@corylus wrote:
I know the burrito place is not everyone's favorite, but I actually love it. How do I get in with Ardent? Do I really have to be referred by somebody?
@sandyf wrote:
I just finished a report for this month and somehow it seemed like it got shorter again. I have not compared line for line with my previous reports. It still takes me an hour though including scanning receipts, figuring out timings etc. Used to take even more time and if I did not really like the burrito it would not be worth it imho.
@kenasch wrote:
@sandyf wrote:
I just finished a report for this month and somehow it seemed like it got shorter again. I have not compared line for line with my previous reports. It still takes me an hour though including scanning receipts, figuring out timings etc. Used to take even more time and if I did not really like the burrito it would not be worth it imho.
What timings do you need to figure out? You now only have to report the time you entered, the time on the receipt and the time you left. Also there is only one receipt to scan and upload which is no different than any other mystery shop. I find the new report to be much quicker than the old one. I think some people might be providing more info than is necessary. For instance reporting on every food item on the line when you only need to comment on those that were not ok.
@Irene_L.A. wrote:
I have been watching the news and again they are in trouble. Seems they fudged on giving folks the correct calories for their Chorizo Burrito, saying they were 300 calories when in fact they have over 1000 calories, which in my book are killing people. They know better than that, but need/want customers so badly, they
don't care. The three hundred calories pertain only to the Chorizo, not the rest. Those watching their weight,
good luck. I worked for them once years ago, and enjoyed it then thinking they were a healthy way to eat Mexican food, but the reports were too much ...i'm glad to see they made them shorter.
@Tarantado wrote:
When did it become the restaurant's responsibility to control one's portion sizes? If (they) were to shrink the size of the burrito to a more appropriate serving size to the general public, a lot of people would @#$%& and moan about how pricey and expensive the burrito is.
Those watching their weight should have figured out to drop the tortilla, lighten up on the rice (or kill it altogether), lighten up on the cheese, lighten up on the sour cream and kill the chips. Also, kill the soda and drink tea instead, but hey, it's easy to point the finger at the restaurant for their unhealthy eating habits when in fact, eating (there) can easily be a healthy solution.
Mod note: Name of client removed to ensure post conforms to Forum rules of not linking MSCs with their clientele .
I agree that it is NOT the responsibility of the restaurant to police anyone's portion sizes. The problem here is that this restaurant was listing the TOTAL calories in this particular burrito as 300 calories. It has now been discovered that the TOTAL caloric amount is closer to 1000 calories, with the 300 calories only being in the chorizo meat itself. So it's the issue of deceptive practices here that is troubling.@Tarantado wrote:
When did it become the restaurant's responsibility to control one's portion sizes?
@guysmom wrote:
I agree that it is NOT the responsibility of the restaurant to police anyone's portion sizes. The problem here is that this restaurant was listing the TOTAL calories in this particular burrito as 300 calories. It has now been discovered that the TOTAL caloric amount is closer to 1000 calories, with the 300 calories only being in the chorizo meat itself. So it's the issue of deceptive practices here that is troubling.@Tarantado wrote:
When did it become the restaurant's responsibility to control one's portion sizes?
But NO, no restaurant should monitor whatever portion size a patron wishes to have. But they SHOULD BE accountable for the information they are putting out as to the caloric information, so the patron, if he/she chooses, can make an informed choice.
@Irene_L.A. wrote:
@guysmom wrote:
I agree that it is NOT the responsibility of the restaurant to police anyone's portion sizes. The problem here is that this restaurant was listing the TOTAL calories in this particular burrito as 300 calories. It has now been discovered that the TOTAL caloric amount is closer to 1000 calories, with the 300 calories only being in the chorizo meat itself. So it's the issue of deceptive practices here that is troubling.@Tarantado wrote:
When did it become the restaurant's responsibility to control one's portion sizes?
But NO, no restaurant should monitor whatever portion size a patron wishes to have. But they SHOULD BE accountable for the information they are putting out as to the caloric information, so the patron, if he/she chooses, can make an informed choice.
Just don't put the calorie count out there and no one can/will sue you.
Actually, it is a picture of a burrito with the words "300 calories" below it. The implication was 300 calories for the whole darn thing. Yes, I did a double-take the first time I saw that but common-sense says a stuffed burrito cannot be 300 calories. That's not the MSC's issue. It doesn't post the signs. The client does. It was a bad decision at the marketing level and it got caught.@guysmom wrote:
The problem here is that this restaurant was listing the TOTAL calories in this particular burrito as 300 calories.@Tarantado wrote:
When did it become the restaurant's responsibility to control one's portion sizes?
@weatherman2111 wrote:
Sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned the Burger Joint by name. My apologies.
The Asia place is great, but they don't shop it here yet. We'll see how things go, but I'm not feeling very positive about this change.
@calicakes wrote:
I asked Ardent how I could shop the Asian restaurant and they told me they are not shopping them now.
On a related note, In the 8 months I've been with them, I've only been assigned one shop in my own town. This months shop was 35 miles away. I passed.
@weatherman2111 wrote:
Sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned the Burger Joint by name. My apologies.
The Asia place is great, but they don't shop it here yet. We'll see how things go, but I'm not feeling very positive about this change.
I waited six-eight months. It would be helpful if the MSC would send a brief note to those who inquire on the site that explains the account won't be active until the shopper completes training and that training happens about twice a year in most regions. Training addresses all report-writing aspects. It is worth it to hang in there and take the training. You may find you enjoy the shops.@azbound wrote:
I think these reports are out of my league at this time. How long should a shopper wait to try get on with this company?
@PuaM wrote:
I waited six-eight months. It would be helpful if the MSC would send a brief note to those who inquire on the site that explains the account won't be active until the shopper completes training and that training happens about twice a year in most regions. Training addresses all report-writing aspects. It is worth it to hang in there and take the training. You may find you enjoy the shops.
@DareWright wrote:
Ok, maybe it's just me, but this past month the editors have gotten way too picky.
Example: I was cited for writing "Chips were light and crispy" instead of "THE chips were light and crispy."
Ridiculous, IMO.
@Misanthrope wrote:
For at least the last six months the burger chain Ardent shops has made me lie about having an allergy and requires me to order very specific, not particularly tasty items. For at least two, maybe three of the months, I wasn't even allowed to order their famous shakes, and this month I can't get the sauce on the burger that makes them so well known.
I don't get this monomaniacal obsession with asking about allergies... especially when I go back to the same shop every month and sometimes deal with the same employees. I've said I'm allergic to egg, soy, peanuts and this month it's eggs again! At the very least let me phrase the question in such a way that I can still order something tasty, like "my friend has an egg allergy, what can he order?" and let me get the good stuff!
@LGRM wrote:
Didn't get one. I am glad that's the routine now. I had applied twice under my standard "shopper" email address and once under the one I use to get coupons etc. When I finally got the training invite, I got three of them. I applied that many times (about once every two months) because I thought I had made an error in my application. I couldn't understand why I didn't hear anything back. Thanks for posting the response. It would have been nice ...@PuaM wrote:
They DO send that "brief note." Actually, it's a pretty thorough email, and here's what part of it says:
Shopping SoCal and Maui.
Ditto on all of the above.@AustinMom wrote:
I never got that notification either. Maybe it's something new. I learned how the company worked from other shoppers on the forum but never received any communication from Ardent after signing up.