What have been the best places you've eaten secret shopping?
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I love the fried chicken salad from The Cheesecake Factory. Sadly, I do not live close by one anymore, so I only go there about once a year.
I don't do fine dining (yet), but I had a fantastic steak on a Chilis shop. It was topped with this cheese (maybe a sauce) and something else, then broiled to get it toasted on top. Plus the steak was cooked perfectly to a medium rare. It was one of the best tasting steaks I have ever had, including steaks from fancier places. Unfortunately, it was a limited time special and I have not seen it on the menu again.
If you ever see the Red Velvet Molten cake on there menu (another limited time special), try it, it is their best dessert. That is another item I really liked.
I don't do fine dining (yet), but I had a fantastic steak on a Chilis shop. It was topped with this cheese (maybe a sauce) and something else, then broiled to get it toasted on top. Plus the steak was cooked perfectly to a medium rare. It was one of the best tasting steaks I have ever had, including steaks from fancier places. Unfortunately, it was a limited time special and I have not seen it on the menu again.
If you ever see the Red Velvet Molten cake on there menu (another limited time special), try it, it is their best dessert. That is another item I really liked.
I adore 5 Guys fries because they make them the way my mom used to. But I don't do their shops until they're bonused anymore. Even though I have one less than two miles from home.
Had dinner at a Michelin starred prixe fixe French restaurant in LA last week. Foodie heaven!
Ended up being 6 courses and we had a generous reimbursement for a bottle of wine with the meal. Best meal I've probably ever eaten....
Ended up being 6 courses and we had a generous reimbursement for a bottle of wine with the meal. Best meal I've probably ever eaten....
Fine Dining:
Fogo de Chao (heaven. just. heaven.)
Maker's Mark (best steak of my entire life)
Casual:
5 Guys (always delicious)
Texas Roadhouse (they cook an amazing NY strip for the price)
Local BBQ restaurant (mind-blowingly-good Chilean sea bass)
Fogo de Chao (heaven. just. heaven.)
Maker's Mark (best steak of my entire life)
Casual:
5 Guys (always delicious)
Texas Roadhouse (they cook an amazing NY strip for the price)
Local BBQ restaurant (mind-blowingly-good Chilean sea bass)
Cheeseburger in Paradise and Senor Frogs [although the servings tend to be over the top].
.
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
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
Fogo de Chao
Ruth's Chris
Mortons
Houstons
Capital Grille
Cheesecake Factory
Chart House
Yard House
and two local, non chain places. One was a southern themed place with crazy strong bourbon drinks and awesome fried chicken. The other was a bar with 42 beers, specialty cocktails and homemade food with the best burgers.
I am so spoiled by shopping I refuse to pay full price for any meal.
Ruth's Chris
Mortons
Houstons
Capital Grille
Cheesecake Factory
Chart House
Yard House
and two local, non chain places. One was a southern themed place with crazy strong bourbon drinks and awesome fried chicken. The other was a bar with 42 beers, specialty cocktails and homemade food with the best burgers.
I am so spoiled by shopping I refuse to pay full price for any meal.
I just love the Hickory Tavern shops. Texas Roadhouse is not too shabby either.
Oh my, besides the normal cheesecake Factory/Texas Roadhouse/Applebees. We've done Morimito's (NY and Philly) Capital Grille, Ed's Chowder House, South Fin Grill (just last week), Standard Grill, X2O, Houston's, Mortons and Ruth Chris. Had a dinner at Daniel's, but had to cancel due to an injury. At X2O, we were greeted by Peter Kelly himself. Chef Kelly defeated Bobby Flay on Iron Chef.
I dined one the other day at Larsen's Steakhouse - oh my great prime ribs!!!
I've also done the ff;
Cheesecake Factory
Daily Grill
Granville
Hooters
Grand Lux
Applebees
Panda Inn
Wasabi
5 Guys
Gyu Kaku
BJ
Real Food Daily
Louise Trattoria
Truxton
Kitchen 24
Tilted Kilt
Pinot Cafe
Kendall's
Mariposa Restaurant at Neiman Marcus
and many more.
Lucille's
Acapulco
Chevy's
El Torito
Portho's
Zankou Chicken
I've also done the ff;
Cheesecake Factory
Daily Grill
Granville
Hooters
Grand Lux
Applebees
Panda Inn
Wasabi
5 Guys
Gyu Kaku
BJ
Real Food Daily
Louise Trattoria
Truxton
Kitchen 24
Tilted Kilt
Pinot Cafe
Kendall's
Mariposa Restaurant at Neiman Marcus
and many more.
Lucille's
Acapulco
Chevy's
El Torito
Portho's
Zankou Chicken
Gold Certified
Shopping in San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles
Shopping in San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles
ntony9, there are so many great restaurants in LA and your list is just scratching the surface. Keep applying with more companies...
I did see that Larsen's shop added recently, but we also have Cut, Boa, Ruth's Chris, Flemming's and Lawry's that get shopped here.
I did see that Larsen's shop added recently, but we also have Cut, Boa, Ruth's Chris, Flemming's and Lawry's that get shopped here.
I loved Yard House.
As for casual:
Buffalo Wild Wings
Five Guys
Panda Express
As for casual:
Buffalo Wild Wings
Five Guys
Panda Express
C
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"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind..." - Henry Ford
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"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind..." - Henry Ford
Capital Grille is #1 for me! Love that place. Hoping to find more places like it in my city that get shopped- sounds like I need to sign up with more MSC's!
For casual dining, I love Hale & Hearty. And my husband loooooves 5 guys, so I take one every couple months to make him happy.
For casual dining, I love Hale & Hearty. And my husband loooooves 5 guys, so I take one every couple months to make him happy.
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So far I have only shopped Corleones and Potbelly Sandwich Shops. I have a thing about not wanting to shop restaurants with servers, as I have waited tables for too long IMHO and I don't feel I can be objective - My instinct would be to side with the server nine times out of ten if things go wrong. So I do these lower end shops that are slightly above fast food and this seems to be a good niche for me - fast casual I think it is called.
Let's start a NEW thread, called "Your Favorite MSCs for Yummy Shops."
Work from the other end....leave the actual restaurant names off of it.
I shop about 1/3 of those and would love to find the rest......if we are only discussing the general type of business they shop, we wouldn't be violating anything, right?
Work from the other end....leave the actual restaurant names off of it.
I shop about 1/3 of those and would love to find the rest......if we are only discussing the general type of business they shop, we wouldn't be violating anything, right?
I'm surprised so many people mentioned Capital Grille. We found it impossibly expensive (I think we went $40 over reimbursement) and utterly unimpressive. I've had a better steak at Applebee's.
Larsen's just opened in my town, can't wait to do it. Urbane Café (lunch), all steak houses I can get, Japanese BBQ,
Cheesecake, had a great Prime rib at Black Angus (go figure). Not doing as many as before, reimbursements to high
to put $$ out ....
Cheesecake, had a great Prime rib at Black Angus (go figure). Not doing as many as before, reimbursements to high
to put $$ out ....
Live consciously....
Not being a shopper, I obviously can't say where the best food I've eaten is. I will say, though, that proofing restaurant shops ALWAYS makes me hungry. I also travel a fair amount and I have been known to stop by restaurants we represent during my travels just to see what they are really like. But yes, proofing can work up quite the appetite! *lol*
______________
For the record: I am a proofer who works for a mystery shopping company.
For the record: I am a proofer who works for a mystery shopping company.
ProoferGuy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not being a shopper, I obviously can't say where
> the best food I've eaten is. I will say, though,
> that proofing restaurant shops ALWAYS makes me
> hungry. I also travel a fair amount and I have
> been known to stop by restaurants we represent
> during my travels just to see what they are really
> like. But yes, proofing can work up quite the
> appetite! *lol*
What is a proofer?
My all time favorites were all the upscale Patina Group except the flagship at Disney Hall which I did not like at all. But they parted ways with the msc who used to handle them years ago and I have not found them again.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not being a shopper, I obviously can't say where
> the best food I've eaten is. I will say, though,
> that proofing restaurant shops ALWAYS makes me
> hungry. I also travel a fair amount and I have
> been known to stop by restaurants we represent
> during my travels just to see what they are really
> like. But yes, proofing can work up quite the
> appetite! *lol*
What is a proofer?
My all time favorites were all the upscale Patina Group except the flagship at Disney Hall which I did not like at all. But they parted ways with the msc who used to handle them years ago and I have not found them again.
Best ever high-end place was Melting Pot. Had to get all 4 courses and was completely reimbursed. Alas, it was only for the opening. Only got to do it twice.
Other high-end great places are/were:
Texas Roadhouse
Joe's Crabshack
Cheesecake Factory
Spaghetti Warehouse
BJs
Fish City Grill
Bahama Breeze (closed)
Kona Ranch (closed)
My favorite casual dining places are:
Five Guys
Panda Express
IHOP
Rudy's BBQ
Wingstop
Buffalo Wild Wings
Genghis Grill
Other high-end great places are/were:
Texas Roadhouse
Joe's Crabshack
Cheesecake Factory
Spaghetti Warehouse
BJs
Fish City Grill
Bahama Breeze (closed)
Kona Ranch (closed)
My favorite casual dining places are:
Five Guys
Panda Express
IHOP
Rudy's BBQ
Wingstop
Buffalo Wild Wings
Genghis Grill
NOTE: I'm not on the forum every day. If someone comments on my post, I might not reply right away. I've been a shopper since 1991. I've never done any work for a MS company in any other capacity.
sandyf Wrote:
> What is a proofer?
Proofers are the employees of the mysery shopping companies who proofread your reports before they get sent out to the clients. They are also called editors at some companies and, sometimes, proofers and editors have different roles at certain companies. If you're really curious, you might consider checking out the "Ask the Proofer" thread. :-)
> What is a proofer?
Proofers are the employees of the mysery shopping companies who proofread your reports before they get sent out to the clients. They are also called editors at some companies and, sometimes, proofers and editors have different roles at certain companies. If you're really curious, you might consider checking out the "Ask the Proofer" thread. :-)
______________
For the record: I am a proofer who works for a mystery shopping company.
For the record: I am a proofer who works for a mystery shopping company.
The first time I went to Capital Grille I loved it. Last time...not so much. :-/
Fogo de Chao is great.
Ruth's Chris
Local restaurants for me as well. Fave is called Kyma. Greek place...my fave place I've eaten here.
Fogo de Chao is great.
Ruth's Chris
Local restaurants for me as well. Fave is called Kyma. Greek place...my fave place I've eaten here.
Texas de Brazil
Ruth's Chris
Capital Grille - dinner (lunch menu not so great)
Fleming
Oystercatcher (inside Grand Hyatt)
J. Alexander
House of Blues
Roy's Hawaiian
P.F. Chang
Ruth's Chris
Capital Grille - dinner (lunch menu not so great)
Fleming
Oystercatcher (inside Grand Hyatt)
J. Alexander
House of Blues
Roy's Hawaiian
P.F. Chang
Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@
~Polish Proverb~
~Polish Proverb~
The Keg, by far. Moxie's, a close second.
**********************************
Always take the high road.
Always take the high road.
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ProoferGuy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sandyf Wrote:
>
> > What is a proofer?
>
>
> Proofers are the employees of the mysery shopping
> companies who proofread your reports before they
> get sent out to the clients. They are also called
> editors at some companies and, sometimes, proofers
> and editors have different roles at certain
> companies. If you're really curious, you might
> consider checking out the "Ask the Proofer"
> thread. :-)
Just curious, if I may? What are the qualifications for your job and do you work from home or in an office? I've been told I have a good grasp of the English language and write fairly well, so I was just wondering how one becomes a proofer? Thank You and sorry to all, I didn't mean to hijack this thread.....
-------------------------------------------------------
> sandyf Wrote:
>
> > What is a proofer?
>
>
> Proofers are the employees of the mysery shopping
> companies who proofread your reports before they
> get sent out to the clients. They are also called
> editors at some companies and, sometimes, proofers
> and editors have different roles at certain
> companies. If you're really curious, you might
> consider checking out the "Ask the Proofer"
> thread. :-)
Just curious, if I may? What are the qualifications for your job and do you work from home or in an office? I've been told I have a good grasp of the English language and write fairly well, so I was just wondering how one becomes a proofer? Thank You and sorry to all, I didn't mean to hijack this thread.....
Warning: This User Has Been Banned or Is No Longer Active
Today for lunch I shopped Corleone's and had their Buffalo Chicken sandwich with blue cheese. Really really really good!
I second Roy's Hawaiian....I'm dreaming of the Pineapple Martini and Pineapple cake right now!
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