How To Become A Mystery Diner
If the thought of someone else paying for your dinner or being paid to eat excites you, this guide is for you. Dinner isn’t cheap. However, did you know that many restaurants pay people to dine at their restaurants undercover ?They do this as part of their efforts to improve their food and overall services.
You could also get a free meal, with no pay in exchange for an honest review. Becoming a mystery diner is, therefore a great way of getting free food, great dining experiences, and/or making some money (if the experience includes getting paid). You’ll also help your sponsor restaurant with a good review, report, or other things they may need in exchange i.e., a social media post.
It’s unlikely you will become a mystery diner when you aren’t giving something in exchange. There are also rules to qualifying. While different restaurants may have different requirements, you’ll need to complete a report in most cases and adhere to some guidelines i.e., what to order.
This “gig” sounds exciting to many, and there’s no shortage of people who would want free dinner in exchange for a report. So, how do you beat all the competition and become a mystery diner? Here’s everything you need to know.
How to Become a Mystery Diner in 5 Steps 1. Research Online
You need to begin by researching widely. Many restaurants have their own in-house teams they can use at a moment’s notice. However, to get authentic feedback, most will outsource to agencies or look for candidates from the general public. As a result, you need to research to find these opportunities.
A simple Google search is all you need to find companies and agencies in your area offering such opportunities. You may need to go past page one of Google and modify your searches accordingly to find unique opportunities that may not be highly competitive.
2. Register
After finding suitable companies or agencies willing to offer mystery dining, the next step is registering to become a mystery diner. Different companies/agencies can have different registration processes. However, most will require you to complete a basic signup process which includes creating a profile and providing some basic personal information such as age, occupation, gender, interests, etc.
You can expect a unique registration task that sets you apart from others. For instance, you can be asked to write something about your favorite restaurant or food for the company/agency in question to assess if you are the best fit. Since competition is usually stiff for mystery diners, it’s important to try and stand out with an authentic application that showcases your suitability.
You’ll need some good writing skills if you are required to complete a sample report of your most recent dining experience. Being detailed and descriptive as possible will make you stand out and increase your likelihood of being picked. It also helps to apply to as many companies as possible to increase your odds of being picked.
3. Follow the Rules to the Letter
You probably don’t want to learn how to become a mystery diner so that you can be hired once. To turn mystery dining into a “thing”, you need to understand how to get repeat work. If you are chosen by a restaurant chain or agency, you can increase your odds of getting picked for multiple restaurants by being consistent.
As mentioned above, there are rules to be followed in secret dining jobs. For instance, you may be restricted to what you can order. To increase your odds of getting multiple jobs from the same client, stick to such rules. You shouldn’t get excited by menu items and order beyond the scope of the job. You should also show up on time and deliver the feedback required.
For instance, purpose to deliver quality reports on time. Most importantly, show up for every dinner you agree to. The initial diner experiences may be subtle. However, if you are consistent, you will likely get better assignments. If you need to preview a report before a dinner, make sure you do so for you to comprehend what is required of you.
4. Blend In
You also need to blend in if you wish to make “secret” dining one of your many “gigs”. The essence of mystery dining is to act like a typical customer would. For this reason, you aren’t supposed to act awkwardly or in ways outside the typical behavior of a restaurant customer.
You may be a bit demanding to the waiters if that’s required of you. However, the staff isn’t supposed to know that you are there to evaluate the experience and report to management. If you don’t blend in, you may get preferential experience which isn’t what a regular customer would get on a regular day.
5. Submit your Complete Report on Time
The feedback report is the most important part of mystery dining from a restaurant owner’s perspective. This is where they get value for their money. However, as a mystery diner, you are more likely to enjoy the free food the most. Nevertheless, you must keep your end of the deal to keep getting such opportunities.
Completing the report on time and as required is crucial. Adhering to the deadline will make you look good to your client. Offering intricate details will also be appreciated as your client will know all they need to know. For instance, describing every part of your experience in detail is a great way of offering value. You can write about your first impression, give detailed feedback on the theme, waiters, food, cost, name it! If you show some passion when describing your experience, you are likely to be picked for another secret dinner or secret shopping experience if you get the job through an agency or company with many restaurant locations.
There you go! How to become a mystery diner is easy if you follow our guide “to the letter”. The first step is researching widely and registering for as many opportunities as possible. Once you get an opportunity, you must deliver to turn the opportunity into a regular job or experience.