Not-So-Secret Shopper: Get a Guest-Eye View of Your Restaurant Concept

Many successful restaurants regularly employ secret shoppers to visit their concept and assess the quality of their dining experience. The practice can provide valuable insights into the actual levels of service and hospitality their guests receive, with the advantage of not alerting staff to their presence.

As an owner, you are not likely able to dine incognito in your restaurant. Nevertheless, acting as a not-so-secret shopper is an opportunity to get a guest-eye view of your restaurant operations. Here are a few pointers on how to effectively critique your business like a customer.

Remember that you are on a mission. There are times you want to have a relaxing meal at your restaurant. Sometimes you want to touch tables, greet your customers, and enjoy your status as owner. Critiquing service requires a different mindset when you look at your business objectively and in detail. Make notes of every touchpoint, including parking, the host stand, the ambiance and noise level, the cleanliness under and around the table, the place settings, the guest vibe, and many other aspects of the business that set the tone for the experience before drinks are served. Create a checklist of the guest experience elements you wish to assess. A restaurant secret shopper report, such as the one created by RestaurantOwner.com, can provide a useful template.

Select a day and shift when the restaurant is busy. Mistakes and problems, often due to training and system lapses, are most likely to occur during busy periods. Try to be seated as a walk-in. Making a reservation can unnerve staff in anticipation of your visit. If you need a reservation, dine with a friend who can reserve a table in their name.

Be passionate about solving the problem, not proving your solution.
– Nathan Furr

Debrief your experience with management and staff, but not as a spy. Always lead with praise for the good things you noticed. You do not want to undermine employee trust by presenting negative findings as espionage, or to seek out and punish poor performance. Do not call out a specific employee for service lapses in a group setting. Explain that you wanted to pose as a secret shopper to experience your restaurant the way guests might. If you notice problems, such as poor cleaning under the tables, ask your team how they might have avoided or corrected them.

Surveying your restaurant as a secret shopper is just one of many ways you can assess quality in your concept. Download our Restaurant Quality Assurance Program and Menu Item Quality Review Template now to ensure your restaurant’s quality doesn’t slip.

Have a profitable week!

The RestaurantOwner.com Team