@imsuzie2 wrote:

mizg, Any chance you can find a dining buddy? I have a USPS buddy, and I am sure there are single shoppers (or married with a spouse like yours who does not like to eat out much) who would jump at the chance. One week (or day) it is your meal shop, and the next is theirs...hugs

This would be great. Anyone in Brooklyn or Queens?! Ha!

You know the thing about my wife...she likes to eat out frequently, however she does not like to be told where & when to eat, and what to order (even if it's pretty simple like 1 appetizer and 1 entree).

I have a varied work schedule and would definitely be able to hit up more restaurants during the weekdays if I had a mystery shopping buddy.

I tried to get my cousin to go with me once, but she was hesitant. When she finally said yes, the shop (great restaurant under half a mile from her apartment!) was no longer available. When I told her, she said something like: "Oh good! Now we can eat where we want!"

I am concerned that other people will flake out on me, I will need to cancel shops, and then the MSC will put me on their naughty list. Boo.

@mlzg wrote:

Really? Everyone shares dessert? My wife and I couldn't agree on a dessert to share during a shop, so we each got our own. The MSC has emailed me directly twice to see if I'd go back to that same restaurant. I don't think they had a problem with that.

@roflwofl wrote:

Yes, most shops don't allow you to order anything to go, although I can't think of any that will not allow you to take home leftovers. So, you could each order a dessert, and, when served, be "too full" and ask for a take-home box. I have taken one bite and then taken home dessert before. Ordering more than one dessert per person, even if allowed, might make you stand out in a bad way, though.

mizg, you are confusing me. I'm not sure why you are quoting me when talking about "Really? Everyone shares dessert?" My post says nothing about sharing dessert. My post clearly says " So, you could each order a dessert,..." I did say ordering more than one dessert PER PERSON might make you stand out ..... but I said nothing about sharing dessert. Who are you talking to? Did you mean to quote someone else or did you just read my post incorrectly?


edited for spelling problems I hope I got them all ...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/29/2017 02:22PM by roflwofl.

I definitely misunderstood your statement there sorry about that!

Maybe I shouldn't write to anyone at 1:00AM.

@roflwofl wrote:

@mlzg wrote:

Really? Everyone shares dessert? My wife and I couldn't agree on a dessert to share during a shop, so we each got our own. The MSC has emailed me directly twice to see if I'd go back to that same restaurant. I don't think they had a problem with that.

@roflwofl wrote:

Yes, most shops don't allow you to order anything to go, although I can't think of any that will not allow you to take home leftovers. So, you could each order a dessert, and, when served, be "too full" and ask for a take-home box. I have taken one bite and then taken home dessert before. Ordering more than one dessert per person, even if allowed, might make you stand out in a bad way, though.

mizg, you are confusing me. I'm not sure why you are quoting me when talking about "Really? Everyone shares dessert?" My post says nothing about sharing dessert. My post clearly says " So, you could each order a dessert,..." I did say ordering more than one dessert PER PERSON might make you stand out ..... but I said nothing about sharing dessert. Who are you talking to? Did you mean to quote someone else or did you just read my post incorrectly?


edited for spelling problems I hope I got them all ...

Ordering tons of food and to go is frowned upon in mystery shopping. It is a trigger that you are mystery shoppers.

I was just offered one of these, but haven't done it before. Does anyone have any experiences with these reports? Are they fairly simple, or unnecessarily long? I don't typically take reimbursement only shops, but I could use the CC points so I am considering this one. But an overly long, complicated report would negate this benefit for me.

@mlzg wrote:

You know the thing about my wife...she likes to eat out frequently, however she does not like to be told where & when to eat, and what to order (even if it's pretty simple like 1 appetizer and 1 entree).

I have a varied work schedule and would definitely be able to hit up more restaurants during the weekdays if I had a mystery shopping buddy.

I tried to get my cousin to go with me once, but she was hesitant. When she finally said yes, the shop (great restaurant under half a mile from her apartment!) was no longer available. When I told her, she said something like: "Oh good! Now we can eat where we want!"

I am concerned that other people will flake out on me, I will need to cancel shops, and then the MSC will put me on their naughty list. Boo.

Your wife is not a good shopping partner.

My husband is not a good shopping partner. I ordered a skinny margarita. He said, "That sounds good. I'll have one too." #1 obviously he can't order what I order. #2 no way on God's green earth does anyone in their right mind think that MY husband normally drinks that. I had to back out of my order and get whiskey (my regular drink). I haven't taken him since. Somebody that educated should know better after 20 years of shopping.

Oh, flake on me once after confirming, gets you off my list unless it is something very major. People on my list get free, fabulous vacations. They just need to be on call to eat and drink all the time when we are on a job. If I need you to hit 4 bars with me, you'd better be on it. If I need you to split a dessert, I'm flexible about what we order, but I am not ordering two desserts. I'll let you eat it all by yourself.

ETA: If the lunch reimbursement is $125, here's how I roll. Order off the bottom 2/3 of the menu by price. Order the requirements. Get what you can feasibly eat without taking it to go. I don't think that it is fair to the server to order a massive entree and appetizer and reasonably expect them to offer dessert. Should they? Yes. Is it normal to expect the guest to accept when they have a pile of to-go boxes? No.

I do a regular account where the reimbursement is a generous $125. I spend anywhere from $60-$100 usually. I spent $124 last time, after ordering $15 hummus. (Rip off, but everything else was loaded with bacon on the app menu. Barf.) If there are Happy Hour drinks, the bill is lower. I am not the type to order a $17 strawberry margarita in a hollowed out pineapple. Act "normal" and you'll be asked to shop again.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2017 06:21PM by SoCalMama.

I just solved the problem of ordering to go by getting a BBQ job "to go", with a 40$ reimbursement. Other than that, ordering, especially to go is not allowed, but taking food (leftovers) home is good. I'm on a confusing thread, but I eat alone often, having many jobs for one. What's the problem of eating alone/ Upscale restaurants will give a magazine for woman who travel alone while working, although they want 2 for nice dinners. I'll bring a friend who knows the deal and doesn't give me away. The Op ..sorry, but it seems so confusing, just clue your wife in, don't order the same entree...blah blah blah!!!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2017 10:34PM by Irene_L.A..

Just try not to comment on the ordering requirements in the report.

I was editing for a while for a company, where the reimbursement amount is also the MINIMUM bill total, unless the bill was comped. This isn't too much a problem as they also pay a small fee. I have done these shops myself several times and the reimbursement is reasonable for the ordering requirements. I edited one report where the shopper went all out and ordered a steak and lobster, and a bottle of wine. The bill came to $150, then the shopper commented that they are a student and can't afford to eat at that restaurant again.

SoCal: She is a good shopping partner in that she will follow instructions, help me remember details, etc. She doesn't *like* doing it though. She prefers to go wherever and whenever, and not have to go to a certain restaurant during a specific time frame. I know when she's available and that she won't back out, so she's basically the only guest I can bring along now. All restaurant shops I see require I bring at least 1 adult guest in addition to myself, and most other people I might want to bring along would either not follow directions well (like you said: "I'll have the same" ahhh!) or they might flake out on me. I have had so many friends and family members text me the morning of to tell me they are going to be 1-3 hours late for our restaurant plans. The MSC would most certainly drop me. Wifey comes with me to restaurant shops to be nice and allow me to partake in my hobby. Ha. In return, I will go with her to see whatever super hero/action movie is out...if she asks...

@SoCalMama wrote:

@mlzg wrote:

You know the thing about my wife...she likes to eat out frequently, however she does not like to be told where & when to eat, and what to order (even if it's pretty simple like 1 appetizer and 1 entree).

I have a varied work schedule and would definitely be able to hit up more restaurants during the weekdays if I had a mystery shopping buddy.

I tried to get my cousin to go with me once, but she was hesitant. When she finally said yes, the shop (great restaurant under half a mile from her apartment!) was no longer available. When I told her, she said something like: "Oh good! Now we can eat where we want!"

I am concerned that other people will flake out on me, I will need to cancel shops, and then the MSC will put me on their naughty list. Boo.

Your wife is not a good shopping partner.

My husband is not a good shopping partner. I ordered a skinny margarita. He said, "That sounds good. I'll have one too." #1 obviously he can't order what I order. #2 no way on God's green earth does anyone in their right mind think that MY husband normally drinks that. I had to back out of my order and get whiskey (my regular drink). I haven't taken him since. Somebody that educated should know better after 20 years of shopping.

Oh, flake on me once after confirming, gets you off my list unless it is something very major. People on my list get free, fabulous vacations. They just need to be on call to eat and drink all the time when we are on a job. If I need you to hit 4 bars with me, you'd better be on it. If I need you to split a dessert, I'm flexible about what we order, but I am not ordering two desserts. I'll let you eat it all by yourself.

ETA: If the lunch reimbursement is $125, here's how I roll. Order off the bottom 2/3 of the menu by price. Order the requirements. Get what you can feasibly eat without taking it to go. I don't think that it is fair to the server to order a massive entree and appetizer and reasonably expect them to offer dessert. Should they? Yes. Is it normal to expect the guest to accept when they have a pile of to-go boxes? No.

I do a regular account where the reimbursement is a generous $125. I spend anywhere from $60-$100 usually. I spent $124 last time, after ordering $15 hummus. (Rip off, but everything else was loaded with bacon on the app menu. Barf.) If there are Happy Hour drinks, the bill is lower. I am not the type to order a $17 strawberry margarita in a hollowed out pineapple. Act "normal" and you'll be asked to shop again.

That is pretty funny! "The food was great, but I'm never coming back as I cannot afford this and don't fit in at all."

I appreciate the tip. I will make sure not to comment on the requirements in the report!

I usually spend more (anywhere from $1 - $25) than the maximum reimbursement, so I would think the restaurant wouldn't be so upset that I spent some of my own money there. So far, all restaurant shops have been approved quickly. The MSC I use approves of my shops anywhere from 1-24 hours after submission. I haven't waited more than a day for the past 6 or so months. I'm grateful I haven't had any issues yet!

@Kakita987 wrote:

Just try not to comment on the ordering requirements in the report.

I was editing for a while for a company, where the reimbursement amount is also the MINIMUM bill total, unless the bill was comped. This isn't too much a problem as they also pay a small fee. I have done these shops myself several times and the reimbursement is reasonable for the ordering requirements. I edited one report where the shopper went all out and ordered a steak and lobster, and a bottle of wine. The bill came to $150, then the shopper commented that they are a student and can't afford to eat at that restaurant again.

Hi Irene!

That sounds great! Out of curiosity, sometimes I search other zip codes to see what shops they have available. I searched 90210 (ha) once and saw that the MSC I use had several pizza delivery shops available. They also had movie theater shops that don't make you have a teen try to get into an R-rated movie. I was really jealous! 95% of shops by me that I see are for car service or test drives... Me no likey. All I do is $4-$5 phone shops and restaurant reimbursements.

Wifey is definitely clued in. She's great at remembering age/height/facial hair etc. of the staff and we eat very differently (I'm vegetarian, she's a big meat-eater), so it works out. However, she would rather not have an appointment for lunch or dinner. She'd prefer that we just roll out of bed whenever and decide when to go eat based on when we are hungry. She understands that I'm frugal and enjoy this though, so she has agreed to a restaurant shop once per month.

For this particular upcoming restaurant shop, the ordering requirements when I signed up stated "at least one appetizer and two different entrees". I checked with her and she was cool with it. Once it was assigned, it took a while for more details to show up (it was far from the shop date when I requested). All of a sudden... now a dessert is required. She is not thrilled that we are being told to order dessert. I told her if she's full, she can take a tiny bite, and then I'll eat the rest. It's very hard to turn down sweets when they're in front of you and she's worried she will eat too much and end up with a stomach ache. I find it a bit annoying when these shops change their requirements after I already sign up. It seems to happen frequently with restaurant shops. Oh well.

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

I just solved the problem of ordering to go by getting a BBQ job "to go", with a 40$ reimbursement. Other than that, ordering, especially to go is not allowed, but taking food (leftovers) home is good. I'm on a confusing thread, but I eat alone often, having many jobs for one. What's the problem of eating alone/ Upscale restaurants will give a magazine for woman who travel alone while working, although they want 2 for nice dinners. I'll bring a friend who knows the deal and doesn't give me away. The Op ..sorry, but it seems so confusing, just clue your wife in, don't order the same entree...blah blah blah!!!!

MLZG I am sitting a block away from 90210 right now but may never venture to that zip code to do a pizza shop. First since you seem to not be near that zip code you might not realize that shops around here are scooped up at the original fees and almost never bonused. Then there are the parking headaches in this city!!! I personally have never done fine dining in the 90210 area but I would imagine most of those restaurants are with the heavy, heavy narratives and very exacting timings mystery shop companies. One day when I retire from my full time job I will venture out and do some of those.
As far as dessert is concerned...why can't you just order the dessert? We will have a cake and an ice cream..than your wife can take no part in it other than one will be placed in front of her which you can quickly move to your side of the table once the server departs.
And to the person who said a server might not offer dessert once you have ordered a whole lot of other food...that is one of the things the client is looking for. And there are people who always get dessert, in fact some who cannot wait til the meal is at the end so they can finally have dessert even if they have not eaten all their spinach first. My parents had dessert after every meal!!! I am happy to say I did not follow their tradition. But sweet tooths (teeth) still are out there.

@sandyf, I've done a majority of the fine dining stuff in B Hills. The food is just okay and parking eats up most of the fee. The westside has WAY better food options IMHO....except for Wolfgang Puck's steakhouse, Cut. That might have been one of the better meals I've had. Parking was outrageous because of the hotel it's located in, but it was worth it! I think my bar tab was $125 before we were seated for dinner...

Hi Sandyf! I don't plan on MSing in Cali any time soon. It was just a zip code that came to my mind when I found myself curious about shops in other areas. I'm in NY and I would say Cali is a bit too far for me to sign up for shops, ha! I don't remember if the shops that I thought were exciting were exactly in that zip code, or if they were nearby. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I put a 100 mile radius to see max search results. I'm still jelly over movie theater and food delivery shops no matter where they are!

And why I can't just order dessert and she not have any...? Because who can resist a warm chocolate chip brownie with gelato and homemade whipped cream when it's sitting right in front of you? That's what I ordered this weekend and it was incredible. Yes, she had about 1/3 of the dessert. Best whipped cream I ever tasted. Oy. Then we went to a Chinese New Year party and then a small get together for one of her coworkers. We were stuffed. The New Year party & coworker thing both came up after I had already signed up for the restaurant shop. This is why she limits me to 1 restaurant shop per month. The food was really delicious though!

@sandyf wrote:

MLZG I am sitting a block away from 90210 right now but may never venture to that zip code to do a pizza shop. First since you seem to not be near that zip code you might not realize that shops around here are scooped up at the original fees and almost never bonused. Then there are the parking headaches in this city!!! I personally have never done fine dining in the 90210 area but I would imagine most of those restaurants are with the heavy, heavy narratives and very exacting timings mystery shop companies. One day when I retire from my full time job I will venture out and do some of those.
As far as dessert is concerned...why can't you just order the dessert? We will have a cake and an ice cream..than your wife can take no part in it other than one will be placed in front of her which you can quickly move to your side of the table once the server departs.
And to the person who said a server might not offer dessert once you have ordered a whole lot of other food...that is one of the things the client is looking for. And there are people who always get dessert, in fact some who cannot wait til the meal is at the end so they can finally have dessert even if they have not eaten all their spinach first. My parents had dessert after every meal!!! I am happy to say I did not follow their tradition. But sweet tooths (teeth) still are out there.

When I shop during the day in BH, parking on So. Beverly is 2 hours free, but nights are difficult and you don't want to walk. That's L.A., Melrose has amazing restaurants but parking is still a problem. Someday, just do it.
Valentines day is almost here...lol.

@mlzg wrote:

All of a sudden... now a dessert is required. Wifey is not thrilled that we are being told to order dessert. I told her if she's full, she can take a tiny bite, and then I'll eat the rest. It's very hard to turn down sweets when they're in front of you and she's worried she will eat too much and end up with a stomach ache. I find it a bit annoying when these shops change their requirements after I already sign up. It seems to happen frequently with restaurant shops. Oh well.

[/quote]

We live in a cruel and harsh world sometimes. I guess it is a cross you'll have to bear.

I know. Life is tough. ha!

I am still annoyed that the ordering requirements change once assigned.

Dessert was delicious even if I did end up with a stomach ache...