons.” I could see my logic … Read more
What would be a low impact exercise that I could use to register balloon entertaining in my food log? After all, I was burning calories, but at what rate? I looked through the category groups and one jumped out at me…. Darts! Darts? You have to be kidding me… all those evenings in the bars … Read more
The table erupts with laughter as I interrogate the teenager about her friends, phone, school, and social life. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of a shadowing table leech. Somewhere along my path through the restaurant, the leech attached itself to my hip. Standing off spotlight, watching, commenting, and being … Read more
“Do you have any suggestions for someone who has the twisting skills, but is afraid to pitch restaurants?” This was the question asked of me today in Facebook. The idea of approaching a stranger and pitching an idea is always met with fear and apprehension. It is like dating; somebody needs to start the conversation. … Read more
I arrived at my Saturday night restaurant and had just unloaded my gear when a regular patron approached me with money in his hand saying, “Great, you are here tonight, the grand kids will love it” then proceeded to hand me $20. I had done nothing and I was 20 bucks richer. This was not the first time … Read more
In the underbelly of the balloon entertainer’s world, community stories are told about the unappreciative customer who does not reward an entertainer at a restaurant for bringing joy and delight to the children at their table. The patron accepts the balloon offering and either neglects or does not care to further the Arts by rewarding the … Read more