Restaurant and bar assignments are growing increasingly popular with mystery shoppers. In light of today’s economic crisis, these assignments provide you with a great way to get a meal and drinks for you and maybe a friend or spouse reimbursed. This is a great way to enjoy a “free” night out. But before you sign up for a restaurant assignment, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
Pour Me Another One. Bar assignments and even some restaurant assignments require you to purchase and taste an alcoholic beverage. You will be asked to comment on the friendliness and timing of the bartender’s service, as well as the quality of the drink. So first ensure you are old enough to drink and bring your ID if you have a young-looking face. Also, if you are opposed to drinking for any reason, this may not be the assignment for you.
Do I Have To Eat All That? Many assignments will require you to order multiple meals, or multiple items on the menu. For instance, one fast food chain will require you to order both a burger and then a chicken or fish sandwich. Another casual dining eatery requires you to an appetizer, a salad or soup, an entree, and a dessert. The fast answer is yes, you are required to at least taste everything, but you don’t not have to polish off the meal to the last crumb. So be sure to order items you enjoy eating, and ask for a doggie bag to take home anything you can’t finish.
Can I Bring A Friend? The fast food chain mentioned above actually requires you to purchase two meals (one from the inside cashier and one from the window), yet you are required to perform the assignment on your own. Other assignments are neutral on bringing someone else or flying solo. And other assignments may put an age limit on the guests you invite. There are a handful of assignments that actually do require you to bring a friend or spouse. If this is the case, be sure you have someone committed to the date and time of the assignment.
Show Me The Money. Restaurant and bar assignments are one of the assignment types where you can really lose some money if you don’t watch out. A reimbursement of $10 doesn’t go very far if you have to buy an appetizer, soup or salad, entree, and dessert. It’s a great way to get part of a night out paid for, but if you weren’t already planning on an evening out, you will end up upside down on some restaurant assignments even if you order the cheapest items on the menu. Seasoned mystery shoppers often use restaurant and bar assignments as a way to get paid for a planned evening out, such as a birthday, anniversary, or other special event. It can seem like a great way to make the special event less special, but it’s a great way to help your struggling personal budget.
If you follow the basic rule of reading through the assignment requirements and understanding what you are getting into before you accept the responsibility, you can have a great time with restaurant and bar assignments!
All very good points, especially about the shops that only pay a set fee and require you to order and pay for the items from that money. I try to avoid those shops unless I’m just craving their specific cuisine. Thanks for all your articles, and keep up the good work.
I would like to change the subject. I am looking for the company that handles marathon and burger king. I would really apprciate any help that you can give me.
I had to refuse an assignment recently because it wanted detailed bar observations that I simply can’t imagine how to get. For instance, it wanted me to document bartenders’ pouring methods. Does anyone know what that even means? What do you do if you simply can’t see the bartender making the drink, or if they have their back to you when at the cash register? Also, to get so many details, you HAVE to make notes while at the bar; how do you play that off?? And how do you justify sitting at the bar for an hour but only ordering two drinks? If anyone has any advice on bar integrity shops, I’d love to hear it!
#1: Use a pour count like this. One thousand, two thousand, three thousand. That is a Three count and what should be poured on a free pour.
#2: Look for the drinks being made that you can see and document those as best you can.’
#3:If I am making notes, I tell the bartender that I write poetry and do it best when I have a few pops. Copy a short poem and keep it in front of you, write notes on the back. It works Honest!
#4:An hour goes quickly if you vacate to go to the restroom and use it slowly. Also most want 45 minutes. If you order a small appetizer, it takes up a lot of time and most shops add that into your pay.
I do many good shops like this and they pay well.
Get on the list for Goodwin Associates as they are the best.
Doc Lloyd
There is one outfit in this area that I refuse to do.There is no pay associated with the shop. The reimbursement is in the form of a coupon to be used at that restaurant or one of their other restaurants.The restaurant in question is upscale and the reimbursement does not even cover the price of the lunch or dinner.The way I look at this shop is that you are spending your money in order to get back what doesn’t cover the meal and they get their report out of it.
Dear SC,
Pouring methods are the “methodology, procedure or consistent manner” in which a bartender pours hard alcohol. For example, the restaurant limits the amount “in ounces” or what we call “shots” of hard alcohol each drink contains. Some bartenders pour “without consistency” one shot here, 1/2 shot there so that they can comp free drinks or pocket cash for drinks they don’t actually sell.
Many bartenders make their living, shorting customers, while excessively comping customers that tip well or excessively.
You can see these inconsistencies if you watch a bartender for 10 minutes. Especially on a night where the game is on and the house is full.
Its easy to spot once you know what you are looking for. If you know drinks, what they contain, when a drink calls for one shot and its clear the bartender only poured at best 1/2. You know they are on the take. If they short customers, they are most likely not “ringing up all sales” either. Watching without being noticed is the key, or video shopping…even better.
Watching the cash register is another clue. Does the bartender ring up $0.00, the drawer open, then close quickly, without money going in?
Another way is to watch the customers they serve. It is immediately obvious when a customer “who knows alcohol” feels the drink is not “up to standard”. You will see the irritation on their face as they take a sip and complain to whoever is at their table. Or….many send the drink back.
The key to these shops is watching the bartender, then the customers they serve. In 10 minutes tops, you’ll know if they are on the take or not.
Hope this helps. Shoppers are needed in areas like these. The public (you and I) are the ones getting ripped off here. Especially when alcohol prices are typically marked up 300% in bars/restaurants….which, by the way, are increasing as Obama’s NEW tax on alcohol and tobacco begin to come into place, I believe in April.
Tina
Thank you Tina, that is a GREAT write up. I have done bar shops and find it takes two people at two different angles to see the “rack” and what the house is pouring, and to see the register. Companies should be more familiar with the layout of the facility before contracting these jobs at prices too low to be able to give an adequate expense allowance to the shoppers. Just be careful taking these jobs if you’ve never work in the restaurant business. Also always call for the hours of the facility first, some are in resorts and may not be open off season, even though they are being assigned!!
Old dog, place your request elsewhere and limit your comments to the topic at hand please!
TO ODDDOG:
Insular Research, Confero, and MarketForce all do different aspects of BK.