@AZwolfman wrote:

@kenasch wrote:

@AZwolfman wrote:

When CMG cut the job pay by $7 and cut the reimbursement down to $5, it ...

AZ - you posted this incorrect info before and I corrected you then. This shop has never had a reimbursement so it was not cut down to $5 as you state. It has always been a flat fee which was cut from $27 to $25 and now it is $21 (22% from the original pay). So the pay was not cut $7, or 35% as you also state. What has changed is that the order requirement was reduced to as little as one taco and a kids chips. This info is clearly in this thread. The report was shortened and if done correctly can be completed in about 30 minutes. For me, it's still worth it.

kenasch,

I ignored your errant correction the last time, but since you apparently still do not have your facts straight and have publicly called me a liar, I will respond by educating you so that you can make more informed posts.

From reading the many posts in this thread and previous threads, I have concluded that the pay for Chipotle shops is apparently different in different areas of the country. Prices for Chipotle food varies also, even among different locations in the same city. For example, "catlassy" contends that these jobs used to pay $27, and I presume that is probably true where she shops. You say the job fee was cut at least twice and there was never a separate reimbursement. That may also be true where you shop. I have seen only one pay cut, but that 35% pay cut was drastic in my opinion.

I started doing Chipotle shops in June, 2012. The reports were very narrative -intensive and took an hour or more to write. That may have been a lot or writing for a shop that only paid $20, and that kept me from doing more of those shops, but the fully reimbursed burrito meal was tasty and large enough to provide me with a filling lunch. The reimbursement was also enough to pay for a bottomless drink. The narratives requirements were shortened a couple years ago so that it took about 30 minutes to write a report. That made the $20 pay more reasonable.

The reimbursement was always $10. The job fee itself was always $20. Then in 2017 I received an email stating that, because of CMG's struggles, the reimbursement was being cut to $5 (although I was welcome to spend more out of my pocket). And the job fee was also reduced to $13. There was nothing mentioned about reducing the narrative requirement further. The email further stated that they hoped I would not stop doing the shops because of these changes.

Now if you are happy getting only $13 for this job and only getting reimbursed enough for a snack, then by all means move out here and shop Chipotle every month. There are currently still two on the board that have been there all month with no takers. One of them is within a 7 minute drive of me, but I consider the paltry pay not worth the time required to complete the shop and the report. Aside from that, I will not support a 35% wage cut for any shop unless the workload is also proportionately reduced. I shall leave such shops for you and others like you who continue to support such wage cuts when you take these jobs

@roflwofl wrote:

@brwnidgrl15 wrote:

[www.businessinsider.com]

First our pay was cut for Chipotle shops by $2, then it was cut by $4 and now Chipotle is raising prices so we'll make even less for the same amount of work. I know I can buy 1 taco and kids chips for $3 something but that's a waste of my time if I then have to go home and eat after spending 45+ minutes getting to and from and doing the shop. My time might be better spent elsewhere.

Although I'm not thrilled at Chipotle pay being less, the report was very much reduced when the $2 cut happened, and it has been reduced still more as the pay went down again in addition to the requirements being lowered, so we currently do a far lesser amount of work for a lesser amount of pay. I would actually say my per-hour fee increased due to the lower reporting requirements. We are making even less for even less work. However, if the prices increase, I will be emailing my scheduler to ask if there will be an off-setting increase in pay to compensate for increased menu prices.

I'm prepared for the MSC to say no. This is similar to A Closer Look. I've worked for ACL for several years. I shop many of same clients now that I shopped in 2010 - at the same reimbursement and no fee. At one local TexMex, there is a $25 reimbursement (NO pay, of course), the same as it was in 2010. EXCEPT, menu prices at ACL's TexMex client are about 30% higher than they were in 2010. Since reporting requirements have not diminished, that truly represents doing the same work for less money. Since ACL does not raise its reimbursements when menu prices increase at its client restaurants, I'm always surprised by the lack of criticism......and by their ability to fill those shops each month.

This do more for less seems to be the industry standard.

@janalou wrote:

Can anyone elaborate on the actual report? I have training materials I am looking at and see a boatload of narrative required.

@kenasch wrote:

@AZwolfman wrote:

When CMG cut the job pay by $7 and cut the reimbursement down to $5, it was a no-brainer that I decided without a moment's hesitation to not do their shops again. For what they are paying now, I should not have to write more than 3 sentences total for the report. $5 is not enough to pay for a decent lunch for one person. I might occasionally eat there, but I will not do same work for 35% less pay and only partial reimbursement for the meal. Their struggles were not my fault, and I will not subsidize them by working for peanuts.

AZ - you posted this incorrect info before and I corrected you then. This shop has never had a reimbursement so it was not cut down to $5 as you state. It has always been a flat fee which was cut from $27 to $25 and now it is $21 (22% from the original pay). So the pay was not cut $7, or 35% as you also state. What has changed is that the order requirement was reduced to as little as one taco and a kids chips. This info is clearly in this thread. The report was shortened and if done correctly can be completed in about 30 minutes.
I For me, it's still worth it.

@janalou wrote:

Can anyone elaborate on the actual report? I have training materials I am looking at and see a boatload of narrative required.

@Misanthrope wrote:

@janalou wrote:

Can anyone elaborate on the actual report? I have training materials I am looking at and see a boatload of narrative required.

In many cases narrative is only required if there's an issue. If, say, the chicken is fine you can get by without a comment.

@PuaM wrote:

I have never written one of those reports in under an hour. I do a bunch of them every month. I should be getting faster. I don't know what corners I could trim to get my reporting time cut in half. Suggestions?

@kenasch wrote:

@Misanthrope wrote:

@janalou wrote:

Can anyone elaborate on the actual report? I have training materials I am looking at and see a boatload of narrative required.

In many cases narrative is only required if there's an issue. If, say, the chicken is fine you can get by without a comment.

However they do want a comment if you actually ordered the item, even if it's ok. It can be fairly brief.

@ChrisCooper wrote:

@kenasch wrote:

@Misanthrope wrote:

@janalou wrote:

Can anyone elaborate on the actual report? I have training materials I am looking at and see a boatload of narrative required.

In many cases narrative is only required if there's an issue. If, say, the chicken is fine you can get by without a comment.

However they do want a comment if you actually ordered the item, even if it's ok. It can be fairly brief.

We need to comment in the first section on the look/appeal of every food item. In the next section, "taste," we comment only on the items that we ordered. A sentence or two for each item seems to be enough. It does require that you comment on "no" answers, e.g., if there was no expediter, you will need to write "There was no expediter" in the comments.

@DareWright wrote:

If they raise prices I'm not sure I'm going to continue doing these shops. Twice I've gotten sick from Chipotle (different locations, one was chicken and one was chorizo). I've ordered the taco to save money, and I definitely did not get the overstuffed ROFL type. My taco was thin and I ate it in about 2 bites. The chips are rarely good, they're usually either excessively salty or chewy. And then you have to do the phone call on top of everything else. I can make more money in less time with other companies, and not have to worry about getting sick.

@SoCalMama wrote:

I quit shopping one location after getting very sick.

@PuaM wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

I quit shopping one location after getting very sick.

I wonder if all the shoppers who mention getting sick are calling their local health departments.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@PuaM wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

I quit shopping one location after getting very sick.

I wonder if all the shoppers who mention getting sick are calling their local health departments.

I didn't have to. I saw that they were cited (by the Health Department) in the OC Register (Dana Point location). It was years ago. I wasn't queezy. I was really sick for days.

@LSUFan wrote:

Is it safe to eat the food at Chipotle? I have seen in the newspaper that some of their food has been contaminated several times in the past.

@catlassy wrote:

Yes in my area the shops used to pay a flat fee of $27- then it dropped a couple bucks. Now apparently I the price dropped again. I don't do these shops anymore so I am not aware of the new prices.