“Excessive Ordering” on Coyle?

Coyle restaurant shops typically state that the required order is one appetizer, two entrees, and one dessert. The reimbursement amount is capped, and there’s some language in the assignment saying that “excessive ordering” may not be reimbursed, but nothing stating that the required items are the only ones permitted.

I recently did a shop where I ordered a single extra item (over the required items listed), which brought the total a few dollars above the reimbursement amount. I’ve done this many times in the past and never had a problem—I wouldn’t get reimbursed above the max, but the additional item wasn’t an issue. This time, though, the entire cost of the additional item was denied due to “excessive ordering,” bringing the total reimbursement below the max.

Has anybody else experienced this? I’m pretty sure it was just a quirk of the person handling my report, but I’m curious if there’s a correct interpretation of the “excessive ordering” policy.

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@wulflov Coyle jobs are way too expensive to be taking risks like this. I stick super strictly to the guidelines to avoid rejection fully. I do expect this may sort of be an editor thing, but I wouldn't take the risk. I have an editor at another MSC that is fully picky about everything and I try to be very exact.

I’ve had this happen before where I ordered an extra entree and was well within the reimbursement amount. I was fully reimbursed.

I did the above again for another evaluation (same restaurant) and was denied reimbursement for the extra item. I pointed out that I have done this in the past, so I did not know it was not allowed. I’m sure they’ll make a one-time exception for you if you reach out. Now, I stick to only the requirements.

I've found that lately Coyle reimbursements barely even cover the bare minimum, much less when you add tax and tip. I have to really want to go to the restaurant, because it ends up being more of a "discount" than a full reimbursement, and the reports are extremely detailed.

I don't like the vagueness either, so I just try to stick with the guidelines. I think you probably got lucky in the past with the extra entree--I think most would consider that "excessive."

I did try to pin them down on it once, and the response I got was , "order like you normally would." LOL, so vague on top of vague!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2023 05:14PM by bradkcrew.

@CorrieCJ wrote:

I've found that lately Coyle reimbursements barely even cover the bare minimum, much less when you add tax and tip. I have to really want to go to the restaurant, because it ends up being more of a "discount" than a full reimbursement, and the reports are extremely detailed.

I often chuckle about this because their training material says they fully cover complete expenses and throw shade at other companies.

This has not always been my experience. I think maybe GinnyL said in a long ago thread that she didn’t want to go to an amazing restaurant and have to order a burger to stay in budget.

I still feel the same way. If I am going to go to a nice restaurant, front a chunk of change for the check, which turns into a gamble if I miss a detail, and then spend hours doing a detailed report, I am flat not going to take the assignment if I am forced to order the cheapest thing (or sometimes something I don't even want to eat) on the menu to stay within the guidelines. Nope. I pull an online menu and compare it to the requirements and reimbursement budget before I take any such these days. I am a sucker for good food, and I love a good restaurant shop, but some of these companies are flat out scamming the shoppers into not only working for free, but frequently paying to work.

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
"Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
-- Abraham Lincoln

This is what really irks me about Coyle—not the details but the vagueness and inconsistency between graders. Lots of people complain that the reports are overly detailed, but if their clients want to know exactly how a waiter offered me dessert, I can tell them.

But I’d expect a company that cared so much about detail to be similarly meticulous in writing shop guidelines and grading reports. Instead the guidelines are vague or contradict the questionnaire or don’t capture important details, and the grading will vary drastically. If the details matter so much, they should be consistent!

@wulflov wrote:

This is what really irks me about Coyle—not the details but the vagueness and inconsistency between graders. Lots of people complain that the reports are overly detailed, but if their clients want to know exactly how a waiter offered me dessert, I can tell them.

But I’d expect a company that cared so much about detail to be similarly meticulous in writing shop guidelines and grading reports. Instead the guidelines are vague or contradict the questionnaire or don’t capture important details, and the grading will vary drastically. If the details matter so much, they should be consistent!

Yeah but then the editors couldn't power-trip on you to feed their bottomless egos.

This happened to me too. I spent below the maximum amount but that "third" item was deducted from my reimbursement. I was eating at a Sushi place and the third sushi roll was denied. I agree, it's very frustrating.

@chintwin wrote:

I was eating at a Sushi place and the third sushi roll was denied.

Similar thing happened to me. I was assigned the famous sushi restaurant where everything a la carte, when they first signed with the client.

It was a relatively light meal, but had about 7 items on the check. The reimbursed for the cheapest three items...so I basically get some free edamame and 2 pieces of nigiri for the report. The editor had clearly never been to a sushi place before.

I didn't notice that they shorted me until after they paid, and when I brought it up to the attention of management, they told me it was too late to adjust the reimbursement, so you need to always check the listed reimbursement after your report has been accepted and then email support before they pay you if something is off.

I have one pending right now that I can see the editor shorted me on, so I am waiting for it to be finalized and then put in a complaint.

Everyone needs to bring it to attention of support when this happens, and that's the only way changes will be made. After dealing with Coyle editorial and reimbursement issues for many years now, I see that it's a constant rotation of increasing and decreasing frustration. When they get a lot of complaints, it gets better, and then slowly slides back into being incredibly frustrating again. And it repeats every few years.

I stopped shopping for Coyle many years ago because I thought they were consistently obnoxious. Sure, they have some nice clients but it's just not worth the aggravation for me.

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“Excessive Ordering” on Coyle?

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