Texas Roadhouse Lingering on the Boards

December 05, 2021 08:06PM

I've been guilty of taking the shops at base pay because I enjoy the food and experience. I've always gone over reimbursement.

Then the MSC lowered the reimbursement for curbside shops. Suddenly, the shops weren't flying off the boards near me.

I tried to pick up a shop during a route. The same day I accepted the shop, I asked that they cancel it. I wasn't going to be in the area when the restaurant was open as my route went faster than expected.

I got a 1 citation as a result. Now I know not to accept a shop until the last minute. But I was afraid the scheduler would not have seen the shop request in time for me to do the shop if I applied later. I guess it's better to miss the opportunity than to get a citation.

Now I've noticed e-mails and text messages from the other Texas Roadhouse scheduler begging me to pick one up. Also, they are now sending "recruitment" e-mails since they've been having trouble filling the shops.

Shops were bonused last month and this month they are just sitting on the board. Maybe the MSC should realize they killed the golden goose by taking the shoppers for granted.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/05/2021 08:17PM by wrosie.

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December 05, 2021 09:44PM

I think it depends on the location. The curbside disappear as soon as they are posted. Bar shops? They sit on the job board. I just do the bar shops all the time. I don't feel safe doing them any more. I do the dining room every now and then, but I prefer the curbside and doing the dining room messes up the rotation for the curbside.

December 05, 2021 09:54PM

The shops at the TR location I most wish to shop usually don't sit on the board for long. I accepted a curbside shop at another location at base pay because I have another shop nearby. Otherwise, I would never do that shop at $25 reimbursement and no pay/bonus.

I will try to do shops for the main scheduler whenever I can. I avoid the other scheduler regardless of what MSC she is scheduling for because I have found her to be unpleasant or even unreasonable.

December 05, 2021 11:00PM

Busy, I believe that your other scheduler is my main scheduler. And I have to agree, she is unpleasant and unreasonable. She's the one who gave me the citation for trying to help her out. And yes, she does schedule for multiple MSCs and is just as unpleasant to deal with for those companies too.

December 05, 2021 11:15PM

After completing more than 100 steakhouse jobs since 2008, it appears I was outed as a shopper; I was not able to select any visits. That being the case, I requested the scheduler remove me from her mail list. She either misunderstood or disliked my letter and deactivated me. One of the first lessons I learned back in 1963 was that it is critical for anyone engaged in self-employment to both learn and hone the skill of turning lemons into lemonade. I replaced the shops with others from three MSCs, am earning a fee of up to $20 + my meal and, for most, traveling a shorter distance. When I have a desire for the steakhouse, I merely catch the early bird special, which, with my military discount of up to 30%, is quite affordable.

December 05, 2021 11:37PM

Shoot me now, because I'm one of those people who take the curbsides at $25. You know it's a pretty easy shop. I buy one of the $39.99 family meals, which feeds my family of five. There's always enough leftovers for a couple of lunches the next day.

December 05, 2021 11:42PM

I also do the curbside for $25. They never get bonused here. If I am buying for myself, and not ordering a drink, I stay under the reimbursement even with the tip.

December 06, 2021 03:40AM

Ouch. I’m not sure, but maybe deactivation is the only way that schedulers can remove a shopper from their email list, as you requested. However, shoppers can easily elect to not receive emails and remain active with the MSC.

@shopperbob wrote:

After completing more than 100 steakhouse jobs since 2008, it appears I was outed as a shopper; I was not able to select any visits. That being the case, I requested the scheduler remove me from her mail list. She either misunderstood or disliked my letter and deactivated me. One of the first lessons I learned back in 1963 was that it is critical for anyone engaged in self-employment to both learn and hone the skill of turning lemons into lemonade. I replaced the shops with others from three MSCs, am earning a fee of up to $20 + my meal and, for most, traveling a shorter distance. When I have a desire for the steakhouse, I merely catch the early bird special, which, with my military discount of up to 30%, is quite affordable.

December 06, 2021 06:32AM

Yikes! I am so sorry!

@wrosie wrote:

Busy, I believe that your other scheduler is my main scheduler.

December 06, 2021 01:22PM

@wrosie wrote:

I got a 1 citation as a result. Now I know not to accept a shop until the last minute. But I was afraid the scheduler would not have seen the shop request in time for me to do the shop if I applied later. I guess it's better to miss the opportunity than to get a citation.

Now I've noticed e-mails and text messages from the other Texas Roadhouse scheduler begging me to pick one up. Also, they are now sending "recruitment" e-mails since they've been having trouble filling the shops.

When they are bonused (the first bonus) tell her that you will do it if she removes the 1 citation.

December 07, 2021 01:31AM

I noticed a pretty hefty price increase on the menu items. Maybe folks are finding it difficult to remain within the reimbursement cap and are not accepting shops as a result.

Evaluating and mailing packages since 1994. I am an undercover connoisseur of customer service, a master of disguise in the aisles, and a sworn enemy of subpar experiences. I blend in, observe, and report—because excellence should never be a mystery.

December 07, 2021 01:40AM

My thinking is the MSC had this client on cruise control as the shops seemed to fly off the boards.

Then they lowered the reimbursement on one of the shops and now, apparently the client has raised prices. Now the shops aren't flying off the boards any longer.

The scheduler I have, one of two I've gathered, has no empathy towards the mystery shoppers. I refuse to do anything to assist her by picking up shops. She also schedules for two or three other MSCs.

December 07, 2021 04:56AM

It's been a couple years since I've done a TX Roadhouse shop, long before the shutdown and the pandemic. Before the pandemic they bonused the shops the last week of the month, I quit doing them unless the bonus got to $20 or more. The bonus' don't seem to go that high anymore and I don't work for free.

December 07, 2021 05:28AM

Yeah, I'm finding similar trends as some of you, there are 3 TXRH's within shoppable distance for me, the one that's nearest remains a coveted site and flies off the board, the other 2 not so much. The intermediate one, they broke rotation for me recently, I actually got a little spooked because the bartender was the same one I'd dealt with a few weeks before, luckily I'm not memorable and she didn't recognize me (I do the bar shops).

The most distant one seems to have become a "Siberia," they now go begging on this location all the time. I won't do it unless I can "cluster" it and in late November I was able to get a satisfactory bonus on it while doing other shops out there so grabbed it.

It wasn't long ago that rotation was strict here.

December 07, 2021 03:08PM

I’ve only done 1 TR shop and the food was inedible. Ribs burnt to a crisp. Mashed potatoes that resembled cement and tasted worse than powdered. Abysmal service (no napkins or utensils included). It was really, really bad. I’m not sure how they’re even still in business.

December 07, 2021 04:12PM

Phoebe70,

I believe that one of the questions on the report is did a manager stop by your table. They normally tape a receipt to the table that the manager will take when they visit your table.

If you engage a manager, whether by asking for one or talking to them when they stop by, they will bend over backwards to make your experience a good one.

Don't give up on the chain. I believe many here will tell you they normally have good experiences and many of us have taken shops even though we go over reimbursement because we feel; the food and experience is worth it.

December 07, 2021 04:23PM

The curbside shops in my area usually go in a heartbeat, but seem to have slowed down just a bit since they lowered the reimbursement. The bar shops always sit. But what's surprised me lately is that the dine-in shops are lingering, even with a $5 bonus added. They usually have been snapped up almost as quickly as the curbside.

I don't mind being a little out of pocket on these shops, but last time I had to really "downgrade" my order to stay a reasonable amount OOP. The chicken was so dry it was almost inedible.

The prices have gone up, and I'm not sure how long the MSC thinks they can hold the reimbursements the same (or lower them) on the dine-in and curbsides before people just stop taking these shops! I guess there will always be shoppers who will take them, but they keep sitting and sitting....

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

December 08, 2021 03:19AM

@wrosie wrote:

Phoebe70,

I believe that one of the questions on the report is did a manager stop by your table. They normally tape a receipt to the table that the manager will take when they visit your table.

If you engage a manager, whether by asking for one or talking to them when they stop by, they will bend over backwards to make your experience a good one.

Don't give up on the chain. I believe many here will tell you they normally have good experiences and many of us have taken shops even though we go over reimbursement because we feel; the food and experience is worth it.

Mine was curbside, so no manager to interact with. I might give the restaurant another chance if it’s bonused.

December 08, 2021 06:34AM

In my area, oddly, the managers NEVER interact with the customers. The only time I've ever had a manager talk to me was when I did one out of state. In fact in two of the three locations near me, good luck finding anybody in a collared shirt.

February 09, 2022 12:40AM

At my Roadhouse dinner shop tonight we asked for peanuts. The server came back and told us they were out.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

February 12, 2022 12:24AM

What are her initials so I know who to avoid?

February 12, 2022 03:56PM

@Swilli wrote:

What are her initials so I know who to avoid?

Nikki, no initials needed. There are plenty of threads here that all say the same thing.

February 23, 2022 03:48PM

Did a dine in shop last night that had an $8 bonus. Apparently they are also waiving rotation because I did a bar shop about 30 days ago.

My guest noticed that all the food prices had increased $2-3 since our last visit and yet they haven't raised the reimbursement at all.

I think I'm going to start waiting for the bonuses before i pick up these shops from now on. We spent $54 with tip with only $43 reimbursement after the bonus. We did however order what we wanted without attempting to stay under reimbursement. A full rack of ribs and a loaded baked potato are what put us over. Also ordered one soda and one water.

It might be time to start going without a guest if the reimbursement does not go up.

February 26, 2022 04:06PM

Just saw this in the job description of the sit at the bar shop for March. It's a slight change from needing to have your receipt uploaded by midnight.

"**NEW POLICY effective March 2022-Your Texas Roadhouse report must be loaded by 9am (your time zone) of the following day. "

February 26, 2022 06:24PM

I have noticed that the 3 in my area are always packed. I have done takeout and would like to do dine in but haven't because of that.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2022 11:31PM by pegleg2000.

February 26, 2022 09:24PM

Likewise with Buffalo Wild Wings...
which I why I've chosen to say goodbye to those shops unless the reimbursement is raised to at least $35.

@wrosie wrote:

My guest noticed that all the food prices had increased $2-3 since our last visit and yet they haven't raised the reimbursement at all.

Bilingual (Spanish<>English)

February 27, 2022 02:05AM

I did the curbside and it was really easy. Looks like there is a 60 day wait to repeat at the same location. Not sure how strict they are on that, but if they are, will they allow two people from one household to shop the same location?

February 27, 2022 11:23AM

@whatwhatdb wrote:

I did the curbside and it was really easy. Looks like there is a 60 day wait to repeat at the same location. Not sure how strict they are on that, but if they are, will they allow two people from one household to shop the same location?

I thought it was a 90 day rotation. At the beginning of the month, they cannot waive the rotation. As the month goes on, and they need the job filled, they will waive the rotation. When I was doing the bar shops pre-covid, there was one location I did 11 times in one year. About shoppers in the same household, that is question to ask the scheduler.

February 27, 2022 03:46PM

It is now a 60-day rotation, although in the past I believe that it was indeed 90 days. I just added a curbside shop in March, 63 days after the last one that I did. The sign-up page states a 60-day rotation.

@eclark3 wrote:

@whatwhatdb wrote:

I did the curbside and it was really easy. Looks like there is a 60 day wait to repeat at the same location. Not sure how strict they are on that, but if they are, will they allow two people from one household to shop the same location?

I thought it was a 90 day rotation. At the beginning of the month, they cannot waive the rotation. As the month goes on, and they need the job filled, they will waive the rotation. When I was doing the bar shops pre-covid, there was one location I did 11 times in one year. About shoppers in the same household, that is question to ask the scheduler.

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

February 28, 2022 03:37AM

Rotations where I am seem to be 45 days.

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