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Restaurant didn't give itemized receipt

September 28, 2017 02:25AM
Ack! I just did a restaurant shop - I got the bill, gave them my card. The bill came back to me and it only included the summary copies to sign. They removed the itemized receipt. I noticed this right away but I felt weird asking for it. Recently on a previous job, I tried to take the itemized receipt and the cashier said she needed to keep it. For this job the guidelines say they need the itemized bill to get reimbursed so I'm worried. Has anyone ever had this happen to them?
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September 28, 2017 02:30AM
If the company requires it, it's going to be tough to get the report approved. If the restaurant is still open and close by, can you get it ? Tell them you need itemized receipt for business expense report.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/2017 02:31AM by 7star.
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September 28, 2017 02:31AM
I've had it happen, and after much ado, client accepted job. i think because i'd shopped for them for years and they knew me....it's a toss up, good luck. I just had a bar audit where I got receipt for second drink and appetizer together, they wanted drinks alone, receipt for each drink, and receipt for appetizer. Job was accepted, but my scheduler fought for me.

Live consciously....
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September 28, 2017 02:33AM
I just tell them that I'm in town on business and need the itemized receipt to get reimbursed. They can always reprint multiple copies so if they tell you that you can't get one, ask for a manager because they are flat out lieing to you.
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September 28, 2017 02:34AM
Yes, you have to ask for it if they took it. Most of the time I take the itemized receipt out of the check presenter when the bill comes before putting my card in it. But if they take it, it's not uncommon to ask for it after they take it, lots of people need itemized receipts for expense reports. In fact, with the previous job, I would have insisted that I keep it. The cashier or manager can reprint it so there is no need for her to have said she needed to keep it. But like 7star posted, getting paid is probably going to be difficult if you don't have the itemized receipt.
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September 28, 2017 02:36AM
That has happened to me a few times. I call the restaurant, ask for a manger, and ask them to email me a copy.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
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September 28, 2017 02:52AM
Ah shoot. I'll try to call tomorrow and see if they'll email it to me. Fingers crossed. I didn't know that you could use the excuse that it's for an expense report. I also emailed the MSC support, because I'm certainly not filling out the report if I don't need to.
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September 28, 2017 03:30AM
BWW does this to me a lot. Now I snap a photo of the itemized receipt on my phone before I pay the bill.

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams
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September 28, 2017 04:18AM
I do that as well... take photo on the spot! and sometimes snag the itemized receipt from the presenter folio as well. Its amazing how they will toss them out. I have had to have a few retrieved from trash before, too. Crumpled receipts DO work.

TinaMarie
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September 28, 2017 04:03PM
It all depends on the MSC with theirs (or their clients) requirements. Sometimes the MSC clearly specifies to not ask for receipts if not given one and report as it happens. Then, there are some that openly requires us to ask for an itemized receipt if we did not receive one as well.

As someone pointed out, a sneaky way to ensure you at least have a copy of the itemized bill by snapping a quick shot of it while you're 'reviewing' the bill.

Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.
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September 28, 2017 04:21PM
Pregnancy brain is costing me money!
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September 28, 2017 04:22PM
Well congratulations!
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September 28, 2017 04:31PM
I never give them back the itemized receipt. When the server brings the receipt, I take out my wallet, remove my credit card, and put my wallet on top of the itemized receipt. I either hand the credit card to the server or put it on the table or in the payment folder. I have never had a server take back an itemized receipt from under my wallet. Some servers print another copy of the itemized receipt but none have ever demanded that I give the itemized receipt back to them.

If I were not given an itemized receipt for any reason, I would ask for one. This is not unusual. Anyone who is filing an expense report likely needs an itemized receipt.
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September 28, 2017 04:37PM
@roflwofl wrote:

I never give them back the itemized receipt. When the server brings the receipt, I take out my wallet, remove my credit card, and put my wallet on top of the itemized receipt. I either hand the credit card to the server or put it on the table or in the payment folder. I have never had a server take back an itemized receipt from under my wallet. Some servers print another copy of the itemized receipt but none have ever demanded that I give the itemized receipt back to them.

If I were not given an itemized receipt for any reason, I would ask for one. This is not unusual. Anyone who is filing an expense report likely needs an itemized receipt.

I don't put a wallet or purse over it, but I get out my ledger for my checkbook/account and write in the total, and then put the receipt in my checkbook and put it away. I then set out my debit card to be used. I've also never had anyone try to take it back or ask where it went.

MegglesKat
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September 28, 2017 04:51PM
Update: I sent an e-mail and they replied with a PDF copy! Sooo relieved.
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September 28, 2017 05:05PM
Good to hear !
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September 28, 2017 05:16PM
@hotsauce1 wrote:

Update: I sent an e-mail and they replied with a PDF copy! Sooo relieved.
its usually a no-no to contact mscs client directly. good luck. keep updated.
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September 28, 2017 07:09PM
Asking for the receipt after-the-fact is also frowned on? I contacted the restaurant and said I needed the receipt for a business expense, as others suggested to do.
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September 28, 2017 08:16PM
@hotsauce1 wrote:

Asking for the receipt after-the-fact is also frowned on? I contacted the restaurant and said I needed the receipt for a business expense, as others suggested to do.

I think we're talking about two different actions here. Asking for a receipt immediately after the fact because either you did not get one or the server threw it away is not a problem. Lots of people ask for an itemized receipt. I doubt the server would pay any attention. Leaving the location and contacting the client a day later to ask for a receipt is probably a little less common. It might make you memorable as a customer, but I would not consider it wrong. I don't think it's a "no-no to contact the client" in the instance of asking for a receipt.

Most ICA prohibit a mystery shopper from directly contacting the client, but I do not think asking for a receipt from a transaction is a prohibited action under the ICA.
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September 28, 2017 08:48PM
@roflwofl wrote:

@hotsauce1 wrote:

Asking for the receipt after-the-fact is also frowned on? I contacted the restaurant and said I needed the receipt for a business expense, as others suggested to do.

I think we're talking about two different actions here. Asking for a receipt immediately after the fact because either you did not get one or the server threw it away is not a problem. Lots of people ask for an itemized receipt. I doubt the server would pay any attention. Leaving the location and contacting the client a day later to ask for a receipt is probably a little less common. It might make you memorable as a customer, but I would not consider it wrong. I don't think it's a "no-no to contact the client" in the instance of asking for a receipt.

Most ICA prohibit a mystery shopper from directly contacting the client, but I do not think asking for a receipt from a transaction is a prohibited action under the ICA.
thats why i said usually. either way its not the norm for mystery shop.id be interested in how the msc or client handles it. op did u explain what happened in report/
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September 28, 2017 10:08PM
Last week I forgot to snap the photo and the server, who had been excellent, brought back my credit card slip without the itemized receipt. He had mentioned he was about to go on break so instead I went up to the manager, who hadn't bothered to do a table touch during a very slow lunch period, and asked for it. He silently printed it out and handed it to me without making eye contact or asking how my meal was. Suffice to say it gave me plenty to mention in the manager evaluation portion of my report!
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September 28, 2017 10:25PM
I've had this happen mainly at bar dining shops. First time it happened I just submitted the card receipt and it was accepted with a note reminding me to get the itemized one next time..
Since the itemized one is the one they usually bring to the table to collect payment what I do now is when the server comes to pick up my payment, I hold the receipt in my other hand and act like I'm reading it (especially works when they list some type of survey on it) or just put it in my pocket.
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September 28, 2017 10:52PM
I usually try to take a picture of the itemized receipt discreetly before paying. Whenever I could not do that and they took away the itemized receipt, I asked for it back. Even if they try to make excuses, I ask for the receipt back (or a reprint). I don't care if it is awkward. I want to get paid.
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September 28, 2017 11:16PM
I'm glad it worked for you!

@hotsauce1 wrote:

Update: I sent an e-mail and they replied with a PDF copy! Sooo relieved.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
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September 30, 2017 01:10AM
Would taking a photo with your camera be acceptable.
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September 30, 2017 01:20AM
Yes.
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September 30, 2017 02:16PM
I had this happen and was told they could not reprint my itemized receipt. I asked for a manager and was not it was not possible to reprint my receipt. I then told the cashier, I needed my itemized receipt and to rering my meal. I took a photo, submitted the photo of the screen and was suspended from those particular shops until I explained WHY my itemized receipt was a computer screen shot.
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September 30, 2017 03:16PM
yellowflower, if you took a photo of the receipt, why didn't you just email it to yourself as an attachment and then upload it to the report?
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September 30, 2017 04:49PM
I was never given the itemized receipt to begin with.
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September 30, 2017 04:58PM
I always just take the itemized receipt before I pay. I have never been asked to return it. I would not feel funny asking for the itemized receipt if necessary.
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