Not to mention that Jash's post was not very well-written. If I were a rep for a MSC I would make sure my post in a public forum had no errors.

Typing on my phone. New phone, lol.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2018 09:08PM by JASFLALMT.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Not to mention that Jash's post was not very well-written. If I were a rep for a MSC I would make sure my post in a public forum had no errors.

Typing on my phone. New phone, lol.

Ha! You beat me to it! Jash's post had numerous errors, including not using plurals when called for, comma splices, and an abundance of missing commas. Someone who is so insistent about quality should make sure his or her own writing is impeccable; his was far from it. (And it doesn't wash in this case that this is an informal setting; if you are bragging about your high standards, you should exemplify them, or at least come close.) I hope that the MSC for which he works expects better writing than that!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2018 11:01PM by BirdyC.

Oh, and it's "versus," not "verses." Different things altogether. LOL.

You ladies both beat me to it. I have to say I was stunned at the poor writing from someone attempting to convince me how elite this MSC is. The whole tone left a bad taste in my mouth. I'll pass. Not that he would have me anyway, apparently.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2018 11:36PM by Threemom.

As I said, no loss, I did a shop for them in 2008, I am a pack rat, I went back to my old electronic files.
I made a clear note that they were just an average MSC, and that they did not have much for me in this area (NC). My guess is they have a list of folks they love to use, and that is all they use, via private emails.

@Threemom wrote:

You ladies both beat me to it. I have to say I was stunned at the poor writing from someone attempting to convince me how elite this MSC is. The whole tone left a bad taste in my mouth. I'll pass. Not that he would have me anyway, apparently.

I've been away for a couple of days and catching up with this thread. I'm having a hard time understanding the rational for people that think it is ok to tip "a buck or two" for carryout service, where those same people would probably tip 18 - 20% on table service. The carry out servers check your meal, pack your meal, make sure you are given all the appropriate condiments and utensils, then walk outside (in sometimes bad weather) to deliver your meal, take your payment, then return with the receipt. So I stand by my 15% post. I do tip more for table service, but only 3 or 5% more, as they check back, handle issues, and refill drinks. Anyone tipping less than 12% for curbside service is just cheap. Even tipping a buck or a buck fifty on a Sonic shop is 15 to 18%

Edit to add: Same goes for walk in carry out. Especially on those 3 a.m. diner stops. Pays off in spades. Servers have good memories.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2018 01:04AM by PaulinMI.

@PaulinMI wrote:

I've been away for a couple of days and catching up with this thread. I'm having a hard time understanding the rational for people that think it is ok to tip "a buck or two" for carryout service, where those same people would probably tip 18 - 20% on table service. The carry out servers check your meal, pack your meal, make sure you are given all the appropriate condiments and utensils, then walk outside (in sometimes bad weather) to deliver your meal, take your payment, then return with the receipt. So I stand by my 15% post.

I think it depends on the particular restaurant exactly what the take-out servers do. At one restaurant I shop frequently, the take-out servers do everything it is you mention, and I tip accordingly. At other places I've shopped and been to, someone else preps and bags the order, and the person who brings it out to you literally does nothing else. I've never done the curbside shop being referred to in this thread, but I certainly would tip the person who brings the order to you as you wait in your car. How much depends, again, on what that particular individual does in addition to that.

@Threemom wrote:

You ladies both beat me to it. I have to say I was stunned at the poor writing from someone attempting to convince me how elite this MSC is. The whole tone left a bad taste in my mouth. I'll pass. Not that he would have me anyway, apparently.

Probably wouldn't have any of us, from the sounds of it. In fact, I think I applied to this MSC and never heard back. I guess my 34 years of being a professional writer isn't good enough.

I know this is off the topic of the original post. But I was curious about someone who would come on here and extol the virtues of his premier, high-end, by-invitation only MSC while, at the same time, displaying very poor language skills. I looked up Mystery Shopping Pros on the forum's list of companies and clicked the link. While this thread was a bit difficult to follow, it seems that Jash1057 at one time alternately portrayed himself as a shopper for this firm and as its owner, Jim Johnson: [www.mysteryshopforum.com]. It all seems very odd to me. And it gets even more weird: When I went to the site this evening to see if indeed this is the same MSC I applied to a few months ago and clicked the log-in link, I got this message from my secure browser: "Your connection is not private
Attackers might be trying to steal your information from shopper.mysteryshopperpros.com (for example, passwords, messages, or credit cards). Learn more
NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID"

I immediately hit the "go back to safety" button. I would be wary of signing up with this firm unless Jash1057 can tell us who he really is and why his shopper log-in address isn't secure.

Although this MSC is located in the region as the one I had been thinking of, I don't think it's the same company. If I recall, the posts from that MSC's owner were also arrogant in tone, but were cogently written!

Oh, the irony, lol.

@Jash1057 wrote:

You should always do your best in life you never know who’s watching you.

@BirdyC wrote:

I know this is off the topic of the original post. But I was curious about someone who would come on here and extol the virtues of his premier, high-end, by-invitation only MSC while, at the same time, displaying very poor language skills. I looked up Mystery Shopping Pros on the forum's list of companies and clicked the link. While this thread was a bit difficult to follow, it seems that Jash1057 at one time alternately portrayed himself as a shopper for this firm and as its owner, Jim Johnson: [www.mysteryshopforum.com]. It all seems very odd to me. And it gets even more weird: When I went to the site this evening to see if indeed this is the same MSC I applied to a few months ago and clicked the log-in link, I got this message from my secure browser: "Your connection is not private
Attackers might be trying to steal your information from shopper.mysteryshopperpros.com (for example, passwords, messages, or credit cards). Learn more
NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID"

I immediately hit the "go back to safety" button. I would be wary of signing up with this firm unless Jash1057 can tell us who he really is and why his shopper log-in address isn't secure.

Although this MSC is located in the region as the one I had been thinking of, I don't think it's the same company. If I recall, the posts from that MSC's owner were also arrogant in tone, but were cogently written!

Scary stuff! I applied today and did not get an unsafe message

I hope it's alright, now....

The site's SSL certificate was expired. It happens to all sites, just most companies are on top of it enough to swap in the new cert BEFORE the old one expires...

@oteixeira wrote:

The site's SSL certificate was expired. It happens to all sites, just most companies are on top of it enough to swap in the new cert BEFORE the old one expires...

I could tell that, but this is the first time I've ever gotten a message quite like that when I access a site whose certificate has expired. But I, too, wondered why this elite MSC wouldn't be more on top of this....

(And where's that sarcasm font when I need it? LOL.)

Back to the topic of tipping. If the msc wants us to tip they should reimburse us. I recently did a promo shop at one of those upscale fast food places where you go down the line but someone delivers the food to your table. I left a tip for that person. Two dollars of the tip brought me up to the max allowed for the reimbursement. Just got my paycheck today and it was short the entire tip. I do not remember the guidelines saying no tipping and no longer have access to them. I definitely would have noted down that they did not reimburse tips. I do not plan to quibble with the msc over two dollars but to me the msc is the cheap one and not the consumer who does not leave a tip for a runner as PaulineMI seems to think. Personally I think tipping a runner over 12% of the bill is x#%*@....but I will not say anything more because I do not like to call people names especially if I know nothing about them.

@sandyf, assuming your meal was around $10, your $2 tip was 20%. Very generous. Sorry the MSC won't reimburse you.

I did a BJs Brewhouse Curbside a couple of nights ago and I tipped $3 on $35. I thought that amount was just fine. The weather was nice and the location was not busy. The to-go servers make an additional hourly wage from the establishment on the days they work the to-go counter, much higher than their counterparts who are working the dining room. They should not make anywhere close to that of a server inside the restaurant who not only takes my order, ensuring that modifications are correct, sometimes delivering the entrees themselves carrying heavy trays--also having to keep up with drink refills and clearing dirty dishes, eating utensils, and used napkins that someone has had their bacteria filled mouths upon, not to mention dealing with sometimes annoying and demanding small children (and equally annoying and demanding adults at times). If the DI server is getting 20% for doing all of that and the TG server has a less than 30-second total interaction with someone and is making a higher hourly wage, why does the TG server deserve 10%-15%, and why would you only give the DI server 3%-5% more when you know that they are making a lower hourly wage from the restaurant? Most of the time I am at the location for carryout for 5 minutes or less. When I sit in the dining room and eat, I am generally there for an hour or more. The TG employee has way less to worry about and a much easier job.

Heck, I usually tip 20%. Knowing that I'll get reimbursed for the meal, I may tip more than my usual 20% if the service was really good.

Eric, you tip 20% for takeout?

I tip 20% or more most of the time for good service when I am dining in, even if it's not a shop.

For dine in service I tip from 15-20% depending on service. When I was growing up 15% was considered standard and I'm not sure why that has been raised to 18-20%. Ok service gets 15%, good service gets 20%. If I'm dining alone I might add $1 because the server will make less on the table for not much less work.

For carry out I give $1-2. But that is entirely dependent on if my food is ready on time. I do a lot of online orders when I travel. The system always tells me when it'll be ready. If it is they get a couple $$, if not they get none. I used to add a tip when placing the order in hopes that it would help get it ready on time. It doesn't.

For curbside delivery I give 10%, again dependent on being ready on time

I do not tip counter service ever in any way and don't understand tip jars in those places. I find it insulting.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2018 06:11PM by bgriffin.

@BirdyC wrote:

(And where's that sarcasm font when I need it? LOL.)

You could always use sarcastricts******



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2018 06:12PM by bgriffin.

@BIrdyC wrote:

Where's that heart icon? For you and for that business owner who pays his employees decently Hooray for you both, and for the staff for donating to a women's shelter. What a wonderful thing.

If it were a men's shelter would you feel the same way?

Take into consideration that most of the time at a women's shelter, there are children there as well. I do actually do donate to homeless shelters. I wasn't aware that there were shelters where it was specifically oriented for men only.

You didn't see the Pursuit of Happiness? Of course there are male shelters

In my area many homeless shelters are for both genders, although there are battered women's shelters where the only males staying there are kids. I saw the "Pursuit of Happyness" (they intentionally spelled it wrong in the movie) and nowhere do I remember it being a "male only" shelter. Just because they have different areas for each gender at a homeless shelter does not make it gender specific.

Edited to add that I just did a search and apparently some larger cities do have men's shelters. Just not in my area.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2018 09:39PM by JASFLALMT.

Yes, I do tip upwards on 20% at times. I just don't get takeout at common places. I greatly appreciate how well the food is prepared & presented at the time just prior to pickup.

@PaulinMI wrote:

@sandyf, assuming your meal was around $10, your $2 tip was 20%. Very generous. Sorry the MSC won't reimburse you.

Actually my bill was around $33 and the max reimbursement was $35 which left room for $2 of the tip that I thought I was getting reimbursed for. The $2 was the amt I thought I was getting back from the msc with a total reimbursement of $35. If I wanted to leave a bigger tip it would be on me. In actuality all the person did was bring one plate to the table. I went thru a line to order. The person I tipped did nothing more than carry one plate to my table. He was not a server. I guess you would call him a runner but I think at this place the team members were interchangeable and took turns delivering plates and taking orders. There was no tip jar at the front. This type of service is probably less work than what Jas describes with curbside pickup. The place was very small and his job took less than a minute.

What do you think of a fast food like Jersey Mike's where there is no server and all your interaction is at the counter? Other fast eateries do this, but Jersey Mike's is the only one that comes to mind right now. You go to a counter and order, then walk down the counter to the cashier and pay. They use an online payment. They key in the amount on the computer and turn the screen to you and it asks you "How much tip do you want to add?" The amount seems to be set on 18%, which you move to wherever you want it by using the touch screen. They call your number when your sandwich is ready and you pick it up at the counter. Their counter service works just like McDonald's except that they add the opportunity to tip during the payment phase at the register. Do you tip? If so, how much?

@bgriffin wrote:

I do not tip counter service ever in any way and don't understand tip jars in those places. I find it insulting.

The states that are allowed to have a lower wage are only allowed to do that for jobs that generally get tips. The people who work a line do not qualify for the lowered wages. Personally I do not see why certain people get tips who are earning a regular wage and others do not. A friend of mine works at the airport and earns slightly above minimum wage. She deals with irate customers all day long when flights are delayed and cancelled. She is required to stay overtime (without overtime pay as they only schedule them for short shifts) whenever there are weather issues anywhere. She has to drive those connector platforms from the terminal to the plane so people can walk out to the plane.She says that job is really tricky. No one ever gives her a tip for finding a new reservation. Instead she gets an earful.So why does someone earning the same amt of $$ just carrying a bag to a car get tips? The world has changed a lot since the concept of tips came in. At the time the salary was dependent on tips but now many of these jobs earn as much as many other jobs do that do not provide tips. Yes, it would be far easier to join the rest of the world in providing a wage where tips are not necessary like other countries do.
And there are still restaurants in Los Angeles where they tack on an extra service charge for health insurance. Yes there are struggling restaurants but many of these places are making a nice profit off their low wages.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/28/2018 01:30AM by sandyf.

I don't tip for counter service at fast food restaurants like 5 guys, McDonalds, Jersey Mike's, etc., but I do tip for carry out counter service at sit down restaurants with table service, because I know the server that is packaging and checking my order is a waiter or waitress making below minimum. Most of the fast food places, (really just about all of them) around here are advertising starting wages between 11 and 13 dollars an hour. I figure that is a pretty decent salary for the type of work involved.

Also, I'm not sure why some shoppers feel like they don't have to tip if it is not reimbursed. Not trying to throw shade at anyone, but my reasoning is that if I was going to eat there on my own dime, I would be tipping out of my own earnings. If I am shopping and have to use a few bucks of my own out of the earnings I am getting from the shop, seems like the same to me.