So my husband and I just got home from "Date night" shopping at an upscale Bar & Grill chain casual dining restaurant. I thought they had caught on to me, because I thought the server saw my phone with the stop watch over my shoulder...but I don't think they did catch on to me, based on the experience we had.

We sat at a table near the bar, and noticed that there was a group of guests there. I think the patrons could have been employees of the restaurant on their off time, because I saw one take his plate into the kitchen to get something, and return with his plate. Also, they were hugging the other employees who were working.

The two bartenders on duty did shots with this group of customers. Is this allowed? My partner and I think no, because:

- You are not allowed to be drinking on the job
- If you're serving alcohol, you need to be alert and sober yourself to determine if guests have had too much to drink.

It's all going in the report, but I wanted to get others thoughts on this...Do you think it's unacceptable? Or is it the norm in the business? I don't know because we usually don't sit near the bar.

I tell ya...for my first week getting back into mystery shopping, it has not been easy to say the least!! Maybe I'll take a Five Guys or DQ shop next to ease into things

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/09/2014 02:51AM by MilessMum.

Grounds for immediate termination.

I would report it. It's up to the client to take it forward.

Not to mention: Medically, if there is injury to you while on the clock and you have consumed beverage alcohol in any quantity, worker’s compensation will not pay for your medical treatment. You’re on your own.

That may be true some places and if the place is a chain utilizing mystery shopping chances are good it is one of those places. For small, locally owned restaurants and bars, it is not so uncommon or frowned upon.

Ha! The bar integrity shops normally ask shoppers to watch for barkeepers taking a share of the cash exchange. This would be another way to dip into the till/still. I would report it.

My brother owns a bar/restaurant and he wouldn't tolerate this for all of the reasons stated above. Those bartenders aren't paying for those shots (I assume) so it is also a case of employee theft.

I would definitely include it in the report. Just state what you observed and let the client determine what to do. We aren't to judge, just observe and report.

Welcome back to mystery shopping, Milessmum!

I know many bars that do allow bartenders to drink if guests buy them a shot, so I would just report it as an observation. Let the client decide if it's appropriate or not.

OMG! so serious. Like those shows on TV, Mystery Diners and Restaurant Stakeout. I reported on a report about a bartender drinking from a glass. They wanted to know what kind of glass, did it have a straw, was there ice in it, was it bubbling, where did it come from, how many sips did they take, what color was the liquid. I've never seen any bartenders doing shots or anything serious. In my case, it was probaly seltzer or ginger ale.

but just OMG!

it really depends on the place and policy. Some places allow it,
some they will take the shot but they just fill it with apple juice
or similar. Some allow buybacks so every certain amount is free.
Lots of variables.

Personally speaking, I can't imagine (ever) consuming alcohol while on the job. It goes against everything I was ever taught....

Now, if the owner just had a baby or one of the employees had a birthday, I can see the bar owner allowing you a drink AFTER your shift...

I guess I live in the stone age but "why" would you need to drink while "ON" the job?

If part of the shop was to observe and report on the actions of personnel when they were interacting with others, then report it. If the shop was about timings and food quality and customer service, I don't think you would be required to report on everything you saw happen. For all you know the owner may have been in the group you saw and gave them permission.

If you were required to sit near the bar and observe the bartender, then you have to report it.

Here's an interesting "what if"...

Suppose on a previous shop, the place got a bad report and they challenged it. Now also suppose the manager knew the night you were going to be shopping. Suppose this was a test to see if you reported everything? I know that is farfetched, but our job is to report the facts. You know the bartender was doing shots with customers, but you don't know what the bartender was consuming. I think that's how you report it.

If she saw him pouring from a whisky bottle into the shot glasses of himself and the guests and then immediately drinking what he poured, I think she could reasonably say it was alcohol he was consuming. If she didn't see what he poured into his own glass, then you're right, she couldn't know what he drank.

But the answers to the "tell or don't tell?" questions will be in the shop instructions. What were you required to observe? Is there a place for comments about "anything else you think the client should know about"?

I have never done a bar shop; but I have done dining shops within sight of a bar and paid no attention whatsoever to what the bartender was doing. If I'd seen him drinking, I wouldn't have known if it was allowed or not and would have had no reason to mention it because I was not told in the report to observe the actions of anyone but my own server, the hostess, and the manager.

So I would defer to the shop instructions, and if in doubt, ask the scheduler about it. That is what *I* would do in that situation. I try to focus on what the client is trying to measure because that's the information he was willing to pay for. If he wants to know if employees are drinking on duty, maybe that's a different kind of mystery shop.

OP had already reported it before posting here, and was only asking about the "rightness" of the actions, which really depend entirely on either company policy or local liquor laws so nobody here really can answer specifically since we're scattered all over the country.

It's interesting to read everyone's take on the matter. Not being a drinker myself, I never would have given any thought at all to whether a bartender was allowed to drink on duty or not. So if I'd been there I wouldn't even have made a mental note about it unless I had been told to watch for it in the shop instructions.

(Now that we've had this discussion, I'll probably be looking for it now!)

Ha, your life will never be the same, dspeakes! Gone are the carefree dinners.

(heart)

I was on a recent bar integrity shop and before ordering a margarita, I asked the bartender about the different kinds of Tequila. He did .5 ounce shots of each so I could taste the difference. I was pleasantly surprised at the difference in the taste of each...and it's research for a novel. It's nice to get paid for research.

I am a bartender on occasion and have friends who are as well. What does the guidelines say about alcohol consumption? Where I am from, it is OK for bartenders to have a shot or two with a customer. As long as customer pays at their own expense. It is actually good for tips... Let's say the guidelines don't mention it, I would report if the bartender was drinking excessive amounts as they are supposed to be responsible and alert to how much people are drinking. If they just had 1-3, I would really let it go. That sucks if that person will lose their job for a couple of shots and your guidelines didn't mention anything about that...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/09/2014 10:32PM by dixiewhiskey.

MilessMum Wrote:

>
> It's all going in the report, but I wanted to get
> others thoughts on this...Do you think it's
> unacceptable? Or is it the norm in the business? I
> don't know because we usually don't sit near the
> bar.
>


As a mystery shopper, I agree your observations should go in the report as you saw conduct that many restaurants, especially chain restaurants, would want from their shoppers.

As a former restaurant worker with many years in that business, your question of acceptability is a matter of opinion and policy. I would personally say - not acceptable - because it either creates problems (alcohol impedes performance), creates additional liability for the restaurant when injuries occur, it is often, but not always theft, because those drinks are not usually paid for. Also, the atmosphere created by off-duty employees often allows off-putting behaviors such as an off-duty person going into the kitchen. In my experience, most restaurants take that position as well. However, there are some, and I have worked in more than one, where drinking after hours is acceptable. These are usually smaller, owner-operated places. There, a 'shift drink' is often part of the compensation and in such places many employees stay after work and sometimes spend their own money on food and drink as well. However, conspicuous drinking by bartenders while on duty is rarer still. Some managers will turn a blind eye to that if everyone is 'having a good time.' But for bartenders, drinking while on duty is still a good way to get fired in almost every place.

The behavior you observed is fair game for a report. Don't feel bad about submitting it in yours. I would do the same and would have used my experience in the business to try to figure out if those shots were paid for.

As for easing back into the business, I have a hard time counting 15 shakes of the fries at 5-Guys!

SunnyDays2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I guess I live in the stone age but "why" would
> you need to drink while "ON" the job?

It would have made some of the jobs I've had much more tolerable.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For small, locally
> owned restaurants and bars, it is not so uncommon
> or frowned upon.


I've been in quite a few bars where it's actually encouraged.

MilessMum Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So my husband and I just got home from "Date
> night" shopping at an upscale Bar & Grill chain
> casual dining restaurant. I thought they had
> caught on to me, because I thought the server saw
> my phone with the stop watch over my
> shoulder...but I don't think they did catch on to
> me, based on the experience we had.
>
> We sat at a table near the bar, and noticed that
> there was a group of guests there. I think the
> patrons could have been employees of the
> restaurant on their off time, because I saw one
> take his plate into the kitchen to get something,
> and return with his plate. Also, they were hugging
> the other employees who were working.
>
> The two bartenders on duty did shots with this
> group of customers. Is this allowed? My partner
> and I think no, because:
>
> - You are not allowed to be drinking on the job
> - If you're serving alcohol, you need to be alert
> and sober yourself to determine if guests have had
> too much to drink.
>
> It's all going in the report, but I wanted to get
> others thoughts on this...Do you think it's
> unacceptable? Or is it the norm in the business? I
> don't know because we usually don't sit near the
> bar.
>
> I tell ya...for my first week getting back into
> mystery shopping, it has not been easy to say the
> least!! Maybe I'll take a Five Guys or DQ shop
> next to ease into things


I just had to reply to this after so many years of working in food and beverage. At one time, this was normal F and B behavior and might have been frowned upon a bit but was tolerated. Now any respectable worthwhile F and B establishment is not allowing this - my guess is that managers may not have been around or perhaps new managers keen to party - and possibly quite young with this as their first management job - may have been around. I certainly would not do shots at any F and B place that I worked for these days, though I will admit that when I was younger.......two shot max on the clock even then, last time year 2000. Today no way....society has changed so much and even then it was a stupid thing to do.

SunnyDays2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I guess I live in the stone age but "why" would
> you need to drink while "ON" the job?


I hate to point out the painfully obvious ... but mystery shoppers doing a dining shop are required sometimes to drink on the job....

dixiewhiskey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am a bartender on occasion and have friends who
> are as well. What does the guidelines say about
> alcohol consumption? Where I am from, it is OK
> for bartenders to have a shot or two with a
> customer. As long as customer pays at their own
> expense. It is actually good for tips... Let's
> say the guidelines don't mention it, I would
> report if the bartender was drinking excessive
> amounts as they are supposed to be responsible and
> alert to how much people are drinking. If they
> just had 1-3, I would really let it go. That sucks
> if that person will lose their job for a couple of
> shots and your guidelines didn't mention anything
> about that...

I had not written my report when I posted the original post, but I had decided I was going to include it, because of the ramifications of consuming alcohol both to the business, to themselves and to others.

The guidelines said to observe your waiter, the Manager, food quality and timings. There was a box that said to report on the atmosphere of the restaurant. I said the music was loud, the off duty employees were coming and going from the kitchen, were talking and hugging employees on the clock, and the observation of the shots.

For me, the atmosphere is somewhat spoiled when an off-duty employee goes to the kitchen with his food and returns. What if he reached over my dinner or Ethan's plate while reaching for a sauce or condiment? What if a hair fell on my plate, or he touched my food? Let's assume he paid for his meal. Are customers allowed in the kitchen to help themselves? Is that really the respect you have for paying customers? Isn't it all about the customer in the hospitality industry?

When we finished the two of us were sitting there, not eating our dessert for 20 minutes, servers and the Manager coming and going in front of my table, but my server was nowhere to be seen. Maybe my server was delayed because she was locked in an embrace with an off duty employee?

Dixie, I think the key difference in your situation is that your employer says it is acceptable for bartenders to consume shots with customers while on the job. While I certainly agree with Dixie that it would be unfortunate if the employees (in this case, a male and female) lost their job, I would not feel sorry for them if it was not allowed and they knew that. We can't do whatever we want at work, that's why there's rules. Frankly, that's why it's called work.

Anyway, that's the way I saw it.

If it was part of the "atmosphere" you were asked to comment on, then it was fair game for you to report it. It was blatant enough that you noticed it. If you noticed it, other customers noticed it. I think you did the right thing.

By all means, REPORT IT. The bartender or any of the staffs is not allowed to be giving free shots (not even extra shots) to anyone, customers or employees, especially employees. That is the prime reason we are hired to do bar and lounge shops.

Sure, employees get discounts, but it is done properly. They dine/wine as a regular guest, then their bill is discounted by approval of the manager. The manager, alone, is allowed to do this.

Hey, but who am I to say? My last report was rejected by the manager because I was critical of him and his staffs. The manager, in turn, attacked me and my guest. She made up lies, saying that we were acting strange and intoxicated. That's all pure lies. I am however, will remain honest and conscientious in my evaluations because I think restaurant owners pay us to do a job. The lower staffs, including the manager, are just acting out against shoppers when they get an unflattering report. The truth prevails.

If you get trouble after reporting it, I suggest contacting the higher management of the restaurant.

Honestly if it affected you then you should report it. Guidelines or not.. I'm not really bothered personally as long as service is not slow or the person is so drunk, they can't give me correct change. Some bars it is acceptable to do so maybe reporting it is a good idea. Good on you for asking either way - it's a legitimate question!

I guess the days of the 3 martini lunch are gone.

James Bond 007.5 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was on a recent bar integrity shop and before
> ordering a margarita, I asked the bartender about
> the different kinds of Tequila. He did .5 ounce
> shots of each so I could taste the difference. I
> was pleasantly surprised at the difference in the
> taste of each...and it's research for a novel.
> It's nice to get paid for research.


Sounds like I need to start writing a novel!

My obligation to the company is to report what we see and hear, not to judge. I do a lot of bar shops since where I live they pay and reimburse really well. I report what I see take pictures of the staff and situations. If they ask if the area behind the bar is free of mixers I will get a picture to go along with the narrative, I also take pictures of the staff whenever I can along with all of my food.

I report what I see and hear that is what I am paid to do, for bar shops they tend to want to know about everything that happened during the hour I am there.

The only shop I had rejected was one where the bartender was giving away free drinks and doing shots with the guests. Our bill was even wrong as we were charged for a happy hour draft beer ($2) when we had a mixed drink. There is much more to the story but in the end the question asked was "Would you return to this location if this had been your first visit." Well, heck yes! Free drinks and cheap drinks. Why not. It was about three years ago and it was a nice evening out. I am sorry I was not paid for the work I did but I reported what I saw.

While I also would hate for someone to lose their job, I feel it would be important to report everything I observed. Most places have video cameras, and if they see a mystery shopper watching the employees drink and they don't mention it, then they will question the shopper's integrity. I try to be as honest as possible, because I figure, Okay, I'm doing work for a mystery shopping company. They specialize in mystery shopping, so what's to stop them from mystery shopping their mystery shoppers? You never know!

shopit, Why was you report rejected? Was it because you were honest and reported the bad stuffs that the employees were d
doing? This is exactly what I mean when I said that reports are sometimes rejected because the manager did not want the bad report to become part of his file and eventually his higher management will see it. So, to save face and his job, he attacks the mystery shopper, denying each and every negative items in the report, and go so far as to attack the shopper to remove shopper's credibility. I thought these shops claim to have cameras.

Sometimes, MSC's side with the client, and reject the shopper's report. Rarely, if any, do they side with the shopper. They should instead, report these occurrences to higher management, especially if this is not the first time that the same manager rejected negative reports.

MSC's do not want to lose clients arguing over a report. As far as mystery shoppers, they can easily replace us.

So, the moral of the story? Would you ignore negative situations in a shop? I won't.