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What was your favorite shop project that is no longer?

May 10, 2026 04:51AM
@Jusa wrote:

Chipotle with the original MSC. I did several locations per month. I did a few with another MSC where the client was testing the online ordering features, and those ran for about a month. I really wish they'd start getting shopped again. I miss that food and I am to cheap to buy it on my own dime.

Same until everyone got cheap and the MSC lost their minds.
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More About Favorites
May 11, 2026 10:39AM
Darden shops- Capital Grill, Olive Garden, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze (closed), Longhorn
Car shops, the Kia shops were high paying, oil changes
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May 11, 2026 01:57PM
@jdyeah wrote:

@MsJudi wrote:

I, however, do not miss the dimensional weight post office shops at all. I remember storing massive sized empty boxes that the company mailed to us. Crazy!

Now that I think of it, I can't remember what the size was. I think I put 12" cubed in a different thread that discussed those shops, but now I'm thinking they were were at least 14", if not 16" cubed?

I was allowed to go buy them and get reimbursed. I bought packs of 10 at a discount and kept them folded in my garage until needed.


The MSC originally sent out the boxes already prepared to be mailed. They even had address labels on them, if I remember correctly. I'm going WAYYYY back now..early 2000's.

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain
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May 11, 2026 03:51PM
@mysterioso412 wrote:

Bowling shops. My daughter and I used to go bowling all the time on those shops, and they were pretty simple, considering how much was reimbursed...

I also loved doing shops where I could take my kids (I wish they were still young so I could still do similar shops). We enjoyed bowling too, and we really loved the bowling birthday party shops, e.g. take up to 10 people and get reimbursed for the food, bowling, game cards, etc. We did those 3 years in a row, and my daughter's friends couldn't wait for her birthday to come around.

Others we enjoyed as a family that no longer seem to be around, or we've aged out: Cheesecake Factory, Ted's Montana Grill, St. Regis, Legoland, Six Flags, 7-day cruise, etc.
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May 11, 2026 04:31PM
UGG store (two pairs of shoes I got for free lasted over 10 years), Philadelphia Pretzels Factory.

Puma (got pair os hoes and still wear them), Tommy Hilfiger, Dicks Sporting Goods, Famous Footwear, Red Lobster, Lobster Place (at Chelsea Market, NYC)

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2026 10:41PM by gene.
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May 11, 2026 04:34PM
I recently communicated with two schedulers (who offered such oil change companies). The Chrysler oil change will not be back but two oil changes may be.

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009
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May 11, 2026 04:52PM
Top Golf was another good one. Generous reimbursement. Decent pay. Not a hard report and plenty of money left over to go back on my own.
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May 11, 2026 08:03PM
Mucho thanks for posting about Chrysler which I was hoping for about now.
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May 11, 2026 08:05PM
Fairway Liquor store shops. Castrol oil changes. Splash car wash chain. Regal cinemas mystery shops.
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May 11, 2026 09:49PM
Here's another one...the shoe store that has shoes for problem feet. I can't remember the name of it and I don't have problem feet..well they are a bit wide and I do have a high arch and an arthritic toe, but... I got a great pair of boots that look like UGGS except they have an arch support. They are so toasty warm. I had another pair of earthy type shoes I wore forever from them too. It started with an A I think, but the one near me closed a few years ago. Oh, I found it. Aetrex was the name. There is one left but it's not nearby and I don't need shoes right now, especially healthy ones. Haven't seen it shopped anyway.

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain
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May 12, 2026 07:57PM
The Starbucks shops where you bought a drink and tested temp/weight. With a SB on nearly every corner, I would make a whole route, keep a big thermos in my backpack and pour the drinks in once I had done the measurements.
LEGO store - so many gifts bought
Movie shops where the cashier got an on-the-spot reward if they offered a particular candy (though I hated when they didn't offer, because I still had to reveal)
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May 12, 2026 10:00PM
@NinS wrote:

BTW Chipotle just popped up on the Five Guys MSC. You have to have a food scale to weigh two bowls: One that you buy online and one that you buy there.
Is there a hint for this MSC? I search for 5G and the animal one and never figure out what they are. I live near so many locations. TIA.
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May 12, 2026 10:10PM
I miss the Planet Hollywood shops. Dinner in restaurant and then a concert. (I think it was PH and not Hard Rock. It was so long ago…). We had a fun night out in AC.

Until their recent closure, I still held out hope that Darden would reup the Bahama Breeze shops. They are restarting their fine dining shops but not all locations.

Fogo de Chao was also a fave. I did it in 3 different states (none my home state!). I would take one whenever I’d travel and treat my host to a great meal out. Same with Capitol Grill. Redstone has now been gone over a year. They didn’t have a lot of locations but we had actually visited 4 different ones. I think I miss the most since they were the most recent ones gone.

For those in my area, PJ Whelihans and their other concepts. I did my last (and maybe theirs!) the night before the pandemic shut everything down. We had 2 others scheduled for March 2020 that we lost and they never returned. We live right in the area of most of their SJ locations.
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May 13, 2026 02:07AM
May the Force Be With You
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May 13, 2026 12:29PM
@pegleg2000 wrote:

Flemings steakhouse.

They are still being shopped. Lunch jobs available in my area.

Have synthesizers, will travel...
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May 13, 2026 02:15PM
Am still looking for Halal Guys new msc.
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May 13, 2026 05:07PM
location surveys; it was a project you were not supposed to talk about. it was sometimes frustrating but it was one of the most fun jobs i’ve ever had.
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May 14, 2026 02:11AM
Equinox
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May 14, 2026 02:02PM
Billboard Audits. Loved them. No human interaction; just photos. Easiest shop EVAH!!!

If anyone has a line on who is doing bill board evaluations now...I’d love to know it and won’t pluck your pigeons.
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May 14, 2026 02:13PM
@metro25782 wrote:

Billboard Audits. Loved them. No human interaction; just photos. Easiest shop EVAH!!!

If anyone has a line on who is doing bill board evaluations now...I’d love to know it and won’t pluck your pigeons.

I saw another person mention this, I would love to do billboards, there's a ton in my area. I've never seen them before.
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May 14, 2026 02:14PM
Garrett's Popcorn and Dunkin Donuts when I worked downtown Chicago. It was easy to pick up the Dunkin's, there was one on practically every corner.
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May 14, 2026 09:01PM
I hope they come back, but I miss Cane's (especially when they were with the "many men" MSC) and Panda Express. I guess in the case of Panda Express they are showing up in some areas at least. In the meantime, I can use my points and sign up for their gift card offers in case I want my Orange Chicken and Super Greens fix. Then for Cane's, they do have the Mother's and Father's Day BOGO offers. Plus I think they still give you a BOGO when it's your anniversary for joining the Caniac Club.
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