"Please Don't Make me go there" Moments of Mystery Shopping
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Wow. That’s some good quick thinking.
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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.
I am not a bar person. We sit at the bar for the first part of a dinner shop because we have to. I find the high bar stool rather uncomfortable. I would just say I would prefer the comfort of the dining room. They have no right to insist you sit at the bar.
Right, but sometimes there are tables/booths near the bar that we are forbidden to sit at during the shop and the host offers to seat us there, so...
@vloglady wrote:
I am not a bar person. We sit at the bar for the first part of a dinner shop because we have to. I find the high bar stool rather uncomfortable. I would just say I would prefer the comfort of the dining room. They have no right to insist you sit at the bar.
I am 4'10" and my legs fall asleep sitting on those tall chairs.
MissChele - Shopping KY, IN & OH
Thread Killer
Thread Killer
Just now, a leg is healing. The leg issue would flare up if I climbed up and down those bar stools and let the leg dangle for the hour or so of the meal shop. It is better for me and my leg to wait until the leg can participate in the required activities.
Gardening is how I relax. It is another form of creating and playing with colors. - Oscar de la Renta
I've worked on the road for decades and eat by myself in restaurants all the time. I get tired of staff trying to get me to sit at the bar. I was raised in a very religious household and am not comfortable in the bar area.
The worst offender is Chili's. The 20-something hostesses act almost incredulous that I wouldn't want to sit in the bar by myself. I've had them threaten 20-munute waits when there was no one else waiting and the restaurant was half empty. Some BJs can be almost as bad. But I stand my ground.
The worst offender is Chili's. The 20-something hostesses act almost incredulous that I wouldn't want to sit in the bar by myself. I've had them threaten 20-munute waits when there was no one else waiting and the restaurant was half empty. Some BJs can be almost as bad. But I stand my ground.
I have never had a drink in my life. There is no way I would sit at a bar under any circumstances. You don't owe them an explanation.
"The smell of beer makes me throw up. I'll sit at the bar if you don't mind cleaning that up."
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2018 04:25PM by Aquiest.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2018 04:25PM by Aquiest.
I prefer the dining room. I don't see why they would want an explanation as to why you don't want to see in the bar. If you want the dining room and it is available they should give you the dining room without questions.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2018 08:41PM by pegleg909.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2018 08:41PM by pegleg909.
When I do a food shop and the server does not charge for everything....they leave off the drink or an entire entree. I hate this for several reasons. The first being that I sit and wonder why they only do this while on a shop. They never cut me a break when I am paying out of my own pocket. Then I worry that the msc will not believe I actually ordered that required thing since it is not on the bill. So far those types of receipts have always been accepted with an explanation but until I hear back it is okay I worry. And there are the times when I feel it was done intentionally in exchange for a larger tip. If the bill is not corrected and they have left something off I also end up leaving a tip which is out of line based on the amt spent on the receipt vs what the actual cost of the meal should have been. In actuality I generally mention they forgot to charge for something and they add it back in. Then there is the awkwardness if in fact the server was trying to cheat the system and needs to fess up to their manager to get approval for a change. In addition that info goes into the report which always makes me feel about the whole situation...why did you do that when this is a mystery shop? Just give me the whole bill and nothing but the bill and we can get along just fine when I am on a shop.
I prefer sitting at the bar than dining room. It's better service in my opinion but there are very rare shops that require dining at the bar top. If there is one I jump on it right away.
mine is "my back was damaged in an accident, I can't sit on stools or chairs higher than waist level"
in fact, this is true, so I've used it for real in the past
in fact, this is true, so I've used it for real in the past
I say that the bar is too loud.
"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
My current one is telling the people that I am not price checking but that I am gathering prices for my MBA Thesis.
@atxmarketer wrote:
What's your "please don't make me go there" moment?
I have done my fair share of gym tours/workouts/etc, and have found them some of the WORST for not taking a hard 'no.' After a situation where they were hounding me to sign up and wouldn't stop, I finally said: "I really like the class, but it's just too much cardio for me. If I lose any more weight my doctor will put me back on a feeding plan. :/" I never saw a trainer's face drop so fast.
I remembered that one after that. It gets me out the door within 2 minutes.
I just shake my head firmly and say, "No. Not the bar," and I've never had the server persist. Clearly there are people who don't drink, or don't want to be tempted, and they accept it. If they try to seat me at a table in the bar area, I look around and say, "Do you mind? I'd really rather be by the window," or wherever I see that is in an acceptable area, and I find that they'll take me there.
@JennyFromTheShop wrote:
@atxmarketer wrote:
What's your "please don't make me go there" moment?
I have done my fair share of gym tours/workouts/etc, and have found them some of the WORST for not taking a hard 'no.' After a situation where they were hounding me to sign up and wouldn't stop, I finally said: "I really like the class, but it's just too much cardio for me. If I lose any more weight my doctor will put me back on a feeding plan. :/" I never saw a trainer's face drop so fast.
I remembered that one after that. It gets me out the door within 2 minutes.
AND
Brilliant! :-)@lilmomi wrote:
My current one is telling the people that I am not price checking but that I am gathering prices for my MBA Thesis.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2018 01:55AM by atxmarketer.
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I'm impressed with this shop "save".......kudos!@atxmarketer wrote:
We've all had those awkward situation on a mystery shop and had to come up with something outlandish... The one I have come up with that I hope to never have to use is "No, I cannot sit at the bar. I'm a recovering alcoholic." This was prompted by a restaurant shop that I completed by myself and "must" sit in the dining room and a very insistent host who didn't understand why I wouldn't want to sit at the bar. Not to be offensive in any way, but I feel like regardless of the situation, if someone doesn't want to sit at the bar, they shouldn't have to, especially when there is a more than 50% empty dining area. But this has gone through my head a time or two in a restaurant and is stacked in the back of my cards for use, if needed. What's your "please don't make me go there" moment?
Mine is a variation on the theme. Some grocery assignments require asking a specific question about a specific product like: "What's the difference between a ribeye steak and a Porterhouse?" After the butcher goes through the whole answer, she asks which I want to buy. Like the $5 reimbursement is going to cover a $20 steak? "Just window-shopping," or, "I was just curious," aren't great answers.
Shopping SoCal and Maui.
Wow... a quintessential 1st world problem. Just sit in a damn stool (and maybe drink a non-alcoholic beverage). If you can't handle it, you can stand. Otherwise no one is forcing you to enter a restaurant that serves alcohol.
Hi
To Alfredo. The original poster said the assignment specified she needed to sit in the dining area.
To Alfredo. The original poster said the assignment specified she needed to sit in the dining area.
@PuaM wrote:
Mine is a variation on the theme. Some grocery assignments require asking a specific question about a specific product like: "What's the difference between a ribeye steak and a Porterhouse?" After the butcher goes through the whole answer, she asks which I want to buy. Like the $5 reimbursement is going to cover a $20 steak? "Just window-shopping," or, "I was just curious," aren't great answers.
Maybe, "Oh, I just remembered, I'm a vegetarian?" HAHA!!! Just kidding... But this is a good one to be prepared for.
Like Sandyf,
I hate when the server doesn't charge for something. I also often thing that it's because of either the want for a bigger tip or the possibility that they know you are a shopper.
I also always worry about it, but in the last couple weeks, I've done two shops where the server left things off the bill.
Stood in a line for 15 minutes to just order a sandwich at one place (it was PACKED in there) and order taker didn't charge for drinks (he didn't say anything, but I'm assuming it was because of long wait times and that is what I reported)
Another...requirement to order a piece of pie...the pie I wanted was not available, so I had to chose another type. As an apology for that, the server did not put the pie on the receipt...
I hate when the server doesn't charge for something. I also often thing that it's because of either the want for a bigger tip or the possibility that they know you are a shopper.
I also always worry about it, but in the last couple weeks, I've done two shops where the server left things off the bill.
Stood in a line for 15 minutes to just order a sandwich at one place (it was PACKED in there) and order taker didn't charge for drinks (he didn't say anything, but I'm assuming it was because of long wait times and that is what I reported)
Another...requirement to order a piece of pie...the pie I wanted was not available, so I had to chose another type. As an apology for that, the server did not put the pie on the receipt...
It is really none of their business where you want to sit. Isn't the customer always right?
I don't drink (meds) and try to avoid dinner shops with bar...I live in New Orleans so getting free meals at world class restaurants is very attractive. I order a bourbon & coke and just sit there observing, stirring the drink. I always wonder what the bartender thinks after paying $10 for the drink that is left untouched when I leave. Generally, I do the bar observation after dinner.
I once went to do a job for Visa compliance. It is my understanding, businesses who take Visa cannot add on the fees for Visa. So I use google maps to find this place, drive on about 5 miles of dirt and gravel road to a (and I am not exaggerating) shack in the middle of nowhere that sells & repairs guns. My assignment was to find out the total cost of a item I choose to see if fees were added. I went in with a picture of a gun when I googled "handguns for women". The owner & I talked guns for about a half hour he gave me his recommendations. He did add the Visa fees on. I thanked him, took the pictures I needed and left, shaking, knowing how it could have turned out worse.
Asking for ten receipts at a small amusement type facility. 
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