This is my first month as a shopper for ACL. Today was the first day of releases and there were 25 shops in my area that I am allowed to choose from. They are all lunch shops. Tonight there are 10 left. I would like to do a dinner shop. I assume there must be some since my first and only shop for them last week was a dinner shop. Will they continue to release shops throughout the next few days in the same city? I do not want to ask for a lunch shop and then later on see dinner shops I like. I also don't want to miss the January shops by not taking any if this is all I will most likely see. I am in Los Angeles and would like some information on how the release generally goes...are these probably all for January? do they release a few each day? do they release just some companies today and then more other days???
I realize I am probably only seeing the beginner shops but have no idea what might be coming tomorrow.

Yes. The shops that interest me most are generally posted on the 2nd or 3rd day after they start posting. Today was some upscale places that I find mostly are 'much ado about nothing'. Keep in mind that a particular location you can generally only reshop after 3 months, so the dinner place you did last week you are unlikely to be eligible for until March but other locations in the chain should be available to you.

Sandy, once you have done a few, you'll get emails from them for shops within your mile radius, just love that.
They have many in the downtown area which I don't do, the fact that they know
what and where you shop is great. Doing their test lunch the 27th., looking forward to it. Enjoy their "Pizza" lunch' and Sandy they have them all over.

The shops of interest to me posted today, which is pretty standard (2nd day of postings).

Do they blind certain shops from people? Is every shop listed? How do you know if you have access to all the shops?

I really don't know. It seems to me that they control who shops locations more through having requests rather than self assignment for new shoppers. There is a list of all the clients they have in your area on the website and you will not see many of those clients in a given month because some shops are quarterly or just on occasion.

Not all shoppers can see all shops. They have a number of different filters.

Some high-end restaurant require you to have a certain number of successful shops under your belt and I know of one other that requires shoppers to take a training segment.

I think the client list that Flash mentioned may be complete, however.

ok. thanks ya"ll.( yes i'm from the south) great info as always.

So far this month I think I have seen all the restaurants now that are listed on the total client list for me. And, yes I waited and today finally scheduled a steak/seafood house right in my neighborhood. I was surprised it was still there since yesterday and not taken by someone else,so wondering if people don't like it!!! but I do need to stop at a hotel to make my reservation so maybe that is a problem for others...the hotels to make reservations are only a few blocks from my house so I can easily go by one the day before.
Thanks Flash and Irene for all your help.
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> ok. thanks ya"ll.( yes i'm from the south) great
> info as always.

ACL reports are not comfortable for many shoppers. They do take some getting used to. It is not unusual for my server narrative to be 500 words or more to tell everything that occurred with the server during the visit. But their restaurant reports are enough alike that once you get the hang of them they go fairly quickly.

The holidays maybe the reason that shops are not going quickly, many are out of town. I did get an invite to take the test and watch the video in
order to get their new restaurant group. I was accepted, and happy to be doing a lunch the 27th, although this is on the board, don't know who sees what. I know the one your talking about Sandy, it's good, not to worry!
Doing a pretzel shop with a narrative of 1000 words, makes ACL seem easier.

Their reporting platform does take some getting used to.

I would recommend any shopper who is new to ACL to first take a lunch shop at a location of interest. Get that one under your belt and then in 3 months, take the dinner. Not all shops are visible to all shoppers. Prove yourself, and depending on your market and competition, doors will open.

This is a very nice company. I enjoy working with them.

I did a dinner shop as my first but not a fine dining place...a nice place though. I recently did my first Coyle report for a $15 fee and nothing at all to purchase and get reimbursed for. It took me hours to do the report and hours to do the shop between travel time etc. All for $15 but I am paying my dues to Coyle. I found the ACL report for the restaurant to be so much easier than the little $15 fee only report for Coyle! Plus I got dinner out of that one!
And Irene, I know what you mean about doing a 1000 word report for a piddly little shop. I cannot fathom why some are so simple for a great pay or meal or whatever while others are a bear and they pay you $2 or so. I do those once only.
I am looking forward to my Steak house shop and now deciding whether to join the club! Most of their chain's restaurants seem to be in Texas and since i have no plans to go to Texas, not sure it is worth it. It will take me 3 shops to get enough points to earn anything in the club. With rotation that will be at least 9 mos.
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> Their reporting platform does take some getting
> used to.
>
> I would recommend any shopper who is new to ACL to
> first take a lunch shop at a location of interest.
> Get that one under your belt and then in 3
> months, take the dinner. Not all shops are
> visible to all shoppers. Prove yourself, and
> depending on your market and competition, doors
> will open.
>
> This is a very nice company. I enjoy working with
> them.