Mystery Shopper's Manual

The McDonald’s Receipt Hack

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A former McDonald’s employee says you should always ask for a receipt. According to Kamran Adnan, who says he worked at a London McDonald’s for a year, “In the UK we have 2 periods which are known as Gapbuster Times. Basically between 12-2 and 5pm-7pm workers have to be extra careful because that is when gapbusters (mystery shoppers), who are paid, visit McDonald’s restaurants and rate their experience.”

According to Adnan, “It is easy to spot a gapbuster because they always ask for a receipt (so they can get their food costs reimbursed by the company employing them). So, if you ask for a receipt in that time everyone will be immediately alert that you could be a potential gapbuster and they’ll make sure to serve you the freshest burger and fries and give you priority over everyone else.”
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Keep Your Name Out of Reports – A Quick Tip

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Never put your name in the shop comments. It is likely the editor would remove your name, but if it somehow made it back to the client you would probably not be able to shop that client again.

Quoting the exact words used by an employee is a good way to make your reports more valuable to the client; however, do not include your name in those quotations. For example, if the employee said, “Thank you for shopping with us today, Mrs. Johnson,” you might write:

Sophia said, “Thank you for shopping with us today,” and called me by name.

Or just enter something like <my name> in place of your name, such as:

Sophia said, “Thank you for shopping with us today, <my name>.”

Or if you prefer not to use an exact quote you can simply comment:

Sophia thanked me and called me by name.

Secret Shopper Tip – Verify the Location Before the Shop

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One of the reasons a shop report may be rejected by the client is that the shopper went to the wrong location. That may be hard to believe, but it happens. Many large chains have locations that are very close to each other and if you do not verify the address, you could end up shopping the wrong place. That means the report will not be accepted and you will not be paid.

As part of your preparation for the shop, here are a few things you can do to make sure you go to the correct location:

  • Go to the client company’s web site and look for a map of locations. Compare the address in your assignment to the locations on the site.
  • Use Google Maps or other online mapping systems to check the address. You can also get directions there, if you are going to an unfamiliar part of town.
  • Call the client location and ask where they are. The phone number is usually in the guidelines. If not, look it up online or in the telephone directory. Many shops require a pre-visit call, so that is a good time to ask for directions.

Don’t forget to check the address when you get to the location, too. Look for an address on the sign, building or door.

Making the effort to verify the location before the shop takes very little time, but is an important part of doing your secret shopping assignments correctly.