Has anyone done one of these? If so when do you tell the server it is your birthday? Do you wait until the food is served or do it right at the start of the meal?

I've got one scheduled for this upcoming week. Guidelines say to wait to see if you're asked if you're celebrating a special occasion. If they ask, say something at that time. If not, mention it when you order your entrees. It goes on to say that if you think they'll ask for ID, it is recommended to NOT order an alcoholic beverage as they will ask for ID for that and you won't get paid if you show ID.

Any hints where you are seeing these? Sassie platform, somewhere else? Any rhyming words for the MSC? Are these all over the country or just a particular area?

Sassie Smartie pants

I was asked for my drivers’ license to prove date of birthday. Waiter stated it is a new policy because too many people tried to get something free for their birthday!!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/30/2024 08:23PM by Karenhal.

Oh my what did you do? Was the shop ruined by them asking this? I was thinking not to take my purse with me and say my date was driving so no need for my license. I hope I am not asked that as it would be terrible

Yeah, I can see this going sideways in a big way. No thank you. Hard pass.

I thought my son was going to sign us up for one of those, I asked him if he wanted an extra birthday this year. I have his birthday gift, I could put it in a bag and give it to him at the restaurant, it's only 3 months early.. I guess he didn't though, I haven't heard any more about it since.

Well, I told the hostess it was my birthday and got no response. We ordered dessert and my spouse loudly stated for the server "Now, you just need a birthday candle." No response. I hope I get paid.

I have one of these scheduled for Monday. I'm kind of nervous about it now. I'm going to have my guest be the birthday girl and have her not bring a purse. I'll have her say she didn't bring an ID and if the server pushes it. we'll just leave in a huff and abandon the shop. I'd rather pay $50 on my own dime at a better restaurant for better food. I'm not going to collect data for a shop that will be rejected due to random managers making up restaurant policy. Corporate should pay for that kind of information. IMO.

I did one last night. My dining companion told the server it was my birthday. I was offered any dessert on the menu, complimentary. The manager brought it out. Easy.

When I was in college, I worked at a restaurant that gave out a free birthday dessert. There was a family of 4 that used to come in about once a month and it was always someone's birthday. Weird, huh?

I should do this on the weekend, then I wouldn't be lying.
Or, maybe not.

i didn't know they were a franchise. I thought they were corporate.

Thanks

@ServiceAward wrote:

@DRJ wrote:

random managers making up restaurant policy.

It made not be made up. Outbacks are franchised restaurants. Unless corporate as a rule against asking for an ID if it is someone's birthday, that specific restaurant could have that as a rule, if they've had an issue with people coming in multiple times claiming it is their birthday.

But that's still information that the franchiser should want to know and shouldn't use a reason to screw us. I'll still walk out if they ask and push it.

I have one coming up and asked MSC what to do if a license is requested. They said DO NOT show your license- that there is no reason to do so and refuse if asked. So not sure what will happen if they ask and I refuse. The service at the Outback I am shopping is medium to poor actually almost always poor- never great. I am almost 100% sure I will comment and have nothing said in return. Last time I was there not on a shop I ordered a refillable soda and no one ever checked back to refill it. I got a survey from corporate- the owner of the location wrote me and said he was so sorry offered to send me a voucher for a free lunch or dinner and never did. I wrote him 5 times with my address which he requested- the place is hokey to say the least. So not holding my breath here. I have dine rewards to use from visits that were not shops so I will use the $5 off my bill.

Glad I have a May birthday.

I do not give my rewards number until I am paying the bill- I actually have a reward to use from personal visits that we have made- so I am not sure they would ask for the rewards number. Also if 2 people are dining the rewards can be for one of them and the guest can be celebrating.

Good news for us! We were not asked on the way to the table about a special occasion, but I did mention that it was my guest's birthday when we placed the order for our entrees. She was not asked for ID (what a relief - she left her purse in the car and would have said she didn't drive, so hadn't thought to bring her ID with her if asked). She got a small ice cream sundae with a lit candle and two spoons at the end of the meal. Five employees sang her a song. It was fun AND the report was approved within hours!

Good news for us too. We were not asked for ID and the server gave us the pick of desserts from the menu. There was no singing, but there appeared to be just one server on duty. I do have a question about how people manage to do the narrative for these with the 250 character limit per section, but I will open a new thread about that. This was my second Outback shop with the new MSC and I've struggled with the character limit.

I have pretty much given up trying to ascertain the reasons for the instructions we receive from the MSCs. Take the really popular Pig’s Head shops that were offered. I imagine someone at Piggy HQ wants to know if their outlets are pushing their products. But maybe its someone at my-baloney-has-a-first-name wanting to know just what they would be up against if they were to want to get into that space. I doubt it...but who knows????

I read the instructions to this shop and most of the posts here. My first reaction to a Down-Undah-Steakhouse shop for $5.00 is “hard pass”. When I read the birthday stipulation my reaction was “harder pass”. If Down-Undah is really worried about giving away these slivers of a cheesecake after charging someone $30 for a steak that likely costs them $7, I worry about their long term prospects.

Train your staff better, pay them well, treat them with respect and you’ll be fine.

QSRs and the like have gotten almost to the point to where it’s not worth it for me unless I’m actually doing an evaluation. Me and my chummy-chum-chum had a dreadful experience at one of the Down-Undah’s competitors a few days ago. The waiter got my order for a salad wrong--I think he was distracted by the attractive woman sitting next to us. To “make up for it”, he brought the stuff out to the table for me to try to create my original order. And even it was the wrong stuff. How about training the waiter on what to do if he makes a mistake--as most humans tend to do at some time or another?

Anyway, rant over. Have a good Thursday everyone.

-said chummy-chum-chum chimes in-

@metro25782 wrote:

Take the really popular Pig’s Head shops that were offered.

I did! -lol- Despite the "limit of five per shopper," I took eight of them altogether. They aren't my favorite, but they also aren't nearly as bad as folks make them out to be.

@metro25782 wrote:

I read the instructions to this shop and most of the posts here. My first reaction to a Down-Undah-Steakhouse shop for $5.00 is “hard pass”. When I read the birthday stipulation my reaction was “harder pass”.

This is similar to what Olive Garden did several months ago - checking to see if you were offered a free birthday dessert. I've done the regular Outback Steakhouse shops because my mother likes eating there, and it means I get to feed her for free (or close to it, anyway - sometimes we go over reimbursement.) Plus, now that they jumped ship to the Ronald McDonald of MSCs, the report only takes a fraction of the amount of time it took with the Smart MSC. That's a win-win for me.

@metro25782 wrote:

Me and my chummy-chum-chum had a dreadful experience at one of the Down-Undah’s competitors a few days ago. The waiter got my order for a salad wrong--I think he was distracted by the attractive woman sitting next to us. To “make up for it”, he brought the stuff out to the table for me to try to create my original order. And even it was the wrong stuff. How about training the waiter on what to do if he makes a mistake--as most humans tend to do at some time or another?

That was rather disappointing. I couldn't believe it when he brought out like seven little cups with salad ingredients in them. He could have had an entirely new salad made in the time it took him to get the individual ingredients together. In that situation, the best course of action would've been 1) to bring out an entirely new, *correct* salad; 2) offer to comp it off the bill, which would have been a problem for the shop, but apparently the thought never even occurred to him.

Maybe he was new. Young Padawan has a lot to learn.

We did one tonight. You're all right, that 250 character count is a PITA. I had to remove entire words, and one entire sentence in one of the boxes. But it did make the report go faster. It was quick and relatively painless. We had it easy, the manager of the restaurant said. "we don't sing, but I'll cover your dessert."

I hate the birthday scenarios. We did the Olive Garden one and asked the waiter what he would recommend for an anniversary dessert. He did not offer a complimentary dessert and ordering dessert put me over the reimbursement. We weren't sure how else to announce our special occasion without being awkward since it was never asked. Besides, the Outback shops are for lunch on weekdays only, so I would never be able to do it anyways since I barely have time to eat during my 30 minute lunch at my normal job.

I like the way you think, Morledzep . Package up something for yourself that you really wanted. Only sign up for the lunch shops and take advantage of the lunch specials. Or the delicious dessert "Thunder Down Under". (Counts as a dessert.) Have the person who will be paying carry the gift. Type the narrative. Then pop it in Chat GP and ask for a 250 word revision and then change a few words. Perhaps wear a tiara? I don't really care for their appetizers, Ask for the AARP or rewards Some locations will give you both .I did one shop where they gave me$15 AND the AARP. Let's have fun with it!!!!

I did one of these last night and it was a complete trainwreck. We were there (seated) almost 2 hours. I took a "gift" for my teenage daughter since it was her "birthday." The server started off strong, but after waiting almost 40 minutes for our meal and after it arrived cold and the veggies were complete mush, AND there was a hair on my plate, the server said, "I am so sorry..this place is a joke. I literally hate it here." The server comped my meal and brought out replacement food, but even that didn't make sense. She brought out a new baked potato for my husband and broccoli for me. The server then laid our bill on the table and walked off. No mention of the birthday (after it was acknowledged at the beginning). I had no idea what to do, so I asked if she could show us a dessert menu (to prompt her). She said, "oh, I thought you all were finished after all of that food." I said, "well, its my daughter's birthday and we would like a little something to celebrate with." She said "you can have ice cream for free or you can pay for a dessert." I chose the free ice cream. The manager came out and offered anything off of the dessert menu "for our trouble." I was disappointed to see that there was no mention of any of this on the shop report. I had a hard time even typing out our experience. I am so glad this meal was not on my dime. I will never eat there again.

I have one scheduled for next week. Luckily, it's just a regular dinner shop, not the birthday scenario. The location here has always been hit or miss, but my mother enjoys going there, so I put up with the so-so food.