Has mystery shopping given you a laugh this week?

My laugh is kinda sad. A cashier practically yelled at me and I wouldn’t normally stick around for that. Then I asked for a receipt and I think she mouthed “oh sh**.”

Uhhhh, yeah, sh**.

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I once did a tobacco compliance shop and the employee asked how old I was after I said I "forgot" my ID. After I told her I was of legal age to buy tobacco, she called over the employees in the store and had them vote if I looked old enough to buy tobacco. The first vote was a tie so they had a debate for 5 minutes and tried to break the tie. One guy changed his vote and I was able to buy it without an ID.

The editor emailed me to confirm if my report was accurate lol. They ended up pulling the video footage and saw it all.

I asked the barista about the promotional coffee drink. She immediately told me it tasted like sh** and was like drinking curry gone bad. I had to order it for the shop and she kept asking me if I was sure if I really wanted to try it and suggested other drinks. I have to agree with the barista. I took a sip of it and had to go spit it out. It was awful.

This quote from Walesmaven in the thread: Ever been disappointed not to be able to act out a good scenario ?"

"Of course I re-use scenarios. But it is disappointing to be "on stage" with someone who does not even know the plot, much less any of their lines."

HaHaHaHaHaHa

@azncollege wrote:

I asked the barista about the promotional coffee drink. She immediately told me it tasted like sh** and was like drinking curry gone bad. I had to order it for the shop and she kept asking me if I was sure if I really wanted to try it and suggested other drinks. I have to agree with the barista. I took a sip of it and had to go spit it out. It was awful.

It's good if it is made correctly. I had one of the lattes made without milk. Hello? Latte=milk. If the drink has latte in the name, it is going to have milk. I threw mine out as well. (I am a former barista and was just dying watching the drink being made.)

I usually say that my friends told me to ask about (promotional drink). That way if they say that they hate it, I can repeat that my friends said to try it, so I'll have it anyway.

I had people order so many iced caramel macchiatos upside down. That's the drink that makes a barista secretly laugh about you because it is so dumb.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@azncollege wrote:

I had people order so many iced caramel macchiatos upside down. That's the drink that makes a barista secretly laugh about you because it is so dumb.

Just had to google that I suppose I will tell my husband; you learn something new every day

@azncollege wrote:

I once did a tobacco compliance shop and the employee asked how old I was after I said I "forgot" my ID. After I told her I was of legal age to buy tobacco, she called over the employees in the store and had them vote if I looked old enough to buy tobacco. The first vote was a tie so they had a debate for 5 minutes and tried to break the tie. One guy changed his vote and I was able to buy it without an ID.

The editor emailed me to confirm if my report was accurate lol. They ended up pulling the video footage and saw it all.

This reminds me of the Hazmat shop where all three of the clerks, a customer or two and the supervisor all put their two cents worth in trying to give me advice on how to figure out what was in my package I was mailing. I stood there for about 5 minutes while they all came up with ideas and admonishing me for not taking the clerks advice of 'just hit no on the machine". I stood my ground that I had no idea and could not say there were no Hazmat items in the package. They finally allowed me to click on the yes and let me go home with it.

My local SB brings me to order a dash of Almond Milk, and the Barista says that's .60 more, I argu they never charged me extra and she says, "the rules are the rules". I know the Manager from being a 10 year customer and spending hundreds and asked him later. He says he'll talk to her, I shouldn't be charged, as they have Almond Milk. Next day, same thing, I cancelled the order, 2.60 for a small coffee...

Live consciously....

Not a laugh for me, but for someone else. I was horrified! This happened in a large-ish store that featured many employees, numerous aisles, and multitudinous products. A person in a recognized managerial uniform was almost jogging several paces ahead of a person who was walking. The long managerial legs covered three times the distance per stride than the shorter legs of the laggard. The managerial spoke into a little microphone that was attached to their clothing and stated that the laggard couldn't keep up. Another person laughed at the remark. The laggard maintained their pace, and I prayed in that moment for their dignity and a better situation for them. I vowed then and there not to work in that place, shop in that place, or recommend that place to anyone else. Would you have laughed?

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu

No, not funny, my thoughts are he was trying to catch someone that was shop lifting, still not funny.

Live consciously....

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

My local SB brings me to order a dash of Almond Milk, and the Barista says that's .60 more, I argu they never charged me extra and she says, "the rules are the rules". I know the Manager from being a 10 year customer and spending hundreds and asked him later. He says he'll talk to her, I shouldn't be charged, as they have Almond Milk. Next day, same thing, I cancelled the order, 2.60 for a small coffee...

Almond milk is always an upcharge. The manager was just giving it to you for free.

I was in Whole Foods getting coffee, and a big sign saying Almond/Coconut milk in coffee, free. I spoke to the Manager of this Starbucks and he said he would tell her to give me Almond milk...it is also free at Panera Bread where I go often. Using it in a full drink will cost more, but .60 for a swig, no way....yes, the Manager was being nice, didn't want to lose me and my friends, however other Barista's do it if asked..They just opened a huge SB in my town, going to see what their rules are, and actually, in groceries, (Ralphs) Almond milk cost the same as regular milk.

Live consciously....

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

No, not funny, my thoughts are he was trying to catch someone that was shop lifting, still not funny.

The laggard was doing a job. It was like watching myself, but at a different time and place. That has happened to me, too. "Oh. Did I walk too fast for you?" [Why, no. We can get our daily jog right here in your store. Safety be damned, and all that.] "I'm sorry." "It's alright."

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

I was in Whole Foods getting coffee, and a big sign saying Almond/Coconut milk in coffee, free. I spoke to the Manager of this Starbucks and he said he would tell her to give me Almond milk...it is also free at Panera Bread where I go often. Using it in a full drink will cost more, but .60 for a swig, no way....yes, the Manager was being nice, didn't want to lose me and my friends, however other Barista's do it if asked..They just opened a huge SB in my town, going to see what their rules are, and actually, in groceries, (Ralphs) Almond milk cost the same as regular milk.

Just so you know, all Starbucks are not the same. Stores located in grocery stores, Barnes and Noble, Target, Airports, are not corporate stores.
The managers are all worried about getting a bad survey or a complaint. They'll bend the rules to avoid getting a complaint. There was an old women who bought a frap about 1 minute before closing very frequently and added an extra shot to it. This caused there to be left over frap. She wanted it in a separate cup. That's two drinks for one. She complained, and she got it from them on. We all despised her.

I tried to do an app job last week as a route filler. I was looking at map view, saw a nearby pin, and clicked on it for directions. The directions link to Maps took me to a house. I went back to the address link and noticed the address was for a store at an identical address in California. I was in Missouri.

I submitted pictures and notes to this effect, expecting a trip fee. Instead the shop was returned with a request to reshop at the correct location, as they had now corrected the pin issue.

I asked for $700 for airfare & hotel, but not holding my breath.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

I was in Whole Foods getting coffee, and a big sign saying Almond/Coconut milk in coffee, free. I spoke to the Manager of this Starbucks and he said he would tell her to give me Almond milk...it is also free at Panera Bread where I go often. Using it in a full drink will cost more, but .60 for a swig, no way....yes, the Manager was being nice, didn't want to lose me and my friends, however other Barista's do it if asked..They just opened a huge SB in my town, going to see what their rules are, and actually, in groceries, (Ralphs) Almond milk cost the same as regular milk.
Just so you know, all Starbucks are not the same. Stores located in grocery stores, Barnes and Noble, Target, Airports, are not corporate stores.
The managers are all worried about getting a bad survey or a complaint. They'll bend the rules to avoid getting a complaint. There was an old women who bought a frap about 1 minute before closing very frequently and added an extra shot to it. This caused there to be left over frap. She wanted it in a separate cup. That's two drinks for one. She complained, and she got it from them on. We all despised her.

I only go to free standing SB.....

Live consciously....

Brings back memories of shopping SB many years a go and weighing the drink in my car hoping not to spill any of it.

I still have my company-issued scale! They didn't want it back. Have used it to weight shipping packages ever since!

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

I only go to free standing SB.....

Those are likely corporate stores, where the baristas know the rules about adding Almond, Soy or Coconut Milk to drinks.

@kenasch wrote:

Brings back memories of shopping SB many years a go and weighing the drink in my car hoping not to spill any of it.

At the airport, I had to weigh it in the restroom. I'm sure you could tell if the ratio was off just by picking up the cup. I know I could. Too much foam or space makes the cup too light. The thought of drinking another white chocolate mocha makes me ill. I remember getting $100 for buying a hot cafe latte in Blythe in the middle of summer.

@sestrahelena wrote:

I still have my company-issued scale! They didn't want it back. Have used it to weight shipping packages ever since!

I have 2 of those scales and 2 thermometers. The company that had the account first was slow paying everyone before they went out of business. I remember than I somehow actually got the owner on the phone and cussed him out, while I was in Albertson's doing a shop at the time. He finally paid me. I wasn't sure that he would. I remember that he owed me over $500 for just doing Starbucks.

I had a good laugh today. I was shopping a burrito fast casual restaurant that I do every month. I went to go to the bathroom and opened the first door which was to the kitchen, not the bathroom! I only opened the door a crack, but I had a chuckle after I got to the real bathroom.

No I wouldn't laugh. It has happened to me on a revealed audit in a large store. I was running to keep up with the manager. Fastest I ever got that job done: I was glad though.

@Shop-et-al wrote:

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

No, not funny, my thoughts are he was trying to catch someone that was shop lifting, still not funny.

The laggard was doing a job. It was like watching myself, but at a different time and place. That has happened to me, too. "Oh. Did I walk too fast for you?" [Why, no. We can get our daily jog right here in your store. Safety be damned, and all that.] "I'm sorry." "It's alright."

I live in a major tourist destination, and had a lunch shop at a hotel's cafe. I generally try and avoid lying in my stories as much as possible, so when she asked me where I was visiting from, I told the truth that I was a local.

Silence for a few seconds followed by: "Hon, if you live here why on earth are you eating in a hotel restaurant?"

Quick story about being a travel agent and wanting to try out some of the hotel bars/restaurants to recommend them to people coming to visit had her satisfied.

I was shopping a warehouse/grocery store today, and an announcement was made, "Cornstarch in aisle 14." I was in aisle 14...with bottled beverages and produce, nothing resembling cornstarch. I had just finished taking my produce photos, and I'm sure they saw me on the cameras. Not a location I usually shop anyway but their cornstarch code cracked me up!!

Happily shopping the Pacific Northwest. Shopping since 2013

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/03/2019 01:36AM by RedRose22.

At least they used a neutral code word. Sack of potatoes in aisle 14! flour sack? Hot tamale? It's Saturday night, surely someone can come up with wittier.

@lcubed3 wrote:

At least they used a neutral code word. Sack of potatoes in aisle 14! flour sack? Hot tamale? It's Saturday night, surely someone can come up with wittier.

Lol I agree! I like hot tamale ha

I didn't think about their cameras while I was using mine. This particular produce section was laid out very strangely with items on both sides of the back half of one aisle, more items along the back wall, and yet more on a nearby endcap. Since no customers or employees were around, I tried several different angles to try to get everything in one pic. I probably gave them a laugh too! A veggie photo shoot! Haha

Happily shopping the Pacific Northwest. Shopping since 2013

Why would she say that? We eat in local hotel restaurants all the time.

@awestover89 wrote:

I live in a major tourist destination, and had a lunch shop at a hotel's cafe. I generally try and avoid lying in my stories as much as possible, so when she asked me where I was visiting from, I told the truth that I was a local.

Silence for a few seconds followed by: "Hon, if you live here why on earth are you eating in a hotel restaurant?"

Quick story about being a travel agent and wanting to try out some of the hotel bars/restaurants to recommend them to people coming to visit had her satisfied.

@prince wrote:

Why would she say that? We eat in local hotel restaurants all the time.

I get it a lot any time I do something that's more "tourist" oriented. Hotel bars, hotel restaurants, sight seeing tours, water sports. With the high cost of living most locals just don't do a lot of these things unless they have family with them they're showing the sights to.

My go to explanations are usually either a) we're new and when we lived in Chicago for years we never did any of the "tourist" things, always saying "we'll have time" until the day we moved, and I don't want that to happen here. b) We have family coming to town in a couple months for just a few days, and I want to be able to make recommendations to them, or c) I'm a travel agent and a lot of clients want recommendations when they come here.

I have the same problem with clothing shops. I go in with a $5 reimbursement wind up spending $50. I had to limit those shops to one a month.

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