Eating before taking pictures
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I microwaved a little bowl of oatmeal the other morning and took multiple pictures before it dawned on me.
I did it once and moved the food to look appropriate.....nothing was said, i was paid, and slept well on a full stomach.
Live consciously....
My hubby and I did it one night, laughed, and I emailed the scheduler for a different date. I have come close more than once. Another time we ate the appetizer and ordered a second one for photos since we messed up the first. I notified the MSC and they were okay with that.
I came close (again) to doing it yesterday. I had a shop at a bakery. I bit into the strawberry cream cheese croissant...OOPS! I unhinged my teeth, removed the teeth marks from the pastry, and rearranged the powdered sugar. I took the picture.
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
What about ideas on how to prevent this. I always warn my wife before sitting down but we forget sometimes. I now put my phone over the napkin and/or silverware to prevent me from eating before taking the photo.
The first time I did a bowling shop, my kids grabbed a piece of pizza each before I had a chance to take the photo. So I took it then, filled out the report, and e-mailed the scheduler to explain what happened. My report was accepted, and I was only marked down a few points.
The other day my husband plucked one french fry from the basket before I smacked his hand (not really, but I wanted to) and took the photos. But the basket was overflowing (literally, not figuratively) and it didn't make a difference in how the basket looked, how it was arranged, etc. If he'd eaten a handful, it would have been a different situation, of course.
The other day my husband plucked one french fry from the basket before I smacked his hand (not really, but I wanted to) and took the photos. But the basket was overflowing (literally, not figuratively) and it didn't make a difference in how the basket looked, how it was arranged, etc. If he'd eaten a handful, it would have been a different situation, of course.
I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
It comes down to a question of integrity. What about forgetting to check the restroom? Not asking a required question or coaching the server when the guidelines say not to. Ultimately a report is to be submitted, potentially with some type of narrative.
My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.
When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson
When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson
I once had to order a second portion of a delicious dessert because it looked so good I scarfed down half the first one before I remembered the photo...Too many calories but I was glad it was not the more expensive entree.
My very first Oregano's shop, I took out a big jalapeno pepper that was in the dish I ordered before I remembered. I put it back in as best as I could to make it look right. I didn't actually eat any of it though. It was my first restaurant shop where I had to take a picture and that was my excuse to my for doing it. Funny thing is the next time I did the shop, I did the same thing. I had no excuse then except for plain old forgetfulness. lol
What's done is done. An egg cracked cannot be cured.
There are 3 kinds of lies. Lies, Damn lies, and statistics.
There are 3 kinds of lies. Lies, Damn lies, and statistics.
I have reshopped because I made a mistake during a shop. I have also ordered an identical menu item because I forgot to take a picture first.
Once my dining companion stuck her fork into her entree of pasta. I had already taken a picture of the appetizer and she thought that was all I needed. Then I thought... Grated cheese! So we called the server over and my dining companion asked for CHEESE and more cheese! another time, I was doing froyo solo and I took a bite and remembered... so I hehe went up the counter and asked if I could purchase some more toppings to fill in the small gap. I repurchased an item one, a salad. thats about it. Oh! And another hotdog. so just those instances. I have come VERY close many times, though. I have done this for ten years now.
TinaMarie
One time my father got 2 pancakes. I had to take a picture but he took a bit out of 1 of the pancakes. They were placed on the plate to form the number 8. He took a bite out of 1 of them so I re-arranged the pancakes to look the same but the one that had some taken out was now the part hidden on the bottom. Shop was easily accepted.
Another time my guest ate a tad of her side dish, that was in a small bowl. I had the same one so I took a pic on mine then added a tad to hers and made it look untouched. Once again - report accepted.
Another time my guest ate a tad of her side dish, that was in a small bowl. I had the same one so I took a pic on mine then added a tad to hers and made it look untouched. Once again - report accepted.
@isaiah58 wrote:
It comes down to a question of integrity. What about forgetting to check the restroom? Not asking a required question or coaching the server when the guidelines say not to. Ultimately a report is to be submitted, potentially with some type of narrative.
I scheduled for a fast food restaurant chain. I had to keep of list of which locations actually had restrooms, since shoppers would forget to check or just not bother and then write in the narrative that the restroom was clean and well stocked.
@kenasch wrote:
What about ideas on how to prevent this. I always warn my wife before sitting down but we forget sometimes. I now put my phone over the napkin and/or silverware to prevent me from eating before taking the photo.
Good idea!
The times I had forgotten, I took pictures of the half eaten items and filled the report with a ton of detail that I may not have done initially. Exactly what the dish looked like before I ate it, exact timing of when we were greeted, served, checked on, etc.
I recently did a Mimi's for breakfast. I had eaten about 1/4 of the food before realizing I had to take a picture of it. I took the picture, but went back for dinner and did get the picture before eating. Luckily the shop could be done any mealtime.
Last night I did a bar shop at a high end restaurant. I got my drink and almost forgot to take the picture of it before I took the first sip.
Last night I did a bar shop at a high end restaurant. I got my drink and almost forgot to take the picture of it before I took the first sip.
Kudos to those who redid the shop or purchased a second item so they could get the picture. Personally, I don’t understand how anyone could forget and not be ready to snap a picture as soon as the food is ready. I guess maybe I need to shop better establishments because I’ve never been so overwhelmed by the food that I forgot why I was there. My question for those who admit they’ve tried to rearrange the food or hide that they began eating before remembering the picture: did you even bother with the rest of the report, or just make it up?
I had an especially chatty server and completely spaced taking a photo before taking a bite of a hamburger. I took the picture with the bite turned the other way. On my report, I made a note that told the editor exactly what happened and offered to redo the shop. The editor thanked me for letting her know and accepted the shop.
Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
TroyHawkins, taking photos of the food is something that's fairly new to me in consideration of the length of time I have been shopping, which is about 17 years. It is becoming more and more popular with MSCs so I am getting used to it, but I shopped for a decade or so before MSCs starting asking for food pics. I haven't forgotten to take the photos in a very long time but it has happened.
What actually disturbs me is shoppers admitting that they have rearranged items to hide the fact that they made a mistake. As if getting paid for the shops makes it okay. Dumbfounding.
@TroyHawkins wrote:
What actually disturbs me is shoppers admitting that they have rearranged items to hide the fact that they made a mistake. As if getting paid for the shops makes it okay. Dumbfounding.
To me, you have to look out for #1. Or else you are #2. And we all know what #2 is
TroyHawkins- I have not had to rearrange food, but I don't think that changing one bite out of food hardly makes a difference. The report is based mostly on timing, service, taste, and many other things. Once I took a bite out of a yogurt, I just stuck the spoon back in to the yogurt. I really don't think that is not about admitting a mistake. While it might be Dumbfounding to you, we do make mistakes. I have shopped a location with several food shops that I have been doing for years, never needed a picture until this year, easy to forget. I have had to go back about three times to do a shop over because of my mistake in 12 years, never involved food.
My reports are not made up, just because I moved something to make it look the same, they did not change portion or anything else. Getting paid has nothing to do with my mistake. Do you really think that I should contact the scheduler to tell her I put the spoon back in?
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2018 06:36PM by shopper8.
My reports are not made up, just because I moved something to make it look the same, they did not change portion or anything else. Getting paid has nothing to do with my mistake. Do you really think that I should contact the scheduler to tell her I put the spoon back in?
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2018 06:36PM by shopper8.
I look at it like this:
Our word is everything in this business. If a client challenges a report, the MSC needs to know that our word can be trusted. Any time we misrepresent anything about a report, we call our personal integrity into question and make it more difficult for the MSC to side with us.
Mistakes happen. If you take a bite out of the food, Take the picture, and own up to it. MSC's accept a lot of imperfect shops. As shoppers we don't always know what the emphasis of a shop is or what "issue" the client might be attempting to straighten out. Food pictures can be about timing verification. They can be about matching our orders to our receipts. They can be about food presentation. Be up front and the MSC will accept the shop if possible. If they can't, we learn from the mistake.
I have forgotten to check bathrooms. I have lost a business card. I have forgotten to ask mandatory questions. I have taken a bite of my food before taking a picture. I simply own up to the the mistake and apologize. Only once have I had a shop rejected - and the MSC reimbursed me anyhow. Our honesty is worth so much more to the MSC than one lousy picture.
Our word is everything in this business. If a client challenges a report, the MSC needs to know that our word can be trusted. Any time we misrepresent anything about a report, we call our personal integrity into question and make it more difficult for the MSC to side with us.
Mistakes happen. If you take a bite out of the food, Take the picture, and own up to it. MSC's accept a lot of imperfect shops. As shoppers we don't always know what the emphasis of a shop is or what "issue" the client might be attempting to straighten out. Food pictures can be about timing verification. They can be about matching our orders to our receipts. They can be about food presentation. Be up front and the MSC will accept the shop if possible. If they can't, we learn from the mistake.
I have forgotten to check bathrooms. I have lost a business card. I have forgotten to ask mandatory questions. I have taken a bite of my food before taking a picture. I simply own up to the the mistake and apologize. Only once have I had a shop rejected - and the MSC reimbursed me anyhow. Our honesty is worth so much more to the MSC than one lousy picture.
Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
I get that people make mistakes, and that shop specs can change. What I don’t get is the “No harm, no foul” attitude some members have displayed. I have yet to see instructions that say “the picture’s not really important.” But I understand that not everyone feels the same, so I only need to worry about myself.
SO you get a pizza the pepperoni is astrew..... do you re arrange it and take a pic?NO they want AS you got it. Rearranging to cover a mistake is falsifying.
I now keep my camera and phone on the table for reminder to take pic before eating.....so far, so good.
Actually took a pic of food and didn't have too.....
Actually took a pic of food and didn't have too.....
Live consciously....
I had my guest bite into his food while I was taking notes about the the delivery on my phone, before I could snap a pic. I made him by dinner and then rescheduled for the next night...and brought someone else.
Overall, it's like asking for receipts. I just do it every single time I get food in a restaurant and it becomes habit. In LA, it's now (somewhat) normal to yell, "Don't touch your food. I need a pic!" to your guest. The server wouldn't think twice about that....
Overall, it's like asking for receipts. I just do it every single time I get food in a restaurant and it becomes habit. In LA, it's now (somewhat) normal to yell, "Don't touch your food. I need a pic!" to your guest. The server wouldn't think twice about that....
@steve..whe I took you to lunch, I forgot to take pic, your conversation was so interesting....but they accepted report without it.....some just work with you...
Live consciously....
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