I used to shop Cheese Cake Factory in Mass. for a long time. I recently contacted the corporate office, they stated they do not Mystery shop them at all. I was thinking maybe they started up again, but no.

I have not shopped them in over 10 years

I heard a new company picked them up but I have not found them yet. I also moved to an area that did not have a CF when the last company went belly up, so I was not trying too hard to figure it out. Finally, I wrote to them on Jan 9th through a social media platform and never received a response.

Too bad. I would shop the Cheesecake Factory for reimbursement only if the report wasn't too involved.

You should read your ICA contract. Any MS company that I have worked for has a clause that forbids you to contact the client. You have no idea if you contacted the right person in the company, and they probably wouldn't tell you anyway. Bottom line you could be subject to a fine, and would definitely lose your standing to shop for the mystery shopping company that originally hired you. I have been mystery shopping for more than 10 years, and what your are complaining about is a common occurrence. There are potentially several reasons for it: The client may be looking for a new database of shoppers, even though many of us work for multiple companies, They may not be happy with the company that hires us, They may have intended it to be a short term project. You should also read the posting guidelines for this site. You are not supposed to mention the names of clients.

My understanding is this: You can't contact the client as it refers to a mystery shop you have performed and the company you are signed up with. If I do grocery shops and I'm not on a grocery shop and the employees were cussing/spitting in the food/treating another customer poorly, anything that I would find an offense-able act, I sure can contact the client and let them know. If I'm not signed up for the MSC that has they mystery shop, and I would know it because it would show on my shop log, then I can absolutely contact the client about it! Also she mentioned the client without the name of the MSC and that is allowed and even encouraged.

At least one of the MSC ICA's I've signed was a bit more specific towards contacting the client in regards to MSing in general - but was more designed to keep an IC from stealing the contract from the MSC. And I do know at least one of the ICA's specified refraining from contacting the client for a year.

In this instance, if the MSC no longer has the contract and more than a year has past, its probably okay (but I'm no lawyer).

The company is defunct, ergo the ICA is no longer valid.

@spicy1 wrote:

Too bad. I would shop the Cheesecake Factory for reimbursement only if the report wasn't too involved.

The reports were very involved when I did them 10 years ago.

Yikes. I just did another Freddy's because I keep driving by and thinking about the burger, their pickles are awesome, and custard and don't have time to stop. Then, I completed a report that was like a police investigation. Spicy1----kicks self in rear and places Freddy's back on 10-foot pole list

I thought the report was pretty easy for the Freddy's.

With 100 percent narrative on each bubble section plus an overall narrative at the end of the report for a qsr?

I have done three different reports for Freddy's. Two different ones currently. Both are easy peasy in my book, but they go fast!!! (Sorry to continue with the other topic here!!)

I wonder if it's the same MSC because my tears dried on my cheeks as I said, never again, never again! But I will buy myself one of their custards every now and then, through the drive-thru

Calling Corporate Cheese Cake Factory has no idea who I am. I did not state that I am a Mystery Shopper.
This had nothing to do with my contracts.

She's not working for their MSC, so she can contact the restaurant. She's not breaking any rules.

@rebshopin wrote:

You should read your ICA contract. Any MS company that I have worked for has a clause that forbids you to contact the client. You have no idea if you contacted the right person in the company, and they probably wouldn't tell you anyway. Bottom line you could be subject to a fine, and would definitely lose your standing to shop for the mystery shopping company that originally hired you. I have been mystery shopping for more than 10 years, and what your are complaining about is a common occurrence. There are potentially several reasons for it: The client may be looking for a new database of shoppers, even though many of us work for multiple companies, They may not be happy with the company that hires us, They may have intended it to be a short term project. You should also read the posting guidelines for this site. You are not supposed to mention the names of clients.

I agree her contact had nothing do with an actual shop. Anyone can contact a company to ask if they perform mystery shops. Not to mention, when a company goes out of business doesn't that render the contract null and void?

I hate when they ask for a narrative in each section and then another at the end as a "summary" So time consuming and repetitive. I agree!

I dont mind if its fine dining or Ruths Chris, but a burger and shoestring fries? Come on!

I was curious, how do you know Cheese Cake Factory is the client and it is not being shopped by a third party research company who contracted with the mystery shopping company to provide the shoppers? The fact that the corporate office said they do not mystery shop themselves may indicate they were never the client and a third party was. For example, I have done mystery shops for a company whose client is unknown to me, but the ownerof the mystery shopping company has told me the client is considering buying a chain restaurant and hired the mystery shopping company to count customers plus check prices at various locations across the United States while eating a meal. Obviously, the restaurant chain is unaware of this when you call their corporate office. I have also shopped businesses whose competitors are the actual client of the mystery shopping company. Another example is cell phone companies who use mystery shoppers to find out particulars regarding promotions and offers at a competitor as well as what the competitor is promoting to a face to face customer.
Therefore the shopper who said they contacted Cheese Cake Factory may not be vioating any cintract or agreement whatsoever if Cheese Cake Factory is being shopped by a competitor or potential buyer who is the actual client. The mystery shopping company should tell you if the target is a client first. If it is not then contacting it is not a violation.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2017 12:56PM by slapp.

After a while most shoppers get the feel for who the client really is by the focus of the shop. Some MSCs are upfront about it, either by publishing it in the guidelines or answering when asked directly.

They built a gorgeous Cheesecake 3 miles from me and if their shopped, i'd do anything to find out by who (almost anything)...don't care if they give a card such a fun place.

If the client is a potential buyer I don't believe any MSC would ethically just tell you who they are upfront or when asked therefore most shoppers will not get a feel for who the client is by the focus of the shop at a location that does not yet belong to the buyer who is the client. If most shoppers can simply get a feel upfront of the identity of the potential buyer of the business you are shopping which does not yet belong to the client or by simply asking the MSC can you give me an example of such a potential buyer's identity without stating here which is the MSC that told ?

How often do you think a potential buyer contracts mystery shops? Most shops are by the retailer, their competitor or a vendor. Some shops are conducted by research companies such as J.D.Powers. While I don't doubt it has happened, it would likely be a short project rather than the ones we know go on for a year or more.

@spicy1 wrote:

I don't mind if its fine dining or Ruths Chris, but a burger and shoestring fries? Come on!

I agree especially if it doesn't pay at least 25 bucks!

I have done a liquor store pricing audit, that I am sure was not the liquor store itself. Why would a company not know itself what the prices are? I think it was a competitor that wanted to price it's products competitively without doing the research themselves.

@rebshopin wrote:

You should read your ICA contract. Any MS company that I have worked for has a clause that forbids you to contact the client. You have no idea if you contacted the right person in the company, and they probably wouldn't tell you anyway. Bottom line you could be subject to a fine, and would definitely lose your standing to shop for the mystery shopping company that originally hired you. I have been mystery shopping for more than 10 years, and what your are complaining about is a common occurrence. There are potentially several reasons for it: The client may be looking for a new database of shoppers, even though many of us work for multiple companies, They may not be happy with the company that hires us, They may have intended it to be a short term project. You should also read the posting guidelines for this site. You are not supposed to mention the names of clients.

@rebshopin, spicy1 explained it real well. I hope you read and understood her explanation.

You should go back and read and study the things you suggested that shopper8 read in addition to carefully considering spicy1's post. You are confused and your post is way off-base.

CF shops are coming back, I believe. I recently got a couple of emails asking if I could do a bar shop for them.

It’s fine. They sometimes have good gift card deals where you can get get 2 slices for every $25. Stack that with 4-5% cashback and it’s a great deal. Otherwise, I can just go to Costco for $75-80 in gift cards for $100.

I as well was asked to do the bar shop awhile ago, but have't seen it since then, definitely not a monthly thing.
Problem was the bar is always so packed, can't see the bartender, and there was no food, so i passed.