Hello all (I am back),

I have a question re: the Five Guys shop requirement of standing by the cooking area, while our burgers and fries are being made, and not wandering off. I've found this a difficult requirement to keep fully (i.e., staying the entire cooking time) without looking suspicious.

When it is busy, it's not so bad, as the staff are often very hyper-focused on what they're doing and not noticing that I'm standing and staring at them. But, during less busy times, I feel like I stand out like a sore thumb. Most customers - I would say about 95% - will sit down and wait for their food. Every so often, I'll see another customer standing around the kitchen area to watching their food being made.

I am wondering how people perform this part of the shop without being overly conspicuous and looking suspicious. I had one employee ask me if I needed anything when he was making my burger and I was standing there watching him. There was only one other customer in the store that day. On another occasion, a manager making my burger kept looking up at me with prolonged direct eye-contact that was uncomfortable (this differs from the worker who occasionally looks up to glance my way and quickly goes back to doing what he or she was doing).

To break up the "staring sessions," I'll typically get my drink and place it on the table. I'll also get some condiments ready. But those actions only take up a relatively minuscule amount of time. And then I'm back to staring at them.

If workers know that shopper reports detail their cooking procedures and only a handful of individuals stand and watch them cook for an extended period of time, would that not give them a good idea of who is a shopper? Any way that we can avoid detection and still make the requisite shop report observations?

Hi shoptastic,

Welcome back! I'm glad you are still shopping.

Five Guys employees know that they are shopped. You won't come off as some creepy stalker by watching how many times they shake your fries.

Just take out your phone and fiddle with it. They will think you are reading twitter or whatever. I watch them but im discrete about it.
Welcome back.

I get my condiments verrrry, verrrry slowly, then I try to sit at one of the tables right in front of the counter so I can see what is happening. Welcome back

I grab a table right next to the pickup area and do some of my watching from there. Most of the places I shop have two to three seats that allow a full view of the cooking area and some are higher up so I can get a better visual of the floor behind the counter. I also get my condiments really slowly including filling the little catsup cup with malt vinegar and serve myself some peanuts.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2018 08:59PM by wwin.

I'm with Bena and wwin. I like the high table and chairs which gives me a better view of everyone. And you have to sit and eat a little anyway.

When there's a table right near the counter, I'll sit there. First, as others have said, I'll get my drink and condiments very slowly, then select a table and put them on there. If I have a table near the counter, I'll watch from there, but sometimes the tables aren't close enough or high enough to get a good view. So after getting the drink and other stuff, I usually go for peanuts and will stand around a few minutes eating them and watching the cooking. That'll eat up most of the time. Once I had a very, very long wait, and no way was I going to stand around. I ate my peanuts, made all the required cooking observations, then sat at a table where I could see what the staff was doing aside from cooking. I'm sure I would have stuck out like a sore shopper had I stood around waiting the entire time.

I worried about this a lot when I first started doing these shops, but some folks here said that in their areas, everybody stands around watching them prepare their orders. Not sure that's true here, but I've never really felt like I stood out as the shopper. Except on a couple of late-night shops. It's never busy then, and if you can't get a table near the counter, it can get weird.

Depends on the location for me. One is in a food court and everyone mills around waiting. The standalone store, most sit and wait. So as others have said, I grab a high top table where I can see the kitchen.
When I started shopping them, I stood and waited and munched on peanuts and a manager told me to have a seat LOL

@HonnyBrown wrote:

Hi shoptastic,

Welcome back! I'm glad you are still shopping.

Five Guys employees know that they are shopped. You won't come off as some creepy stalker by watching how many times they shake your fries.

Hi, HB

Long time no forum. I don't shop that much anymore, but I do do Five Guys, Papa John's, Sonic, Texas Roadhouse, and grocery shops. Those are almost exclusive for me now. I used to try all sorts of shops (so many weird and one-off ones I've done that don't have repeat opportunities), but the pay is so low that I just can't justify doing them anymore.

Five Guys is truly a gem shop. I really love their food and savor every moment of it. It might be fatty, but it's fresh and tastes real. I have three scheduled this weekend!

@BirdyC wrote:

When there's a table right near the counter, I'll sit there. First, as others have said, I'll get my drink and condiments very slowly, then select a table and put them on there. If I have a table near the counter, I'll watch from there, but sometimes the tables aren't close enough or high enough to get a good view. So after getting the drink and other stuff, I usually go for peanuts and will stand around a few minutes eating them and watching the cooking. That'll eat up most of the time. Once I had a very, very long wait, and no way was I going to stand around. I ate my peanuts, made all the required cooking observations, then sat at a table where I could see what the staff was doing aside from cooking. I'm sure I would have stuck out like a sore shopper had I stood around waiting the entire time.

I worried about this a lot when I first started doing these shops, but some folks here said that in their areas, everybody stands around watching them prepare their orders. Not sure that's true here, but I've never really felt like I stood out as the shopper. Except on a couple of late-night shops. It's never busy then, and if you can't get a table near the counter, it can get weird.

I agree those are good suggestions!

Thanks to you all. I will try that peanut eating one.

To summarize for others' sake:

1.) slowly get your drink
2.) slowly get your condiments
3.) eat some peanuts
4.) play around with your phone (on this one, do the guidelines say to avoid that - I seem to vaguely recall that, but don't have one in front of me to review)
5.) get a high-top seat next to the kitchen area if possible
6.) if the order take unusually long, walk away (after enough observations)...don't risk getting caught.

I've done 6.) before. I personally also choose to not shop a FG location again for months too if I think they highly suspect me. It might be extreme, but since I really like this shop, I'm willing to do what it takes to preserve its availability for the long-term.

Oh YAY shoptastic is back!

I don't sit there at the counter. I take a seat at a table, preferably a high top as someone else mentioned, where I can clearly see and hear what's going on in the kitchen.

The first time I did a Five Guys shop with my husband I told him to pick a table while I got the condiments. The one he chose did NOT have a view of the kitchen. He quickly learned that was a requirement :-)

One of the locations I shop had no high-top tables anywhere near the counter, and if you sat at a regular table, the half-wall between the dining area and the counter area hid your view of the kitchen. But last time I was in there, they had had some remodeling done, and all the tables were high tops. I hate high-top tables 'cuz I'm short and I have to climb up pretty awkwardly, but I'd rather do that and be able to see from there than loiter at the counter....

IIRC the standing at the counter guideline has more to do with making sure you heard your order number called the first time for accurate timing purposes. I do exactly like most others do and fill my drink, get condiments, select a table, eat some peanuts, then I mosey up to the counter when my order is nearing completion to make sure I am at the counter when my order number is called. This way, if the shop is ever reviewed on tape, there I am standing at the counter and my timing won't be questioned.

I make kitchen observations throughout my visit from the cash register, to the counter, and while sitting at the table.

PS: TIME for "Guys de la Cinco" to UP the antee for shop reimbursement: My small drink, small fries and single burger was $13.26.....but the top reimbursement is $12.50. (that is soooooooo 2017, Five Guys.)

IF YOU ARE LISTENING FIVE GUYS-- PLEASE INCREASE THE REIMBURSEMENT PLEASE. THANK YOU. I have noticed that FG really ups the prices steadily - seems like every 6 months all the food prices creep up steadily.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2018 04:30PM by catlassy.

I think they should adjust for regions where the prices are higher for sure. Where I live I am under the reimbursement. It's the MSC's fault I think.

There are different tax rates for different locations which has an effect on the prices. But, I always end up paying more, too.

@catlassy wrote:

PS: TIME for "Guys de la Cinco" to UP the antee for shop reimbursement: My small drink, small fries and single burger was $13.26.....but the top reimbursement is $12.50. (that is soooooooo 2017, Five Guys.)

IF YOU ARE LISTENING FIVE GUYS-- PLEASE INCREASE THE REIMBURSEMENT PLEASE. THANK YOU. I have noticed that FG really ups the prices steadily - seems like every 6 months all the food prices creep up steadily.

I went over for my last shop too, catlassy. But, I added bacon to my order.

Do you get extras like cheese or bacon? I used to just get a hamburger (small) and was always under. My last shop I still did a hamburger, but I added bacon and went over a little.

I'll know if my region can still support:

small hamburger, small fries, and small/regular drink

when I go this weekend. I'm going to get so fat! I have 3!!!

Here, I can get a single, small fry, and drink for $12.26 (which includes tax), a whopping 24 cents under reimbursement. And I live in an area where the COL is relatively low compared to large metropolitan areas. So I don't know how shoppers in those areas can come in under reimbursement. I usually order a large fry, though, so I have leftovers to take home, so I go over then. .

I just take a table facing the cooking area. You don't have to keep staring at the employees. Just be facing the area.

All the suggestions are good, and ones I use (I almost always try to sit as close to the cooking area as possible). When I can't, I'll slowly get my drink, if I can see the kitchen. Put the drink on my table. All the ones here keep at least one box of peanuts on the pickup counter, so I go and get those, while observing.Take those back, walk back and grab some napkins from the pile on the counter. And if needed will go up to the counter and ask someone something like "Can I get a cup of mayo, or bbq sauce, water cup, etc...., anything) then when they hand it to me, I grab even more napkins, or maybe more peanuts.

Hi guys,
New to this forum but want to mystery shop at 5 guys. What company do I need to sign up with to be a 5 guys shopper? Thanks a lot!
Jeff

Hi Jeff, welcome to the forum! I am so sorry, but it's against forum rules to disclose the clients of mystery shopping companies. The MSCs also have us sign ICA with a confidentiality clause.

At the bottom of the page is a link to a list of companies. The MSC is one of the most discussed companies in the forum.

Good luck and happy shopping!

Thanks!

Taking this thread sideways a bit. I’m at Five Guys right now. Anyone else annoyed that they don’t ask if the order is for here or to go and my burger is buried at the bottom of the bag covered in fries? Always a pain to unpack it. I don’t believe there is a question about this on form.

The burger is always buried at the bottom of the bag. I think that's so you can see that you are getting extra fries. And what difference would it be if it was to go or to eat in? The food always comes in a brown bag no matter where you eat it.

@plmccut wrote:

The burger is always buried at the bottom of the bag. I think that's so you can see that you are getting extra fries. And what difference would it be if it was to go or to eat in? The food always comes in a brown bag no matter where you eat it.

I thought if it was for here they could put it on a tray and not in a bag. Save the useless paper bag. I know they are not currently set up that way and they don’t have trays.

It's cheaper to use the bag. If you use trays they have to be cleaned somehow. Much better to use the bag - that I can toss and don't have to be concerned that I'm getting someone else's germs.

@kenasch wrote:

Taking this thread sideways a bit. I’m at Five Guys right now. Anyone else annoyed that they don’t ask if the order is for here or to go and my burger is buried at the bottom of the bag covered in fries? Always a pain to unpack it. I don’t believe there is a question about this on form.

I used to dislike that set-up too, kenasch. That and the fact that the fries would soak my brown paper bag in so much oil that it was impossible to place on my car's seat without getting the oil all over it.

Now, if I know I can't/don't want to eat all the fries for that day and want to take them home, I'll ask for them to be bagged separately. You can even ask for them to be bagged separately even if you plan to eat all of them in-store. That way, you avoid the "messy" set-up. But, note that if they bag it separately, the fries will still soak through a single bag. I've tried double brown bags and they still soak through (the bottom). What has worked is to ask for an additional plastic bag to bag over the brown bag. Some stores have that and some don't.

I used to also not like how they placed the burger face down so the top bun gets smashed. But, I know from the guidelines it's done on purpose and I now like it that way. It sort of compressed the burger a bit more into bite-able form. I still have to manually smash them in sometimes to get my mouth around the burger, but I like that they do some of the work already.

Another aside, I got the BLT today. I’m not a fan of hamburgers so this was a nice option for me. I did go over the reimbursed amount but only by a few cents.

I always ask for a plastic bag for the extra fries because I don't want the grease in my car. They all have them near the pick up or cashier register area. PUt the brownie in the plastic and good to go.