@bgriffin wrote:
There was an out of pocket expense.
@BirdyC wrote:
@bgriffin wrote:
There was an out of pocket expense.
I'm confused, then! The shopper stated that woman paid for dinner and the drink. It sounded to me as if the shopper didn't have anything out of pocket.
OP, did you have any out of pocket expense? Am I missing something?
If the shopper is told to go ahead and submit the report, and it's accepted, if she/he did pay out of pocket for anything, then that amount (only) should be reimbursed. Yes; I agree in that case. Reimbursement applies only to what the shopper paid.
@Misanthrope wrote:
The payment for the meal came out of someone's pocket, just not the shopper's pocket.
@bgriffin wrote:
It depends on the MSC. A reputable one would pay.
@isaiah58 wrote:
@bgriffin wrote:
It depends on the MSC. A reputable one would pay.
If a restaurant comps a meal, the shopper is not reimbursed. Though not apples and oranges, this is more like lemons and limes.
The problem with this, if reimbursed when simeine else pays our tab, is that shoppers would take advantage of such a "loophole." They would have a friend pay their bill, then use the second reimbursement to cover the friends dinner.
Before reading the responses, my opinion was the shopper just got their free meal. Their best option was to reschedule and get a reimbursed (reported) meal as planned.
@BirdyC wrote:
The definition of "reimbursement" isn't subject to opinion.
@bgriffin wrote:
@isaiah58 wrote:
@bgriffin wrote:
It depends on the MSC. A reputable one would pay.
If a restaurant comps a meal, the shopper is not reimbursed. Though not apples and oranges, this is more like lemons and limes.
The problem with this, if reimbursed when simeine else pays our tab, is that shoppers would take advantage of such a "loophole." They would have a friend pay their bill, then use the second reimbursement to cover the friends dinner.
Before reading the responses, my opinion was the shopper just got their free meal. Their best option was to reschedule and get a reimbursed (reported) meal as planned.
Absolutely if a restaurant comps a meal the shopper is not reimbursed. The restaurant is "paying" for the meal one way or the other. It's actually no different. However, when someone else picks up the tab the restaurant is getting paid for the meal so they should be reimbursing it.
Your "loophole" makes no logical sense. You are attempting to manufacture money that is not there.
The shopper does not get a "Free" meal in mystery shopping. That's the attitude that non-reputable MSCs use to take advantage. The shopper works (evaluates an experience and writes a report) and in return they are paid the cost of the meal and possibly a fee.