Can you order a alcoholic beverage but make a virgin ??
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What about ordering the alcoholic beverage and just ask for the alcohol on the side? I doubt they would put that detail on the receipt. Then you are ordering the alcoholic drink, but it's just not mixed together.
That is a good idea.. I never thought about that.
They also want a picture of my food and drink. So if I take a picture of my food, plus the alcohol drink glass, and the alcohol on the side, they should accept my report.
They also want a picture of my food and drink. So if I take a picture of my food, plus the alcohol drink glass, and the alcohol on the side, they should accept my report.
I wouldn't take a picture of the alcohol being separate. They are not going to be able to tell looking at the drink if the alcohol is there or not. But then if the drink amount is lower to account for you to add in the alcohol, then I guess you could take picture of it. Did the instrx say you couldn't "modify" any items order? Some companies don't want modifications. Others want you to modify and see if they followed directions.
The e-mail did not say... It just said
1)To see if they suggest any alcohol drinks
2) I must order a alcohol drink
3) Take pictures of the food and drink..
4) I can order anything on the menu
The e-mail did not say if I could modify anything..
I know on the Sonic shops you can remove the the toppings..
1)To see if they suggest any alcohol drinks
2) I must order a alcohol drink
3) Take pictures of the food and drink..
4) I can order anything on the menu
The e-mail did not say if I could modify anything..
I know on the Sonic shops you can remove the the toppings..
#2 says must order alcohol drink. So I would take that as a drink with alcohol.
Excellent idea!
@hbbigdaddy wrote:
What about ordering the alcoholic beverage and just ask for the alcohol on the side? I doubt they would put that detail on the receipt. Then you are ordering the alcoholic drink, but it's just not mixed together.
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
Often the MSC and client want to know if the bartender tried to upsell the alcohol to a premium brand. They would be unable to do that if you order it as a virgin drink. I have never seen anyone order a drink with alcohol on the side. That might well make you stand out as a customer, but it might work.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
I seldom drink when I am out and about. If required in the order, I'd order it and make sure I met all the requirements they needed. However, I'd also order another drink on the side (even water) and not even touch the alcohol. If questioned, I'd give some lame excuse like remembering that I had to do paper work later, designated driver, or something. Unless they specifically say the word "alcohol" in the requirements, I do not actually order alcohol. If it says beverage, I generally order a soft drink or coffee.
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
"Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
-- Abraham Lincoln
"Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
-- Abraham Lincoln
How about order an alcoholic drink and not drink it and then order a Coke or water? I do that all the time, anyway. I do typically drink on occasion but not unusual to have a drink and a non-alcoholic soft drink or beverage too.
If you order a virgin version of a drink, shouldn't it show up differently on the receipt? It should cost much less than the version with alcohol. I am asking since I have never done that.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
Places like Red Lobster and some of the popular Mexican restaurants place a shot of tequila or other alcohol in a shot glass on the side or have plastic shot glasses that hang onto the side of the glass.
If you can view the bar menu online, maybe check to see if they serve any of their drinks this way. I ordered a drink that was served this way on a Red Lobster shop 3 months ago. But did pour the shot in my drink after taking a picture, undisturbed, as required. There was no mistaking the drink was alcoholic.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2022 11:44PM by Zek.
If you can view the bar menu online, maybe check to see if they serve any of their drinks this way. I ordered a drink that was served this way on a Red Lobster shop 3 months ago. But did pour the shot in my drink after taking a picture, undisturbed, as required. There was no mistaking the drink was alcoholic.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2022 11:44PM by Zek.
Ha ha, the last time I was at El Torito the next table from me had drinks with 2 mini drinks hanging onto them. They would make a good guest for you to invite along. It was a margarita with a mini beer bottle upside down in the drink that had a second shot on top of the beer bottle. I don't mind a half drink myself but I cannot find a guest willing to drink the other one. That second drink had to be at the bar so I ordered it and then carried it over to the table for dinner, pushed it to the side and ordered a soft drink.
I know a-lot of people that get a alcoholic drink and another drink (like tea, coffee, water, soda) etc.
They should not be mad if I order a alcoholic drink and then another drink.. I hate to order something and they take it off my bill because it had a off taste or something like that.
ETA: what happens if I take the shop and I take the require pictures of the food and drink and do all the timings and stuff. I get the bill and everything is on the ticket except for the alcoholic drink..
I know some places that if the order is wrong or if something has a off taste, they will either take it off or the comp the whole meal..
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2022 01:52AM by Isaiah4031a.
They should not be mad if I order a alcoholic drink and then another drink.. I hate to order something and they take it off my bill because it had a off taste or something like that.
ETA: what happens if I take the shop and I take the require pictures of the food and drink and do all the timings and stuff. I get the bill and everything is on the ticket except for the alcoholic drink..
I know some places that if the order is wrong or if something has a off taste, they will either take it off or the comp the whole meal..
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2022 01:52AM by Isaiah4031a.
@Isaiah4031a wrote:
I know a-lot of people that get a alcoholic drink and another drink (like tea, coffee, water, soda) etc.
They should not be mad if I order a alcoholic drink and then another drink.. I hate to order something and they take it off my bill because it had a off taste or something like that.
ETA: what happens if I take the shop and I take the require pictures of the food and drink and do all the timings and stuff. I get the bill and everything is on the ticket except for the alcoholic drink..
I know some places that if the order is wrong or if something has a off taste, they will either take it off or the comp the whole meal..
I normally take pictures of all my food and drink anyway as a habit. When something like that happens I would just explain it. The other thing you can do is take the drink to the bathroom and pour some out or pour some into an empty water glass at the end of your meal.
Most of the time they won't take anything off the bill without telling you or asking you first. I would just say everything is fine and I'm just slowly drinking this.
@foodluvr wrote:
@Isaiah4031a wrote:
I normally take pictures of all my food and drink anyway as a habit. When something like that happens I would just explain it. The other thing you can do is take the drink to the bathroom and pour some out or pour some into an empty water glass at the end of your meal.
Most of the time they won't take anything off the bill without telling you or asking you first. I would just say everything is fine and I'm just slowly drinking this.
I never take pictures of my food/drink unless it is for a shop.
There was one time I having lunch with my mom and dad, and I had about eaten about 95 % of my meal.. The sever came and ask if they could take my plate or if I needed a box.. I told them that I was still working on it
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2022 02:07AM by Isaiah4031a.
I take those shops every now and then. I buy the alcoholic drink, and I take the required pictures. When I order the alcoholic drink I also order a tall glass of ice water. This is common and the servers are aware, drinking water dilutes the alcohol, and eating carbs absorbs it so you're less tipsy. And I just drink the water with my meal instead and never touch the alcoholic beverage.
I NEVER drink alcoholic beverages outside of my home, and for the past several years, not at all because I have A-Fib and the doc said it could kill me. I do know that I have more trouble walking and catching my breath after I have alcohol, and I really do miss my hard ciders in the fall..
I NEVER drink alcoholic beverages outside of my home, and for the past several years, not at all because I have A-Fib and the doc said it could kill me. I do know that I have more trouble walking and catching my breath after I have alcohol, and I really do miss my hard ciders in the fall..
I think it will depend on the MSC and client if the shop will be accepted with a comp'd item or discount, but I completed a Acapulco restaurant shop and that MSC did.
The waitress brought two bowls of soup to the table. When I asked what it was she said tortilla soup on the house for the wait. We waited 40 min for cold entrees and another 25 min after sending back to the kitchen.
When the bill came it included 2 extra drinks and a $15 birthday coupon. The com'd soup did not appear on the bill but I did write into the report. I had the waitress take the extra drinks off as it would have exceeded what was allowed and have to come out of my pocket. When I asked about the $15 birthday coupon she told me it is just how they rang up a discount for a server spilling a drink down my guest's back. Mind you this was after my server spilled a glass of water in my lap. And there was more!
I explained everything in the report. No issue.
I think what is likely important is for the item to show on the bill and then a credit to offset it. This way the MSC can see the item was ordered but the restaurant choose to credit/discount. Why should they care - less $ to reimburse to the shopper.
The waitress brought two bowls of soup to the table. When I asked what it was she said tortilla soup on the house for the wait. We waited 40 min for cold entrees and another 25 min after sending back to the kitchen.
When the bill came it included 2 extra drinks and a $15 birthday coupon. The com'd soup did not appear on the bill but I did write into the report. I had the waitress take the extra drinks off as it would have exceeded what was allowed and have to come out of my pocket. When I asked about the $15 birthday coupon she told me it is just how they rang up a discount for a server spilling a drink down my guest's back. Mind you this was after my server spilled a glass of water in my lap. And there was more!
I explained everything in the report. No issue.
I think what is likely important is for the item to show on the bill and then a credit to offset it. This way the MSC can see the item was ordered but the restaurant choose to credit/discount. Why should they care - less $ to reimburse to the shopper.
@foodluvr wrote:
@Isaiah4031a wrote:
I know a-lot of people that get a alcoholic drink and another drink (like tea, coffee, water, soda) etc.
They should not be mad if I order a alcoholic drink and then another drink.. I hate to order something and they take it off my bill because it had a off taste or something like that.
ETA: what happens if I take the shop and I take the require pictures of the food and drink and do all the timings and stuff. I get the bill and everything is on the ticket except for the alcoholic drink..
I know some places that if the order is wrong or if something has a off taste, they will either take it off or the comp the whole meal..
I normally take pictures of all my food and drink anyway as a habit. When something like that happens I would just explain it. The other thing you can do is take the drink to the bathroom and pour some out or pour some into an empty water glass at the end of your meal.
Most of the time they won't take anything off the bill without telling you or asking you first. I would just say everything is fine and I'm just slowly drinking this.
I order a margarita, enter a bathroom stall, pour most of the liquid leaving mostly ice, then I pour some water over the ice so the glass looks about half full and return to the bar. It looks and smells like a margarita over ice. Also, when at a bar, you can hold the drink in your hand below the bar unless you need to test to see if the bartender offers a refill when the glass in half full. You can also wrap a napkin around the cocktail glass to conceal some of the drink.@foodluvr wrote:
The other thing you can do is take the drink to the bathroom and pour some out or pour some into an empty water glass at the end of your meal.
BTW, if you are required to order an alcoholic drink, you should know that a virgin cocktail ,by definition, is NOT an alcoholic drink. If you are required to order a drink or cocktail, that could be a virgin or not, but you should always confirm with shop instructions or scheduler if you want a virgin drink. My rule is, "You can always order alcohol, but you should ask if you want a virgin."
Why would you come here looking for a way to get around the guidelines? Order the booze. Or ask the scheduler if an exception can be made about ordering alcohol. (Probably not, but asking is the right thing to do.)
I wouldn't try it and expect the report to be accepted. It sounds like part of the shop is to evaluate the bartender (and a mixed drink).
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2022 11:49PM by jgardn02.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2022 11:49PM by jgardn02.
Agreed. If it's requiring you to order an alcoholic beverage, you need to order an alcoholic beverage. The only time it would be acceptable to order a virgin drink is if alcohol was not required or if you explicitly got the scheduler's permission.
Alcoholic beverage? I used to dump beer down the drain in Ladies room when I dined alone. I considered it a lowering of my payment but necessary. Now my husband orders a beer or wine for the requirement. Less $$ than a mixed drink.
It doesn't seem 'fair' to want to do a restaurant shop and the requirement is for something we don't eat or drink. I can't do ARBY shops as I don't eat some of the required ingredients. There used to be a pizza shop requiring a meat pizza--another one I couldn't do.
It doesn't seem 'fair' to want to do a restaurant shop and the requirement is for something we don't eat or drink. I can't do ARBY shops as I don't eat some of the required ingredients. There used to be a pizza shop requiring a meat pizza--another one I couldn't do.
I always order water or another non-alcoholic beverage if I have an alcoholic drink when I'm dining out. So ordering two drinks shouldn't be an issue. But avoiding drinking at least some of the alcoholic one might be.
Do you bring a partner with you on dining shops, and does that person drink alcohol? Does the shop call for you to evaluate the taste of the drink as well as whether the server tried to "upsell" you? If so, I think you're SOL and shouldn't take the shop.
You can't order a virgin drink if you're supposed to order an alcoholic one. You could try taking it to the restroom, as someone suggested, then pouring it out. But if you were noticed doing that, you'd certainly stand out! Ordering the shot on the side would be a double red flag.
I'm not sure why you want to put yourself through such contortions to get around this requirement or risk a situation where you're not charged for the drink, then have to explain why in the report. Unless you really, really, really want to dine at that particular restaurant.
Do you bring a partner with you on dining shops, and does that person drink alcohol? Does the shop call for you to evaluate the taste of the drink as well as whether the server tried to "upsell" you? If so, I think you're SOL and shouldn't take the shop.
You can't order a virgin drink if you're supposed to order an alcoholic one. You could try taking it to the restroom, as someone suggested, then pouring it out. But if you were noticed doing that, you'd certainly stand out! Ordering the shot on the side would be a double red flag.
I'm not sure why you want to put yourself through such contortions to get around this requirement or risk a situation where you're not charged for the drink, then have to explain why in the report. Unless you really, really, really want to dine at that particular restaurant.
I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
Isiah,
Some restaurants don't actually have bars where drinks are mixed. One that is on the boards right now, a country style restaurant, only sells bottled alcoholic drinks. A sparkling wine they pour into various kinds of juice and call it a mimosa. Or a bottle beer. They take a very sweet wine in single serve bottles, and pour it into some fruit punch then put a piece of canned fruit in it and call it sangria. And ALL of it is awful. I do these shops as often as I can. I buy the drink, a tall glass of ice water and my meal. I take all the required pics, push the alcoholic beverage to the far side of my table and forget about it.
I have done similar shops in a real restaurant with a real bar that makes awesome margaritas. On the shops that buying alcohol is required, I get my favorite margarita (with salt, not sugar) I take a tiny sip after the pictures are taken and drink my icewater with my meal. If I am required to have a guest, I bring my 37 year old son and watch with envy while he drinks my favorite margarita.
Some restaurants don't actually have bars where drinks are mixed. One that is on the boards right now, a country style restaurant, only sells bottled alcoholic drinks. A sparkling wine they pour into various kinds of juice and call it a mimosa. Or a bottle beer. They take a very sweet wine in single serve bottles, and pour it into some fruit punch then put a piece of canned fruit in it and call it sangria. And ALL of it is awful. I do these shops as often as I can. I buy the drink, a tall glass of ice water and my meal. I take all the required pics, push the alcoholic beverage to the far side of my table and forget about it.
I have done similar shops in a real restaurant with a real bar that makes awesome margaritas. On the shops that buying alcohol is required, I get my favorite margarita (with salt, not sugar) I take a tiny sip after the pictures are taken and drink my icewater with my meal. If I am required to have a guest, I bring my 37 year old son and watch with envy while he drinks my favorite margarita.
Yup, that's the way I would do it!@Morledzep wrote:
Isiah,
Some restaurants don't actually have bars where drinks are mixed. One that is on the boards right now, a country style restaurant, only sells bottled alcoholic drinks. A sparkling wine they pour into various kinds of juice and call it a mimosa. Or a bottle beer. They take a very sweet wine in single serve bottles, and pour it into some fruit punch then put a piece of canned fruit in it and call it sangria. And ALL of it is awful. I do these shops as often as I can. I buy the drink, a tall glass of ice water and my meal. I take all the required pics, push the alcoholic beverage to the far side of my table and forget about it.
I have done similar shops in a real restaurant with a real bar that makes awesome margaritas. On the shops that buying alcohol is required, I get my favorite margarita (with salt, not sugar) I take a tiny sip after the pictures are taken and drink my icewater with my meal. If I am required to have a guest, I bring my 37 year old son and watch with envy while he drinks my favorite margarita.
What I would do is ask my scheduler. If they don't know the answer, they usually contact the client to check. Asking the scheduler/MSC is really the only way to know for sure. All we can do is guess or say what we've done in the past, but requirements and guidelines change, so I'd just go to the MSC and ask.@Isaiah4031a wrote:
Depending on the MSC/restaurant can I order an alcoholic drink but have them make it a virgin? Will they still accept my shop?
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