Starbucks 'Trenta': How The New Size Compares To Your Stomach
Famous Death Row Last Meals
A mystery diner is basically a restaurant critic that doesn't get published. Instead, his or her writeups on the dining experience go back to the restaurant, or the company that owns the restaurant, just to give them feedback on how things are running. The diners don't just look at the food, unlike regular critics (or bloggers who like to report back on their meals!). They have to keep track of the timing of the service, the greetings, the decor and whether the coffee was hot enough throughout their visit. A restaurant can be dinged if the hostess doesn't smile or if the busboy clears the plates the second you pick up your last forkful of food. The restaurant's management will use the information to make changes in layout, service strategy or at any other weak points that are picked out
Although it sounds like it would be a job only for the most detail-oriented diners, it is a way for food-lovers to get free meals, since the payment is compensation for the meal. A typical dinner might include two drinks, one appetizer, two entrees and one dessert, since the diners are not expected to dine alone. One of the companies that provides the service is called www.theeyespy.com, but there are others that operate all over the country, as well. The only downside is that, because of confidentiality agreements, diners aren't supposed to share their opinions with anyone else, even friends and family.
Jane Seymour's Modest And Modern Style
Broke Stars: 11 Celebrities Who Went Bankrupt
LOOK: Amazing Underwater Photos Of Dogs
Adele Five-Year Break? Singer Plans to Focus on Relationship, Write 'Happy Record'
Social Security Is Failing Even Faster Than We Thought
PHOTOS: How You Can Get The 'Miracle' Dress
Man Says Starbucks Discriminated Against Him Because He Has Half An Arm
Chris Brown, Grammys 2012: Embattled Singer Slams Critics
Janice Dickinson's Outrageous Style
Ford's clever Sports Illustrated Swimsuit ad features phantom model
3 Economic Misconceptions That Need to Die
Photos Of Dead Lacrosse Player's Injured Body Shown To Jury
Trace Adkins Reunites With College Crush, 30 Years Later
Van Gogh's Starry Night modded into beautiful interactive light and sound show (video)
PHOTOS: Model Falls At Dennis Basso Show
'Hooker Teacher' Forced To Resign, Now Can't Find Work
Lauren Scruggs Goes On Ski Vacation
WATCH AND LAUGH: Cops In 2-Hour Standoff With Empty Car
New Clues, Details Emerge In Powell Case
Woman's Dead Fiance Is Behind Her Disappearance: Cops
Stephen Wiltshire Draws Cities From Memory
PHOTOS: Remembering The People's Ballerina
We Meant There WERE Nukes In The Fire
10-26-2006 @7:55AM Joane said... It takes so much more than what people think. It's a very complex and complicated system.
Reply
10-26-2006 @2:20PM savvy said... My dad did this for years. He often took us kids with him because he reviewed a lot of family restaurants. It is not all fun and games, it takes an attention to detail, and they often get "special assignments", like sending an entree back or requesting a special meal, just to test the service.
Reply
10-26-2006 @7:49PM Amanda Huggenkiss said... I crank out about eight assignments a month, usually four lunches and four dinners, fast casual to fine dining, for a variety of organizations. The downside is a *lot* of chain dining - nice chains, but chains nonetheless.
Conventional restaurant criticism skills get you *nowhere* in mystery dining. The ability to reconstruct a verbatim narrative, with timings down to the second and accurate quotes is what gets you ahead. I've had incredibly frustrating experiences where I just wanted out of a restaurant, but wouldn't reimbursed, let alone paid, unless, for example, I ordered dessert from a server who had wordlessly dropped the check 20 minutes earlier.
I've actually had some great times - because I'm a food geek, I rarely dine in these establishments on my own dime, and there's some very good experiences to be had at our local outposts. My partner and I have totally fallen in *LOVE* with Hooters thanks to mystery dining (honestly, you have never experienced service like that in casual dining - one of our Hooters Girls was a university student with a serious obsession for obscure dim sum joints in Hong Kong) and we'd *never* have set foot in there otherwise. I also pretty much get my fill of burritos/grilled mexican stuff for free.
Downsides: you can't complain about anything no matter how grim unless specifically instructed. You may be forced to order a specific item rather than a special or a suggestive sell item. You typically wait six to eight weeks for reimbursement (scan and save receipts, and use a reminder program) and you need to be able to recall these vast amounts of information after a visit that may include a cocktail at the bar, wine with dinner and too much rich food.
Amanda Huggenkiss
Reply