A seasoned shopper took a friend to an upscale steakhouse lunch assignment. She had briefed her friend about items to select before they entered the restaurant. The shopper was dismayed when her friend took her $40 over budget by ordering $15 glasses of wine and having coffee with dessert.

When you bring a guest to share a meal on a mystery shopping assignment, make sure that your friend or spouse understands the criteria for the meal. Some companies will only reimburse or pay a fee if you order different entrees. Some companies do not want you to order more than one appetizer or dessert. Other companies may want you to order several items in order to see how a server will pace each course.

Printing out a menu ahead of time or visiting a web site with the food selections may save you time at the restaurant. It will also allow you to look over the various choices and decide what each person will order ahead of time. If you are visiting a restaurant that specialized in steak or seafood, you can each decide what dish appeals to you and void ordering the same item at the restaurant. Trying to change your mind in front of your server may feel slightly awkward and could jeopardize your assignment.

It is important to have a discussion about mystery shopping away from the restaurant and out of the hearing range of your server or management.

A shopper was assigned a dinner shop for four people at a popular restaurant where the gang often visited. One of the shoppers friends noticed the group of four and wanted to join the table or switch to a larger table. Adding another person to the dining party would have invalidated the assignment. It was impossible to inform the friend since servers were nearby. All the shopper could do was say that they were having a little celebration and that they would meet with the friend another time. The friend felt left out and did not understand why she couldn’t join her regular group. Sometimes it may be a good idea to not accept an assignment where you will run into people you know.

Many shoppers have an easy situation of bringing their spouses who are familiar enough with the concept of mystery shopping to not say things that would cause attention. It is important to make sure your guest knows what you need to order. A server should not hear comments that include, "Do we need to order anything else,?" "Are we within our budget?" "It is okay to order another side item?"

Bringing a guest on an assignment is a nice way to treat them to a meal without having to pay from your own budget. The meal can be more enjoyed if everyone involved is fully informed about what mystery shopping entails and what items must be ordered.