Restaurant Menu Audits

For those who don't know what I'm talking about.. You go into a fast food chain, cafe, etc and take photos of the menu. You are not to tell the employees what you are doing.

I have done them but I am curious about your experiences. To me, anything under $15 to do these are a waste of time. Anyone do these shops?

Silver Certified ~ Shopping all of Toronto and beyond

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Restaurants

I did one but they were too much of a pain to do again for the fee offered. It is quite difficult to sit in an empty coffee shop and try to get photos of all the menu items when there is just you and the clerk present.

Are you talking about the drive-thru shops where you take pictures of the menu board?

vabvol Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Are you talking about the drive-thru shops where
> you take pictures of the menu board?

The ones I am referring to require you to take photographs of all the 'in-store' menu prices, and is some circumstances, also take photographs of the display cases as well. It usually takes at least five different shots to get all the menu price boards and that assumes that your first try is properly centred and focused. Just not worth playing spy for the measly fee offered.

that shop sounds like a stupid at all, and I am do not bother to sign for it

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

I agrre too much photography demand is putting pressure on you to reveal yourself as a mystery shopper.

Sounds like you just need to go there when it's busy. They wont pay any attention to people in line at fast food places when its 7:15-7:30 AM. You could hold your phone up as you fake text on it and snap all the pictures you wanted while at the back of the line and not be noticed at all. I have not seen this shop as I have not registered on enough sites yet. Even if it's a small fee, if it's on your way and an in and out in 5 minutes shop, it could be worthwhile.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/09/2014 03:46AM by scanman1.

Yes, the ones of menus inside only.

I prefer to go when it's busy. If I have to, I make a small purchase usually no more than a couple of bucks. No one notices me with my pro camera (zoom lens). I find the point and shoot photos don't look crisp or clear when you zoom in and there is a higher chance of the shop being rejected. Or even having to go back a second time. I only do them when they are bonused $20 or more because sometimes you do go to the location and they are not busy. I like the fast food ones better than the cafe for reasons that Bena mentioned.

I'm not so surprised that many folks don't do them. The first one I did made me realize it's not so easy as it looks (mainly employees looking at you funny)

Silver Certified ~ Shopping all of Toronto and beyond

I did several once and never again. I will leave it to those with powerful zoom lenses.

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

~Polish Proverb~

I did cinabonn shop a couple month ago for another company and I need to make a shot from display, It was really hard to make it with cell phone camera and not to be close enough to get nice pictures, but make shots of whole menu without to be noticed..really hard

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

To me, those are not mystery shops. That is corporate espionage where a fast food company is simply engaging in price war tactics to find out what it's competition is offering for similar products. With some MSC's it requires a $1 purchase to prove you visited the location. Why would anyone visit a fast food restaurant and only purchase a single $1 item? Ridiculous!

**************************************************************
One buzzard to another while circling high overhead (paraphrased), "Patience hell! I want to shop somewhere."

I've been doing them all month. I route them, and it takes me about 2 minutes to type prices in the form, so I don't mind the $11-15 pay. I just did three last night, but unfortunately, the company decided to remove them from my shop list before my 24-hour entry deadline had passed. In fact, about six hours had passed, so I'm not very happy right now. I see they've already reassigned my shops, so I hope whoever got them will enjoy my pay.

I do, if I just want a pop or something.

spartygirl121 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...it takes me about 2 minutes to type prices in the
> form...

I think we are talking about different shops. The ones I was referring to do not require any price typing but they do require clear photographs of all the menu boards. As someone mentioned previously, they are more in the line of economic espionage than assessing customer service and product quality.

Bena Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> spartygirl121 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > ...it takes me about 2 minutes to type prices in
> the
> > form...
>
> I think we are talking about different shops. The
> ones I was referring to do not require any price
> typing but they do require clear photographs of
> all the menu boards. As someone mentioned
> previously, they are more in the line of economic
> espionage than assessing customer service and
> product quality.

The ones I do don't have anything to do with customer service or quality. It's strictly a price audit. You take photos of the menu boards and record prices for a list of items. You might be working for a different MSC and/or a different client than me.

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Restaurant Menu Audits

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine