Start to the end of restaurant mystery shops?

Just got an email from an MSC that does some Chili's shops in my area. They just noted that this month will probably be the last they will be doing Chili's shops. They indicated that Chili's will start getting customer feedback via Ziosk table tablet ordering systems. See link for info on Ziosk. This does not appear to be a good development for mystery shopping at least fast casual restaurants. Chili's is putting 45,000 of these in their restaurants.

[ziosk.com]

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Chili's is not currently shopped in all areas. It's regionally shopped. Many of the Chili's locations have long relied on a customer service survey, offering a sweepstakes entry for participation, instead of mystery shopping.

The local Chili's already have these tablets in use. It virtually eliminates the need for an interactive server, allowing you to access the menu and communicate your order directly to the kitchen and push a button for beverage refills. You can also pay through the tablet. I am not sure what it will do to the tipping structure but I am betting fewer diners will be inclined to tip. The servers at my favorite Chili's still perform the same duties during this "education" period when few diners understand how to use the tablet but a recent server joked that he is "training my replacement" and confided that he will probably be job-hunting, because, as more guests use the tablet, he becomes a "carhop" of sorts and he expects Chili's will need fewer servers and that those "carhops" will not be tipped - noting that all he will do is deliver food from the kitchen to the table.

Wow. Are they trying to save money by doing this or are they just trying for a gimmick? Servers are among the cheapest staff in a restaurant. In many states the minimum hourly wage for servers is 2.13, and for that you can require "side work" like polishing and rolling silverware, preparing salads, and cleaning floors.

Wonder what they'll do with low vision customers ...

I'd be more concerned if I was a waiter or waitress than if I shopped Chili's. If McDonald's is forced to $15 minimum look for more of the same.

Customer feedback is not a new invention.

I think the McD service in most cases would improve by leaps and bounds.......although I think many McD employees would no longer be employed.

Not Your Average Joe's (Northeast chain) has been doing this for a long time. It's an iPod touch attached to what amounts to a wooden cutting board that they also put your bill on.

______________________________________________________________________
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.

Manufacturing is gone leaving lower paying service jobs. Now cashiers and servers are being replaced by computers. What a country!

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

Also many restaurants and businesses have, at times, had exit surveys. I do the job when I can get it. Love to all, Anne

Nothing new really.... receipt surveys etc have been around for years and years.... some mimic the exact same questions as a report for the same place.

Wait, what? I've never heard of these tablets. So, what you're saying is you don't see a server when you first sit down? You just order from a tablet and they bring the food? I would hate that. I want to see a friendly face bring me water and tell me what they recommend. What a shame. SMH

There are two types of people in this world: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.

I think I heard The Counter is considering using an ordering system and I got several emails recently from the msc saying it was the last month for ms jobs at that place. Some of my local grocers have checkout lines that are self serve and so does Home Depot although I have noticed in my area they still, after several years, seem to have to have an employee monitoring each line.
The sad part I find about the restaurant surveys I see is that many of them are done by TUAU which was my very fave msc until they got swallowed up by the big msc. Whenever I get a receipt with a survey on it that says TUAU I get sad because it reminds me how I miss them.

I still think that they should keep us regular shoppers, at least every so often. The customer feedback at the table is not going to give you exact timing on your food and drink orders nor will they get detailed feedback in other areas like they have us do now. A regular customer is not going to be paying attention to the parking lot or the smudges on the doors. Nor will they be able to give an accurate wait time for seating...

Just sayin'

O.o o.O

Happily shopping New England and beyond!!!!!

One of my friends who travels a lot told me about the iPad ordering at hamburger restaurants at airports.

People are still making and delivering the food, so I would think some MS would remain.

It is sad that digital devices have replaced people now too. I am not over being pissed off how the popularity of downloads shut down most of the book and record stores in the world. Sooooo sad!!!

I read an interesting article the other day that said NOTHING takes the place of a real mystery shopper and their feedback.

Customers who get $10 to go online or those little comment cards do NOT take the in depth research that an actual TRAINED professional shopper does and looks for.

I do not think you have a thing to worry about.

Sure, they may try it and give it a chance. But just remember, that customer is NOT being paid like we are.

He/she could give inaccurate feedback or all YES answers. And even MORE ,if the company offers them $10 buck at the table for their dinner for filling out the survey, they are STILL not going to get the high accuracy, observations and feedback that WE give as mystery shoppers. And even STILL, the customer can put any answer he wants on the tablet but a trained shopper will put the highly accurate information.

And one MORE thing. We are sworn to the code. The customer is not. There is no punishment for a fabricated report for the customer. Mystery shopping offer invaluable feedback. A company that will SOLEY rely on table tablets to get their feedback is going to hurt the employees/companies to some degree.

I agree with Sunnydays.

As long as restaurants have real people serving customers, (Chili's seems to be moving away from this) there will always be the need for professional shoppers to provide feedback. Ziosk positions itself as follows,

"Ziosk is the industry leader for tabletop menu, ordering, entertainment and payment with the largest deployed network in the U.S."

They do also promote their feedback option. "Guests are able to give real time feedback through a proprietary tool called zSurvey™. Over 20% of guests opt-in to zSurvey without incentive where traditional printed receipt methods yield less than 1%."

What do you think the quality of that feedback will be compared to mystery shopping? I can even see some restaurants using Ziosk or something like it for their ordering also use mystery shopping.

Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut

I love the Exit Survey's. Pay is better than most.

I don't think you need to worry about the end of restaurant shops. There are only so many different ways to cook a chicken and restaurant franchises will continue to live or die on service. I do expect a shift toward video shops as the gadgets become cheaper and more reliable and minimum wage rises. This will also help the industry combat shopper fraud and allow the mscs to start delivering on some of their incredible marketing puffery.

~
up, up, down, down, left, right,left,right, B,A, start.

Restaurants must have "felt" a need to have mystery shoppers evaluate their properties.

Think of the 1000's of shops we perform, from Fast Food to Fine Dining.

I just don't see robots or table tablets taking our place

I have eaten at Chili's at least three times since they put in the tablets (I have never MS'd them). While they are cool looking, and have games the kids like to play, we have never actually placed our order on one. You have the option, but I haven't seen many people do that in favor of telling the server what they want. The server still comes to the table to get your drink and food order, deliver the food and check back. I have used it to pay with my cc, and it has never affected my tipping. I think it is likely we will start seeing much more of this soon.

This may be a trend for more casual restaurants but I can't see it catching on all over. Most people go to a restaurant for 2 reasons: too tired/busy to cook, and they want to be waited on. A machine that takes orders at their table is not the equivalent of the service they'd get from a waiter.

HA! See I'm the exact opposite. I'd much rather not be waited on. It's one of the reasons I have little desire to go to high end restaurants and 4 star hotels.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Anti-social rat bastard

:raises hand:

Seriously, I eat at restaurants because I want the food, that is the only reason. If I could push a button and it would magically show up on my dinner table at home and I never had to actually speak to a person in order for that to happen I would be ecstatic!

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

You sound just like an ex-boyfriend of mine. Ex being the operative part of that sentence

Another thing: How many diners want to be bothered by answering questions about how their meal was?

Answer: None. (or very few)

How many want to relax at restaurants and enjoy the food and conversation, not poking at a tablet?

Answer: Most.

I think the machines are a waste of money...

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. If I'm going to pay restaurant prices it's because I want them to do the work. Otherwise I just made a steakhouse quality meal tonight for about $20 for two, maybe $25 with a drink and wine. And clean up was only 15 minutes.

bgriffin, with online ordering for delivery, you almost get your wish. Someone (who may be expecting a tip) still has to bring the food to your door. If you can use seamless.com you can leave the tip online. They only cover a few major metropolitan markets though. I don't care about being waited on either.

I have shopped Chili's for years. They have been shopped here by two different MSCs, the distinction being a geographic line, separating franchisees. Each MSC has vastly different observations and reports. Frankly, I would not spend my own money at Chili's, whether full-service, or tablet, though I enjoy the shops. I feel for hardworking $2.13/hour servers, being at the mercy of customers, too many of whom are cheapskates.

I shop restaurants, and very rarely do I have to go on my own dime. Whether a shop or on my own, it is for the overall experience of atmosphere and service, not just the food. Someone in my family, or me, can prepare delicious meals, for much less money than menu price, and time spent in report. And, grocery store reports are way easier. Take away the interaction with my server, which is usually enjoyable, put a tablet at my table, and much of my reason for being there has been taken away.

With tablet, the server will likely not receive a 15%+ tip. I don't see this as any more than an attempt to further screw servers out of income, and some diners out of the expected experience. If presented with the opportunity, I will voice my opinion.

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