There are several Raising Cane's locations in my area and they are easy to do. A couple of years ago when I reported that the fries were not crisp and there was no music, I received an inquiry asking for more details. After that, each time I did one of the shops I received an inquiry if every single item wasn't reported as perfect. There are several locations that I don't do at all because I know something is likely to be less than perfect and I don't want to deal with the follow-up. This week I was unfortunate enough to shop one that had dirty tables, no music, and lukewarm fries. It was tempting to cheat on the report but I was truthful. This makes me wonder if other shoppers hesitate to report anything negative because of the trouble it causes. Wonder if Raising Cane's realizes they may not be getting honest reports if they question every single imperfect response. As expected, I got an e-mail from the shopping company asking for details about every single item. What can I say if I've already said I didn't hear music? They asked if I took notes or if I trusted it to memory. Then they asked if the restaurant was noisy, preventing me from hearing the music. They wanted to know how long I waited to sample the temperature of the fries and if I personally checked all the tables for cleanliness. The response to all of these questions took much longer than the original report. Think I'll skip this shop from now on.

I remember several years ago I did a Canes shop and there was a question about the music.. I put it in the report that it was too loud.

My report was accepted and they did not need any additional information

ETA: At the time I went, the restaurant was not busy

ETA: That is also why I don't do many TRX shops because of the loud music.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2023 03:41AM by Isaiah4031a.

I have the opposite experience. The Raising Canes in my area are managed to such a high level that I seldom find anything out of place. I sometimes wonder if someone thinks I am just checking the boxes.

Did one once. Never again. Bad food. Horrible environment. Shocking that it remains in business.

It can be infuriating, but sometimes we just have to be redundant to satisfy poorly designed shop forms and/or editors with sticks up their you-know-whats.

I do tons of a particular brand of car wash shops. I got tired of editors kicking back reports asking me to address multiple questions in detail for the same criteria. Now I intentionally repeat myself to make sure the number of negative responses checked equals the number of comments provided.

Makes my skin crawl, but it's efficient <eyeroll>



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2023 01:03PM by CoolMusic.

I have the same experience. I now either take pictures, video, etc. It's so much easier than trying to explain. I just send what I have to the editor, or I upload everything to the report, so I am not asked. Cane's have the chance to question their scores. The MSC has to ask you to verify due to Cane's questioning it. I get it. So, I try to have proof.

This MSC is the only one that has ever sent me disputes from a client. Mostly from RC, but also a few from the drive-in burger place when they still had it. One RC location near me is disputing small things constantly, but the other location near me has never disputed anything. The extra work is kinda annoying when only getting paid $5 for the RC shop and the original report doesn't have much room for comments.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2023 05:03PM by boridi.

Some reports require a comment for any "no" response but this one doesn't have a comment section. They just wait until the report is filed, then question anything that isn't perfect. Perhaps they should revise the form.

Sometimes I think they stretch the anyway. I recently did one and I did not receive a greeting and they were taking orders on the tablet so when I got to the question about what greeting did you receive and I checked none, they gave me an error message, stating that anything said to me was a greeting which really doesn’t make sense. It seems like just a pointless question if the only thing you can choose is yes

It seems they are giving them specific greetings to use, such as "Hey, hey, how about some chicken today"? If I can't understand them, I just say that.

@Blkstorm wrote:

Sometimes I think they stretch the anyway. I recently did one and I did not receive a greeting and they were taking orders on the tablet so when I got to the question about what greeting did you receive and I checked none, they gave me an error message, stating that anything said to me was a greeting which really doesn’t make sense. It seems like just a pointless question if the only thing you can choose is yes

@PSE wrote:

There are several Raising Cane's locations in my area and they are easy to do. A couple of years ago when I reported that the fries were not crisp and there was no music, I received an inquiry asking for more details. After that, each time I did one of the shops I received an inquiry if every single item wasn't reported as perfect. There are several locations that I don't do at all because I know something is likely to be less than perfect and I don't want to deal with the follow-up. This week I was unfortunate enough to shop one that had dirty tables, no music, and lukewarm fries. It was tempting to cheat on the report but I was truthful. This makes me wonder if other shoppers hesitate to report anything negative because of the trouble it causes. Wonder if Raising Cane's realizes they may not be getting honest reports if they question every single imperfect response. As expected, I got an e-mail from the shopping company asking for details about every single item. What can I say if I've already said I didn't hear music? They asked if I took notes or if I trusted it to memory. Then they asked if the restaurant was noisy, preventing me from hearing the music. They wanted to know how long I waited to sample the temperature of the fries and if I personally checked all the tables for cleanliness. The response to all of these questions took much longer than the original report. Think I'll skip this shop from now on.

I'll join in the rant just to say that I've never "gotten" Raising Canes. Its a regular old chicken strip. I don't understand the aura that supposedly surrounds it.

I had a Raising Canes with a $25 bonus denied because I wrote in my narrative the drive thru cashier asked if I wanted ketchup and I said no. I have not done one since.

@WillTravel4Shops, it's been awhile since I've done a RC shop (because of no/very low fee, out of pocket by almost $2.00 over reimbursement for the least expensive item you can order and added timings/customer count) but last I remember you had to say "Yes" when asked if you wanted ketchup. Did the Guidelines change on this?

You are required to accept ketchup (and ask for it if not offered) and report how many you received. It is in the guidelines.

@LindaS wrote:

@WillTravel4Shops, it's been awhile since I've done a RC shop (because of no/very low fee, out of pocket by almost $2.00 over reimbursement for the least expensive item you can order and added timings/customer count) but last I remember you had to say "Yes" when asked if you wanted ketchup. Did the Guidelines change on this?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/17/2023 07:06AM by mjt9598.

@mjt9598, thanks for confirming about the ketchup.

No. It was my mistake. I just somehow missed it in the guidelines. MC shamed me- you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid. RC is unhappy, Cane the dog wants to bite you (????not really but I felt like I let him down the most)

@PSE wrote:

...This makes me wonder if other shoppers hesitate to report anything negative because of the trouble it causes.

I believe this is exactly what happened with McDonalds and played a large part in their business decline, cost cutting, and the death of their mystery shopping program. When you force your mystery shoppers to report only glowing reviews, then you defeat the purpose of having a mystery shopping program and are just wasting your money.

I think the ketchup requirement is a right of passage. I got burned, also, but chalked it up to experience.

@WillTravel4Shops wrote:

No. It was my mistake. I just somehow missed it in the guidelines. MC shamed me- you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid. RC is unhappy, Cane the dog wants to bite you (????not really but I felt like I let him down the most)

I did a RC a few days ago and the bread was hard and stale tasting. I reported it and my report was approved. I think these are franchise locations and it might be dependent on the owner?

I did one the other day and it cost me $1.28. It was the first time I had done it. I thought the food was just mediocre and unseasoned. I threw the fries away after tasting one. Don't think I would do another one but it was located right next to a USPS I was doing.

yeah for whatever reason in the guidelines it says you have to say you want ketchup if they ask you.

Ketchup rule does NOT apply to California. The question used to be asked, but June 2022, our lovely state govt decided to forbid fast food places from offering. It was available upon request only.

I did a shop for another company where they asked if ketchup was automatically supplied. The location would get in trouble if they did not automatically give it out. Now they get in trouble if they automatically get it out. The question is still there, but they expect the locations to NOT auto-give now.

As far as RC goes...the question is not asked about ketchup anymore. My family likes their food, but I won't do for less than $5 pay.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

Ketchup rule does NOT apply to California. The question used to be asked, but June 2022, our lovely state govt decided to forbid fast food places from offering. It was available upon request only.

WHY?

effective June 1, 2022.

[www.restaurantbusinessonline.com]

just another "feel good" law from the nuts in charge of CA.

@DRJ wrote:

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

Ketchup rule does NOT apply to California. The question used to be asked, but June 2022, our lovely state govt decided to forbid fast food places from offering. It was available upon request only.

WHY?

I figured it was something like that. How lucky you are to have such people looking out for you!

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

effective June 1, 2022.

[www.restaurantbusinessonline.com]

just another "feel good" law from the nuts in charge of CA.

Might not be a bad thing Hb, when I was in California I had a drawer in my kitchen that was full of ketchup packets. I don't use ketchup, I hate the stuff, and it's full of sugar which is really super bad for you. All those packets of ketchup went into the landfill when I left California because I sure as heck wasn't going to drive all the way across the country with 10 lb of ketchup packets.

@Morledzep...I'm okay with them NOT automatically giving it out. At In N Out...they still ask you if you want ketchup. That is the most appropriate way to handle it. Offer and if accepted, then and only then do you hand it out. I think CA govt doesn't even want it offered. It has to be requested.

MANY many years ago the ketchup was optional but when the rules first changed, I missed it and also got a shop disqualified. Probably more than 10 years ago.

I have done two, they never asked for follow up on anything. But the fact they don't pay other than reimbursement I don't do too many anyway.

@HowardJuice23, in my area the least expensive option is almost $2.00 out of pocket for me. Plus somewhat recently they added more requirements so I haven't done any lately.

I did do 2 of the gift card shops though and they had no specific ordering requirements. Super easy shop. I'd do more in a heart beat if they came up again.