How do you find shops for particular restaurants/hotels/retail shops in your area?

If there is a particular restaurant or retail store, bank etc., you can try calling a different store in the chain than the one you would shop and asking the manager if they get shopper reports or audits. You can role play or just be honest and say you are an auditor in a different location and wondered if there were opportunities etc. I usually assure them that I am in no way auditing them at the moment. Some will open up if you are relatable. For instance I was a GM of several brands and I can usually get a feel right away if they will talk to me or not. Be respectful of "Hot Times" ie don't call Friday at noon during the lunch rush.

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More About Restaurants

If you are an auditor in a different location for a client, than you would know from the MSC already if they are shopped. And if that were the case, contacting the client is a no-no.

You don’t sound happy doing this kind of work, so. Sorry, but maybe it’s not for you.

OMG. NEVER...EVER. Call a client !

@SteveSoCal wrote:

@calicakes wrote:

I searched for my usual restaurant shops, grocery stores and airport shops and came up empty.

Sorry, I usually don't fly out of that terminal but had a free ticket for a shop I'm heading to this week, and that Habit assignment was literally the difference between making a profit or taking a loss on this assignment. (The ticket itself was free but you have to pay taxes on international fees still)

For me, I just wanna come out of the travel assignments with a few $$ in my pocket. I had a $125 travel from the MSC, but the travel came to $158 and so I ended up taking airport lunch assignments on both ends of the trip.

I meant airport shops in Ft. Lauderdale( where I flew to) and then Miami( where I left for another flight).

I did get the Habit shop on my departure out of LAX( on March 26th).

@SoCalMama wrote:

It’s ok if you don’t mind the B health department rating that is posted by the beverage bar .....

Well, to be fair, Wahoo's also shares the beverage bar. I watch the kitchen pretty closely. I fly out early so always get breakfast.

Replying to this: OMG. NEVER...EVER. Call a client !

I always wondered about this. Not sure why you're emphasizing this though. Why not? You're not jeopardizing yourself if you don't give a name. You're not violating any contract because none exist yet. I think I'll call Cheesecake Factory and ask if they have a new MSC since Grassroots went under. I don't see any problem with it. All they can say is no or choose to not tell me.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2019 11:40PM by ravensr4real.

"Evolve thyself and lose all hate...." Orphaned Land

@calicakes wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

It’s ok if you don’t mind the B health department rating that is posted by the beverage bar .....

Well, to be fair, Wahoo's also shares the beverage bar. I watch the kitchen pretty closely. I fly out early so always get breakfast.

@SoCalMama, the B-rating is the least of my concerns since I'm being forced to eat from an all-inclusve buffet for a few days on the shop. I also almost never get a drink on those shops. I write the report in the Alaska lounge before the flight and get the free drinks there...but they don't allow you to bring the burger in. I even tried to bribe them with sweet potato fries and failed....

This will be my first breakfast-time shop there and and I only take this location 1 or 2 times a year, so it's fair game to the other LAX shoppers rest of the year. I do miss the $50 fee, but the $20 gives me enough remaining travel $$ to take the airport bus and still turn a profit of $3.56 on the weekend away, so it's still worth it to me! The return lunch shop doesn't pay as well, but at least allows food for 2 and a good reimbursement.

Well the good news is the 2019 mileage allowance is .58. I only do grocery shops in the L.A and desert areas but one company (not a MSC) pays the going mileage rate which helps alot especially when working the desert which is 140 mi RT, less headaches too.

Can anyone tell me where to find grocery shops? Which MSC assign those type of shops, I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks, HTTR

I too like doing restaurant shops. I don't do any retail shops as I feel they don't pay enough for the time, travel and time it takes to fill out the survey. It is hard to keep signing up for company after company and then all you see Are banks and Retail. I feel your pain.

I also enjoy doing restaurant shops. I've been in the restaurant business my whole life so I know what to look for and I'm comfortable doing them. I don't do retail shops because they don't pay enough for my travel time, time in the store and the time it takes to fill out the report. For me it's just not worth 12 $15. I would love to find what company does Darden Restaurants or Red Lobsters. I know that they all get Shopper reports but I've never been able to figure out who they use. No one wants to share information because they do not want to be in competition with other shoppers for the good restaurants.

@rboggs127 wrote:

I would love to find what company does Darden Restaurants or Red Lobsters. I know that they all get Shopper reports but I've never been able to figure out who they use. No one wants to share information because they do not want to be in competition with other shoppers for the good restaurants.

Well...considering that this thread started off with people requesting information about shops in the L.A. area I think you are using the term "good restaurants" rather liberally. Those are not assignments in particularly high demand in this area, and some sit for long times on job boards for common MSC's. I'm going to suggest that perhaps you haven't done your due diligence of signing up for a large number of MSC's if you haven't located who shops them, and perhaps others don't freely share the information because it prohibited to do so.

@calicakes wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

It’s ok if you don’t mind the B health department rating that is posted by the beverage bar .....

Well, to be fair, Wahoo's also shares the beverage bar. I watch the kitchen pretty closely. I fly out early so always get breakfast.

It was a good safety issue. Nothing to do with wahoo’s. (I actually asked a employee one day while I was at lax for other reasons.)

Good luck.

The answers to the OP's question will vary, depending on the shopper. There are shoppers who earn a living at this; shoppers who enjoy lifestyle shops; traditional or video shoppers; shoppers who do this for reimbursements; for fees; or just restaurants/oil changes/ice cream cones/theaters/fun of it. Yes, clients and MSCs play musical chairs. But, for most shoppers, it's overkill and a waste of time signing up for 200+ MSCs when you're a casual shopper or just want to shop restaurants.

Read the forum for leads. Sign up for the major MSCs. Google can also be a friend. I found out who shops a local chain of restaurants by Googling 'is Joe's Seafood mystery shopped?' I'm a casual shopper. In 12+ years, I have worked with less than 50 MSCs.

@SoCalMama wrote:

@calicakes wrote:

@SoCalMama wrote:

It’s ok if you don’t mind the B health department rating that is posted by the beverage bar .....

Well, to be fair, Wahoo's also shares the beverage bar. I watch the kitchen pretty closely. I fly out early so always get breakfast.

It was a good safety issue. Nothing to do with wahoo’s. (I actually asked a employee one day while I was at lax for other reasons.)

Good luck.

I was just at the Habit LAX two days ago and there was no notice on the beverage bar. I have been there a few other times as well and never saw this. It must have been a fleeting issue.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

@rboggs127 wrote:

I would love to find what company does Darden Restaurants or Red Lobsters. I know that they all get Shopper reports but I've never been able to figure out who they use. No one wants to share information because they do not want to be in competition with other shoppers for the good restaurants.

Well...considering that this thread started off with people requesting information about shops in the L.A. area I think you are using the term "good restaurants" rather liberally. Those are not assignments in particularly high demand in this area, and some sit for long times on job boards for common MSC's. I'm going to suggest that perhaps you haven't done your due diligence of signing up for a large number of MSC's if you haven't located who shops them, and perhaps others don't freely share the information because it prohibited to do so.

I was actually very surprised to see Red Lobster show up at the end of last month at one of my regular msc. I did not take it as we are not Lobster eaters but it sat on the board and a week and even two weeks later I got a few emails actually asking for someone to take the job. I have never been to the place myself but would have thought it would be snapped up in a flash. Maybe the effect of all their advertising makes me think they must be good and popular.

I have found several MSC's by googling (name of business+mystery shopping)

Steve SoCal, I know, good restaurants LOL. I just like chain restaurant shop sometimes because they're easy and the foods usually pretty decent. I already signed up for about 20 companies but I get sick of signing up because my inbox is blasted everyday with 40 or 50 emails.

That is the price of building your shopping business. Your dream job won't come looking for you. That only happens in the movies.
How do you think you will find shops if it's too much work to sign up with a company??

I have not spent much time signing up with new MSCs so where would you all suggest I go to sign up for more? I always went to the Volition board but sometimes they are outdated and the companies are defunct.

Have you gone through the list linked at the bottom of this page?
There are over 200 listed - most of the links are still good. The "15 Most Discussed" is a reasonable place to start as those are largely huge MSC's with shops everywhere.

You can also read messages about various MSC's on this board and, when you see something that look intriguing, look up the company on the list and apply. I live in a major U.S. city and am with over 130 MSC's. Less than half have work near me. That's just the nature of the business.

@Bella-Do wrote:

I have not spent much time signing up with new MSCs so where would you all suggest I go to sign up for more? I always went to the Volition board but sometimes they are outdated and the companies are defunct.

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.

Actually I have plenty of work in my area due to Oregon having less population per square mile, therefore less mystery shoppers. I am looking for different restaurants, retail, etc. as I have been doing this for years and find I get in a rut doing my 'usual' jobs as they pay well. I would like to shake it up a bit and have more selection. Thanks for the tip as I don't frequent this board much!

I hadn't signed with 200 companies , I probably signed with 50 when starting and found 60% didn't have jobs within my 30 mile radius, so cut back. I now work for monthly about 10 or so who I know have jobs in my town or close. I have found my companies refer me and I do get emails to join new companies and will. I know I'm in the minority, but all those worthless emails, no thanks. Doing routes is a different story, I work part time and have enough and don't do routes.

Live consciously....

Someone above mentioned they do not shop any longer due to income limits. Do you limit your shopping for one company to under $599 to avoid a 1099?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2019 04:13PM by lbtweety47.

What difference does it make? You owe taxes on the money you earn regardless of whether you get a 1099 or not. If you receive a total of $59 (for instance) from an MSC for the entire year, you are required to include it in your Schedule C.

@lbtweety47 wrote:

Do you limit your shopping for one company to under $599 to avoid a 1099?

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

@lbtweety47 wrote:

Do you limit your shopping for one company to under $599 to avoid a 1099?

yep, but only work part time...if it's money you want to make, talk to MJF

Live consciously....

Can't mention names but it is one of the top 10 that do grocery shops in my area

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