What are some funny or out of the ordinary things that have happened while shopping?

I did a McDonald's shop in a rough part of town. While I was in line, the drive through person starting cursing at a customer at the window very loudly. He then kept ranting so every one in the restaurant could here. The on duty manager did and said nothing. I was glad to put it in the report.

I audited a metro bus line. These were always fun. Sometimes the drivers would pull over in the middle of the route and get themselves food. One driver told us she had to go get her lotto ticket. I forget what a particular male driver did, but I started taking notes. Some of the passengers got upset and one said, Someone needs to report him. The passenger sitting next to me told that person that I was taking notes. The other passenger said, Good, they need to be reported. I just smiled.

Another time, a passenger rang the bell to get off and the driver passed her stop. Another passenger asked the bus driver what was wrong with her and why was she passing people's stops ? The driver stopped the bus and called the police. This actually upset the questioner and she started complaining about the driver loudly and often. Other passengers started to get upset because the driver was making them late. The upset questioner decided to leave the bus. The driver took off but I made sure to note in my report that there was no need for the driver to call the police.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2018 03:46AM by frodosdojo.

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

Already a member? Log In.

I conducted a visa shop where a random guy came in with an injured bird that he had found in the parking lot. He was showing it to customers and employees, and asking them what he should do with it. I had to take a discreet photo of the register, so the bird was the perfect distraction for me to get the perfect shot.
@taitsj wrote:

I conducted a visa shop where a random guy came in with an injured bird that he had found in the parking lot. He was showing it to customers and employees, and asking them what he should do with it. I had to take a discreet photo of the register, so the bird was the perfect distraction for me to get the perfect shot.

That reminds me, I once was shopping a five guys, when I entered the crew members were all tending to an injured bird. I had totally forgotten about that until you shared your story.

Lady Marius
Canadian Mystery Shopper
Last night I went to a very small music event in a nightclub on the other side of town. I was there along and for the music and did not think I'd see anyone I knew. At one point a man went up to me and started saying which I heard as "Aren't you so and so from the East Side..." The music was really loud so all I could make out was "East Side" which I don't live anywhere near so I thought he had me confused with some East Sider and said "No, that's not me." Then he leaned in a bit closer and said "You're sure you're not the mystery shopper for the Popeye's on the East Side? I remember your face!" Well sure enough I had done a revealed prize shop at that Popeye's and he was the manager whose team had earned their prizes. I remembered his name from the form and I got to yet again congratulate him. I was tempted to ask if he'd been sent the remaining prizes his team was owed, but then I realized that if he hadn't there really wasn't anything I could do about it. Luckily that shop won't run again for a solid year and who knows if I'll ever do that location again.
This just happened to me on Sunday. Grocery store shop with ALL departments to be audited. First stop was Bakery. I asked a question about Italian pastry. The very young girl behind the counter shows me what they have. Then she tells me I should not get the pastry I inquired about. She said it was stale. Not fresh at all. I'm like a deer caught in the headlights. Does she stop there? Oy... no. She goes on to tell me they were disgusting.
I moved to a big city from the sticks about 3 1/2 years ago. I started doing food shops with MF, but have since then moved on. I was at a high end shop recently with a date and all of a sudden a very LOUD enthusiastic voice goes "hey! I know you!" I turned around and did not recognize the guy at all. He goes "You're the Five Guys mystery shopper! You don't remember me? Are you shopping now?" I had to shut the guy up, so I told him that I used to shop, but I got burned out and I was just at the current place for my date. He proceeded to loudly tell me how they all know who their shoppers are because of what we order, but most essentially how we order (ie: order sandwich, then wait for the up-sell of fries and a drink) and how we come in at random times. Sometimes lunch, sometimes dinner, sometimes right before closing, online, web, etc.. It was interesting to get some insight, but horrifying as the guy was so LOUD. The funny thing is I hadn't shopped that location of Five Guys in at least a year. I did go back recently, because the date from the above shop wanted to eat there. Ironically, loud guy was there and proceeded to wave at me like we were besties.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2018 04:56AM by jellyfishgirl.
How was the service at Five Guys when you went back there? There are some Five Guys where I figure this MUST know who I am (because I've reported that the order was made wrong etc) but yet they're not offering me fries/drink or cleaning the filthy restaurant, so maybe not...
This is a couple years ago, I was doing an apartment shop. This one they just left the vacant units unlocked and you checked in at the office near the lobby and went up on your own. The people who lived there apparently found out, and walked into an apartment and two teens (who I assumed lived in the building) were having sex in the kitchen. I just laughed and left and told them just lock the door. They were super embarrassed.

Didn't tell the office and essentially made up my report.
This happened on the way to a shop, but it was one of the strangest encounters of my life. I'll try not to get too graphic, but you have been warned.

I was on a freeway, going about 75mph with few other cars around, and another car comes up next to me on my right, matches my speed and rolls the window down. He makes some motions and lips something, but I couldn't understand. I thought his lips said "are you ok?" and I nodded. He lipped it again and I nodded. I thought perhaps something was wrong with my vehicle, so I rolled down the passenger window. All this at 75mph remember. He then yells "I want to suck your c**k." I was completely stunned. He then proceeds to make more gestures with his hands reinforcing this proposition...in case I didn't understand. At that point I just ignore him. He persisted for another few minutes before finally giving up and speeds ahead. I now understand that his initial question he lipped to me was "are you gay?" not "are you ok?" (FYI I'm not gay). Pretty ridiculous encounter, and I'm just left to wonder if this has worked for him in the past?? Picking up a date in a car on the freeway at speed? That's a new one, and very dangerous at that. Let's just say at the shop, it was difficult for me to concentrate.

I told this to my gf at the time (now wife) and she responded that the experience was about the closest thing I could get to understand how many women are harassed by men daily. I think that's a good point that all men can think about, as it's difficult to understand.
I was doing an apartment visit in a questionable area of town... While walking up to the office, I passed by multiple police officers actively looking for something, they had their firearms and night sticks out. I got to the office and was greeted by a drunk apartment manager.... She gave me a quite fascinating tour, using very sexualized language. We then approached the apartment we were going to tour and she shared that it was an occupied unit that she usually has permission to show, but had not yet heard back from the residents it it would be okay. Nobody responded when she knocked. I said that I did not want to interrupt them if they did not want me to visit... She, drunkenly, said that it was fine as she opened the door, adding, "We just don't want to surprise them as we could get shot." I was glad that they weren't home... I was really glad this shop was audio recorded.

On a different shop, I was being driving in a golf cart to view an apartment. As we drove through the lot, she floored it as she hit speed bumps and rounded corners. I swear we caught a little bit of air a couple of times and it sure felt like we we on the verge of going onto two wheels as we rounded corners. As she was cutting one concern at high speed, we found ourselves face to face with an F350 that was also going a wee fast for the lot. We escaped death, but it was close.... This one was caught on video.

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
Today I was doing a car sales shop for a midrange priced vehicle and all was going pretty well. Then while I was on the test drive with the salesperson he fell asleep mid-conversation. He just stopped talking so I looked over and sure enough he was asleep. I waited and let him sleep for a good two minutes before he startled awake and realized where he was again and said something random that had nothing to do with the conversation we had before his nap. I didn't have the heart to bring it up to him.
I actually had an experience just this past Sunday at a high end outlet store. This was a video shop, and while at the cashier during a critical moment, someone called me out by my full name. Turns out that this person was one of my neighbors completing her Christmas shopping. The critical moment of the shop (within the final minute) was compromised, and I had to come back the next day to do the shop over again at the MSC's request.

Amazingly enough, there were different employees at this store, who performed even better than the ones that I had shopped from the day before. And lucky for me, this store was only a few miles down the road from my house.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2018 11:44AM by Eric in Tampa.
I did a pizza shop this week. As I walked up to the restaurant, at night, I notice two people sitting on the step right next to the front door. As I pass, the male says loudly in my direction: "This is just a Coke, not booze." They laugh. Then as I step towards the first door to enter the breezeway, she said loudly: "Hell, its not Coke. Its vodka! Can't you tell by the color?" Since I forgot to take an important pic, I thought for sure that my shop would be denied. But perhaps having vagrants sitting right by the front door, and no manager in sight during my dine-in, made it slide thru?
Over the summer, I was shopping a local grocery store and a car parked in the lot caught fire. It was just sitting there, unattended, not leaking, not hit by another car, no one smoking anything nearby... It just caught fire. This car was parked very close to the entrance of the store--in handicapped parking, iirc--so the employees were freaking out, especially as the grocery store was filling with its noxious fumes. I'm in the store trying to get my service department visits in, as well as assess multiple employees on the sales floor, and there is literally no one to be found because they're outside watching the carnage.

In the meantime, the lone employee at Customer Service keeps trying to track down the person who car belongs to, as well as anyone parked near it, so that the damage is minimized. It takes a whole *30 minutes* to find the car's owner, at which point the fire department has already controlled the fire and has towed the other cars parked nearby. How many people drive a lavender-colored Toyota?

That was a fun report to write! "Could only assess one employee because of fire."

A few weeks later, the same thing happens at another store in the same chain during a shop, only no one reacted. I guess this is because the fire happened at the store's gas station, not in the parking lot itself.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2018 04:18AM by fujikochan.
@wildherbs wrote:

perhaps having vagrants sitting right by the front door, and no manager in sight during my dine-in, made it slide thru?
I feel sorry for the manager, though. Depending upon where it is, he has to be very careful what he says. Vagrancy can kill a business.

"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
Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login