Restaurant shop - also observe another table

The guidelines request that I include observations of the service at a table nearby. I'm a little freaked out about how to do this - it's a buffet restaurant so I feel it'll already be a little chaotic.

This is for one of the extensive restaurant shops that some avoid like the plague.

I usually keep a detailed timeline of interactions for these shops. I'm good at this part and can kind of do it on auto pilot. For observing another table, I don't know that I could really add another timeline. Is this something I ought to do? Or would it be appropriate to state things like the table next to us did not receive water refills, their plates piled up and were not cleared, the manager never stopped at their table, they had to flag down the server to order another round of drinks, etc.? I feel like it would be a lot harder to time my own interactions as well as another table's timing.

I'm sure I'm overthinking this but would love some thoughts from others. It's a $$$ shop so I'd rather make sure I have it down before I head out. I'll probably also reach out to the company support to confirm their expectations before doing the shop.

Thanks!

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Wow, I've never encountered that kind of requirement. It's almost like they're getting two shops for the price of one!

The responsibility of an MSC is to extract as much work as possible for the least amount of money. I do not foresee the offers of more work for identical or lower fees ending. After all is said and done, it is STILL business!

An example I have shared on numerous occasions deals with the subject of pictures. Almost 17 yrs. ago, I was paid an extra $5 to snap an optional pic of the building's exterior; that in addition to the regular fee of $15 + a $5 reimbursement. This yr., I read an offer that included at least 25 required pics, with a fee of $12.50 for the whole shop.

If you have not yet already see if they will send the guidelines in advance. I have had to observe others before on a restaurant shop but it was not a complete service observation, just one or two things. I found even that very difficult to do but it turned out ok. The last time I did something like this was a bar shop at a $$$ restaurant. I went during brunch and sat at the bar before going to the dining room. I was charged with observing two other groups of customers and what they ordered plus how it was poured however during my stay at the bar no one else showed up. So easy peasy once I got over the fear that no one else came to the bar would not be acceptable.

This sounds amazingly like the QSR shops where you had to time all of your shop, but also time the car behind you, or another car after your transaction was done. There are tons of fast food places that you can't see the entire drive thru from one parking spot. So to actually time someone you would have to change parking spaces half way through someone else's transaction to properly time it. Those were tough, and made it so the shops were too much work for the money.

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Restaurant shop - also observe another table

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