I fear that I have been outed.

I shop a higher end restaurant regularly and have done so for over a year. There are bar visits, dining room visits, and lunch shops. The restaurant is quite large and there are a ton of staff; I think we only have had the same server twice.

Last night we had a visit from both manager's on duty, both of whom welcomed us back and engaged us in super long chats with pasted on smiles. The server, who was new, came to our table about every 2 minutes. My water glass was refilled before it was empty multiple times. Another server stopped by to inquire about our meal (bonus points on this particular survey). We were invited back for an upcoming event by two employees (bonus points as well and something that gets missed 95% of the time). I feel like the entire staff team bid us farewell as we walked out the door.

Needless to say, it was a perfect report. I'll be avoiding that location for a while! Or maybe not, I LOVE their food and the atmosphere.

Thoughts??? Steer clear or continue to visit?

Did you notice this behavior with any other patrons? It's possible they got the report and have upped the service for everyone.

I would ask your scheduler. Perhaps they will rotate the shoppers at that location more often to truly evaluate service.

There are very few shoppers in my area signed with the MS company so they are not able to rotate as frequently as they would like.

I didn't note as much attention to other tables, but it was darker and I couldn't see a ton of other patrons. My husband felt that the server was quite attentive to the table behind me but didn't see the same interactions with the management team.

Is there any chance that a 'regular' at the place will get more attention, as opposed to someone who might just be passing through and never eat there again?

I too have experienced the same thing at a restaurant that I shop regularly. I thought they might have figured out who I was or that they just treat regulars better.

I felt that way about Five Guys where I had done a lot of shops. The managers started to be too attentive. It wasn't too many visits after that when Five Guys stopped showing up on my job board. :-(

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2013 10:10PM by DRJ.

I am positive Five Guys replays video. They are way too attentive to the shoppers.

DRJ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I felt that way about Five Guys where I had done a
> lot of shops. The managers started to be too
> attentive. It wasn't too many visits after that
> when Five Guys stopped showing up on my job board.
> :-(

CANADAMOMMY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am positive Five Guys replays video. They are
> way too attentive to the shoppers.
>
> DRJ Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I felt that way about Five Guys where I had done
> a
> > lot of shops. The managers started to be too
> > attentive. It wasn't too many visits after
> that
> > when Five Guys stopped showing up on my job
> board.
> > :-(


I just performed my first Five Guys shop about a week or so ago. All three employees were really attentive to me and the few other customers that came and went during my visit. Maybe their training really stresses great customer service. I was not impressed with the food though but I don't usually eat at those places so I am spoiled.

Dhunt, this is a good spot to be in. If they know you are the shopper, and are smart enough to keep quiet about it, you can enjoy exceptional service and easy reports.

Michael. As usual, you go for the dishonest side of things.

I had dinner a few weeks ago at a large national Mexican food chain...not on a shop. I was on vacation half way across my state and no one knew me. The manager came over and chatted with us for over 20 minutes. He sent the server over to take our order and then he delivered it himself. After he left us he came back several times to check and bring us water and drinks. At another dinner (this was a shop) in a town I had never been to I was caught looking around the dining room by the manager. The restaurant had unusual and beautiful decor. This was the real reason I was looking around but the manager thought I was looking to get someone's attention and came over to see what I needed. Since the manager appeared to be in her mid 20's I did not immediately figure out she was the manager in this high end restaurant. After we chatted for some time about the decor and the story behind it, she revealed to me that she had just moved up the chain to manager and was really enjoying her job and the much better pay. Upon leaving she had the server put extra items in my take home box. In neither case was I "caught" especially since one of them was not even a shop.
I know we shoppers can get paranoid about these things but great service does sometimes happen in real life. On the other hand I have been on shops where I sensed they recognized me and have gotten the same poor service as usual.

Lol. I find that I act more 'shoppery' when I am not shopping - I call servers by name if they have a nametag (unless I am officially 'shopping,' because then I don't want to call attention to myself...), I ask questions about the restaurant or how things are made or whatever... I would be afraid I had been 'made' if I got service as in the OP after having shopped the place a number of times and never having gotten that service before. I think it would be quite a while before I applied for that particular shop again, even if I loved the place If a scheduler was insistent, I would explain my concerns and let him/her make the call.

It's all dishonest, Mr computer. The only difference is what or who you believe to be the final authority. To whom do you tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Who gets less, and why?