Menu Board Audits

One MSC constantly advertises Menu Board Audits where shoppers are to DISCRETELY take photos of all menu boards and prices and food display cases.

If you've done these, how on earth do you pull it off?

I can't wrap my head around how I might go into a store and do this.

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Mike T
Looking for shops in Western Canada

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Smart phone.

Pretend you're texting before you take the pictures. Then hold phone to your ear like you're talking on it. Then move the phone in front of your face (from the level of your ear) to look at an imaginary text that just came in. Only you're in camera mode. Point to what you need to photograph and snap it. Just don't take too long focusing. Then immediately pretend you're replying to the text.

That's how I'd do it. Maybe someone who has actually done them will share their secrets.

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I pray it does not occur that the last thing I did before I died was vacuum the house or eat broccoli.

That seems like a lot of work to take pictures. Hopefully they pay well.

I'd like to hear how it goes if you decide to try one of these. I haven't tried one yet.

Has anyone used the app that will take photos while you hold the phone like you are talking? It continues to snap pics every 2 seconds. I think it's called x camera.

I have done these in the DT. I just take the picture with my digital camera right before I order. The only person who sees is the car behind me. I could care less what they think.

Yup.....the DT seems easy enough and should be worth a shot.

Jimmymc25

Depending upon the assignment, this can be done openly. Just explain that your friend/boss/significant other doesn't know what to order or lost the take-out menu, so you are sending them the info.

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"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl

There's a 99 cent app call sneaky pix for the iPhone, but it's really hard to aim exactly at the menuboards. I've done those shops and they don't pay well enough for me to every do them again. I was asked to leave by the manager.

Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@

~Polish Proverb~

What excuse did the manager have? Most restaurants would be considered "public places" and certainly people photograph things in public places, even putting the pictures on Facebook.

Retail establishments [including restaurants] are not public places. They are private property open to the public. That is a significant difference, especially when it comes to photography.

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Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)

"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor

"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei

shopgal Wrote:
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> Depending upon the assignment, this can be done
> openly. Just explain that your
> friend/boss/significant other doesn't know what to
> order or lost the take-out menu, so you are
> sending them the info.

That was what I said. I even got an employee to flip the board to show the breakfast items! At another place, I just waited until the cashier went in the back. I was reimbursed for purchases, so I just drank my coffee while I waited. IMO, the most important thing is to position yourself in the right place.

When I did it, there were several locations and it was bonused big time.

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I'm "Sandi" in the Middle!

I did menu audits for a different company (I suspect). I went in late at night, thus fewer employees. I asked up front if they could help me out. I said, "I'm taking a marketing/nutrition class, and I need pictures of for my presentation." I whipped out my regular camera, and snapped away. Only one chain restuarant asked me to leave. When the manager came up and told me I couldn't take pictures, I pretended like I didn't hear him then faked that I thought he was kidding...saying that I really wanted to get an "A". When he sternly said he wasn't joking. I said sorry and left (with all the pictures).

Which MS company does these audits?

I think ACE is one of them. There may be others.

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I pray it does not occur that the last thing I did before I died was vacuum the house or eat broccoli.

Mintel does a ton of them and many are at regular sit-down, nice restaurants. They disappear from the board quickly. I have to believe they have approval for them or the shoppers use a menu to photograph outside the restaurant. I can't see myself going into a restaurant and taking pix of the menu and leaving without even eating. There must be a trick to it because, as I said, they are gone before I even have a chance to think about doing them. The only ones I've completed were done at a drive-thru menuboard. Some companies are easy to do. Some are ridiculous with all prices for all meals wanted. Some pay $20 some much less. I tried one a a McD's once and was chased away...after I had the pix.

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The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

Insula has some too

Thanks. I will check those.

STN also has an assignment which requires the shopper to capture a pic of the menu board.

IIRC, Reality Based Group also has shops that require menu board pictures.

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