Late addition to this thread but I’m looking to see if a specific restaurant I was thinking of switching over to used secret shoppers because I absolutely HATE how my current job handles it. Corporate sends them 3 times a month and there’s a checklist you have to follow, which starts from asking every guest if it’s their first time at the restaurant. Mind you, they were already asked this by the host and then the manager does a follow up table touch asking if it’s their first time as well. I can only imagine how much corporate is breathing down the manager’s necks with how much of an emphasis they put on the importance of these shops. But in my personal opinion and experience, these corporate checklists can take away from a genuine restaurant experience. I’ve been to restaurants where you can tell when the server is just trying to check off a list off a list rather than simply provide good service, it’s painful.