I was given a shop in Middleburg Hts., Ohio for Pita Way. I was told I wasn't going to be paid. The free meal was the compensation. I've done mystery shops before. They take hours to write, then re-write. I can afford to feed myself. I'm not spending 3 or 4 hours AND $25 (to buy a meal) of my own time and money. No. This company is to be avoided. It's a scam. AVOID. read more

I wrote reviews for Eye Spy for several years. There were only a couple of restaurants contracted in this area. I enjoyed one of the locations and the other locations not as much. I thought I did a decent job for them. pretty regularly they dropped in an additional restaurant that I did not sign-up for. It was over an hour round trip to go and do the evaluation. I thought I was being a team player and accommodating when I did evaluations there several times. In October I was given an evaluation to do. We went and dined on the prescribed date. I do the evaluation when I return home while everything is fresh in my mind. When I went to open the link it was missing. There was no way to open it. I emailed Heather twice to advise her I was unable to open the report to complete it. It had been my experience that if a report was late they would contact me. That did not happen either. When I finally received an email it was late at night when I opened it. It basically instructed me a had to complete the report by midnight. I opened the email after 11pm. When I contacted Eye Spy I was basically told I was a liar. They could open the file without any problem In the office. Well, previously I could open every file. Obviously, there was a glitch somewhere. It was wildly insulting to someone who had written many reports for them to make the assumption that I no longer knew how to open the files. The insinuation was I am a liar. Maybe one of the most entertaining aspects of this incident is they are supposed to be about hospitality and customer service. They were flat out hostile and rude. I had copies of the emails I sent. I wasn't asked for those. I was just accused of lying. You don't get paid by Eye Spy to evaluate. You do it in exchange for an often nice quality meal. If you do a decent job, it will take you an hour to an hour and a half to write the evaluation. So, if you are thinking of applying to be an evaluator, you now know what you may be up against. I cannot tell you how disappointed I am with Eye Spy. They failed my critique, they ended up being the restaurant equivalent of a cockroach swimming in your soup. read more

EyeSpy - One of the meals. - Business Consulting Near Me - San Jose, California

Great experience! Good variety of restaurants to choose from. The staff is very accommodating and you can work around your schedule. Some of the reviews are long with many questions, but the to-go and delivery forms are usually quick. Reimbursement and payment are always prompt. Would highly recommend for those looking for a side gig. read more

The Eye Spy is an agency that sends people to restaurants to dine undercover. The agency is hired by the corporate headquarters of the restaurant, whose desire is to have evaluators scope out the service and report back so they can get tips on improving service and ambiance. Payment is sometimes through reimbursement, sometimes through a gift card. You have to be one unique character to stay an evaluator for as long as I have (hmm, I think six years now)? Firstly, you must LOVE to eat, and preferably drink. They want feedback, so it won't help them if you're on a diet. Secondly, you must like writing, or at least not mind it, and have lots of perseverance. You won't start out at the best spots, but if you do well, you'll make your way up there. Thirdly, you must be observant and diligent. You will need to remember and report back on many details -- that too, within a pretty narrow time frame which is aggressively enforced. Lastly, granted that you're not a complete high-baller if you would spend this type of effort for food, but in many cases, you do need to have the money to spend upfront, and the patience to wait potentially much longer than contractually promised to get reimbursed -- unless you go for the gift certificate ones, which I would recommend. This is frustrating, but to their credit, EyeSpy is extremely responsive and communicative when asked for updates. So, measure it out and apply accordingly. read more

Eye Spy is such a great company to work with! They provide fun opportunities to rate local businesses on quality and service standards. Eye Spy's website reporting is top notch, they are flexible and very responsive. read more

The Eye Spy has a responsibility to reimburse quickly and dependably when evaluations are done to standards. This is not what happened in my case. I warn against working with this company. I spent my time and money to complete their evaluations. Unfortunately, they consistently did hold up their end of the deal and I was only reimbursed after a long, drawn out battle. The whole experience has been, and continues to be, a very negative one. I recommend avoiding this company at all costs. read more

I have been writing evaluations for EyeSpy for over four years. I have worked with other mystery shopping companies and have found EyeSpy to be the best. The feedback and quality of service provided by this company go far beyond any other mystery shopping service. I did have a bit of trouble with my reimbursements last year, but the owner and staff were in constant communication and I received checks when promised. The gift certificates are the easiest way to go, and it seems like more and more establishments are starting to use them. Working with EyeSpy has enabled me to visit numerous restaurants I would not normally be able to try. I have learned a great deal about the customer service industry as well as enhanced my journalism skills. It has been a pleasure working with the company, and I look forward to continue working with them in the future. read more

EyeSpy has been a lot of fun and a really great company to work with. As a life long Foodie I have had the opportunity to work with several "evaluation" companies in the past and this one definitely sticks out. I am always talking to the girls in the office and they have allowed me to eat out at some really great restaurants from Los Gatos to the East Bay and up to San Francisco! Some of the places I would never even be able to afford in this economy but with the great reimbursement process its a snap. I love the fact that they offer each restaurant with a professional but honest opinion on how they are doing rather than some canned cookie cutter type of review. The review process is challenging but I think that is what makes them special. I can't wait to see each month where I am going to eat next and they add new place all the time so the list stays fresh and current. Over all I have had an incredible experience and can't wait to see what there is in store for me in the coming months! read more

So I love working a third "job" for Eye Spy. It's like secret shopping... except for food! The staff working here are amazing to communicate with. A nice big shout out to Felicia and her mad scheduling skills! It's a consulting company for restaurants to "send in secret diners" to critique them on the service and other aspects of the restaurant. Granted I do have to write up evaluations post review, but I love getting the opportunity to try out new places and get reimbursed for it! read more

My experience with Eye Spy has been incredibly wonderful! The staff at Eye Spy is prompt and responsive. They have been extremely capable of assisting whenever assistance is needed- even after typical business hours. Processing submissions through their new web portal is a breeze as well! They offer example reviews so you can see what is expected and give notes after every evaluation to help you grow and learn as an evaluator. The restaurants that they work with are top notch. Whether it is a quick serve location or fine dining, they work with restaurants that really care about their customer experience and strive to improve it by seeing it through a (very articulate) guests' eyes. I can enthusiastically recommend working with Eye Spy! read more

After careful consideration and the passing of time to melt away my frustration and anger, I'm raising my review to 2 stars. The bottom line is that I was paid which alone warrants a bump in the rating. Things could have been a lot worse. That being said, I take pity on a struggling company in this downturn economy. I wish EyeSpy the best and sincerely hope that business will pick up for them. I urge EyeSpy to take the high road during these low times...to weave more honesty into their communication, be more forthright about their financial situation and ALTER their written contract if need be regarding the payment timeline so independent contractors KNOW what they're getting into. But that all begins by being honest with yourself about your business' standing. So take a close look, EyeSpy, and make sure you can live up to your end of the deal. read more

I have been an evaluator for a little more than a year now and I have to say I do enjoy it despite the amount of work it takes. Being on a tight budget, I have little money to spend on going out, but I do have some time to write up the reports. Some things to note/tips if you are considering becoming an evaluator: - You will not get big budget restaurants until you get plenty of practice with smaller scale / small budget assignments, which is totally understandable. (Some of the smaller assignments are my favorites because they are less work.) - I prefer to do jobs that offer gift certificates because I cannot afford to front the money for a meal. I have always been reimbursed, though sometimes later than promised.So don't front $ unless you can afford it and can be patient on repayment. -The evaluation reports are tedious, often times redundant, and do take up time. It is better to just do them right away when everything is fresh in your mind and get it over with. You will hate it if you don't enjoy writing about everything from cleanliness of the bathroom to management. In my book it is a small price to pay to try out new restaurants and order drinks that I normally would not :) -Eyespy staff is always responsive and accommodating. I am picky about the restaurants that I will attend due to dietary restrictions and they are always understanding and try to offer me places I can eat at -Scheduling is really flexible and I never feel obligated to do an evaluation Overall, I recommend trying it out. It DOES take time and energy to do the reports, and it does take some diligence while dining out (can't get too distracted by conversations because you need to pay attention to what is going on around you), but if this doesn't bother you then it is something fun to do. read more

Being an evaluator with EyeSpy has been a great experience! Their team is amazing and very professional. I was a server for many years and it's nice to be on the other side of helping restaurants improve their customer service. EyeSpy works with popular restaurants, hotels and bars. So where ever you get sent your going to have a great meal and a great experience. Making the evaluations very easy and enjoyable. The EyeSpy team is awesome! If you ever need to reschedule for any reason, they work with you and are very understandable. They are very helpful and quickly respond to any questions or concerns you may have. I've only had great experiences with this company and would recommend anyone to join the team! read more

I own two different restaurants in the South Bay, Willow Street Pizza and Main Street Burgers, and have been a client of EyeSpy for over 20 years. Mistie and her team of evaluators have proven to be instrumental in the development of our staff, training, customer service and overall dining experience. The exceptional services they've provided both Willow Street Pizza and Main Street Burgers have been crucial to each business's success and the EyeSpy staff has always maintained a remarkably high level of professionalism, competence and friendliness. Without the reviews provided by EyeSpy, our management team would be unable to properly and efficiently coach our team members; causing the overall business to suffer. In the restaurant industry, customer service and staff training obviously have tremendous impacts a business's success. For these reasons, secret shoppers and the feedback reports from EyeSpy are invaluable. I look forward to continuing services with EyeSpy for many years to come and I recommend their services to both business owners and evaluators alike. Thank you Mistie - we are eternally grateful for all of your help! read more

I have been an EyeSpy evaluator for the last 6 years and it has been great! I have been able to visit restaurants, bars, hotels and spas and even movie theaters that I would have otherwise never have been able to go to. I have been able to eat all styles of food, which I wouldn't have thought I would ever afford to do, since eating out can get expensive. Nothing's better than eating for free! It's fun to do the evaluations, since you get to take a guest, and you get to eat at plenty of new places. There are reports you write which can be detailed, but it is definitely worth it. I recommend being an EyeSpy evaluator, it's fun and a very rewarding experience. read more

This company has a great list of clients, and the forms and reviews are not too hard to write as long as you follow the instructions exactly. They also had a lot of open assignments, mostly for BBQ and sports bar places. Unfortunately, they just cannot pay their evaluators in a timely manner. Over and over my reimbursement checks were very late, and it was excuse after excuse. I will not perform shops for this company again. read more

Update: I stand by my review, and those of other former reviewers that voiced similar experiences, that Eye Spy is not a good company to work for. Their software for submitting reviews regularly malfunctioned, requiring re-posting over and over and the people that review the writings were difficult to work with. I would not take a job unless it was with a voucher since so many people posted they waited months for reimbursement and had to threaten court to get their money. That's not only not professional, it's unethical as they held hundreds of dollars of other people's money. At least I avoided that problem. In addition, I have been contacted by Eye Spy numerous times, almost to the point of harassment, to change my posting, even if it reflected my honest experiences. Just another example of their not wanting a critical review of them or their clients. So sad. read more

If you're interested in fine dining (and bar specialties), then becoming an evaluator for The Eye Spy is for you. You get paid to eat and drink, essentially. But you have to write well and enjoy paying attention to the many details of service and food. While the signup process (and reimbursement process) can require some patience, you will have the opportunity to discover new restaurants (and even some theaters), enjoy some exceptional meals and dine out on the company tab. I've done this for the past 3 years and had way too much fun and gained some weight, too, unfortunately. Sue read more

As an Eye Spy evaluator I have enjoyed many dining experiences at Bay Area restaurants and bars. With Eye Spy I have visited many new places that I would not have known about as well as old favorites that I had forgotten about. My experiences with Eye Spy have always been very professional, timely and enjoyable. The staff has continually been very prompt in responding to my questions or needs to reschedule. They take the time to match me with the right locale--so it really ends up being a win-win for both of us. In addition, they are very service oriented and approachable making the overall experience very pleasant. When I write my reviews, I feel that they are so detailed and specific that my experiences will really be taken into account by the establishment's management. Although it takes time to fill out the review, the evaluations are very valuable and in the end I feel they do make a difference and lead towards making every time out more enjoyable. I wish more businesses would monitor their service in the way that Eye Spy's clients do. It's valuable and in a tight economy service makes the difference or returning to a business or putting them on the list of places not go back to visit. I would recommend Eye Spy to businesses and to people who are interested in becoming evaluators. read more

I have been an EyeSpy evaluator for 3+ years. This has been on of the most rewarding "jobs" I have ever had. I had the opportunity to eat at some of the most exclusive restaurants in the Bay Area with large enough budgets to really enjoy myself. In return for these opportunities, I was required to write detailed evaluations of my experience in actionable, fun to read prose according to a fairly standardized format. As a scientist and consultant with an MBA, I found it very easy to write such evaluations, and I quickly moved up the ranks as a result. During my experience, the EyeSpy staff met me with the professionalism I brought to the table. It is true that reimbursements could take longer than promised, but I always received them given time. I also noticed that if payments were late, I was offered more certificate assignments (ones that were paid in advance). On balance, I was treated very fairly. Most importantly, my experience with EyeSpy vastly increased my quality of life in a tough economy. I am only leaving because I now have 2 full time jobs and my free time has become short. If ever that changes, I will quickly return to evaluating. I've been told that I would always be welcome to return. If you are a reliable person, a good writer, and a foodie with some patience, I strongly recommend that you work with EyeSpy. read more

What a waste of time. I have a professional restaurant background and have published my writing several times, but working for Eye Spy was totally frustrating and disappointing. I noted the excessive problems Yelp reviewers had getting reimbursed, so I exclusively chose the gift card route. But after completing the reports in great detail, the reviewer regularly requested info beyond the format which required additional writing. Overall, it was far more trouble than it was worth, and took far more time than it should of. Hours of travel, dining observations, writing and re-writing, for what? A free ten dollar lunch? They should pay the reviewers which they make money off of. And God forbid if the restaurant does a poor job! They only want happy news, not the truth. Sad for the companies that are paying for this service, as they are not getting the real picture when there are serious problems in their establishments. My recommendation is stay clear of this scam. Read the other reviews here on Yelp don't get involved with this unprofessional and disorganized company that takes advantage of people. Their turnover is outrageously high. which speaks volumes. Diner beware! read more

I have been an evaluator for Eyespy for 3 and a half years now and i absolutely love it. The team there is awesome and they get back to me quickly when i have questions or special requests. I have been to several restaurants/bars that i might not have known about through Eyespy and it has been great. Most of the evaluations are with a Gift card so limited out of pocket expenses. Its a great opportunity to dine out at really great restaurants for free. What more could you ask for. read more

I just read some of the reviews and couldn't keep quiet! I have used Eye Spy for about 5-6 years. The company has conducted "secret shopper" services several times per month. They have always been professional and helpful. They have conducted Sexual Harassment certification classes, trained our staff with guest/conflict resolution as well as conducted staff training regarding "steps-of-service". They are highly knowledgeable, are on-time, professional and are always looking out for the clients' best interest. If you are a restaurant looking to hire this type of service - for spot checking bartenders, service staff, keeping an eye on management, etc --- I can give my full stamp of approval without hesitation. We've been using them for years and years without any glitch whatsoever. read more

The whole Eye Spy team truly took our business to the next level, with their help we were able to create systems and structure that we never had before. Our service was elevated, leaving both our staff and customers happier than ever. Eyespy created clear Steps of Service so our serving staff was given the tools to best assist our customers. This in turn was rewarding for the serving staff as more happy customers resulted in more tips. Their website was easy to use, and each and every time I reached out to a member of their staff the response was prompt, warm and extremely helpful. I cannot say thank you enough, they made a huge difference in my personal approach to the business as well. Thank you Eyespy! read more

EyeSpy got us through the yucky economy!! We would have never been able to afford the 5 Star Restaurants being self employed! The evaluations were "involved" but were soooo worth the fabulous meals.... Sea Bass, Rack of Lamb, Garlic Infused Potatoes....I could go on and on. We have been '"evaluators" for 5+ years and hope nothing but the best for this local business. We run into Mistie and her "EyeSpy" family frequently in Willow Glen and wish them the best! ....can't wait for more restaurants in SF!! read more

As an evaluator for EyeSpy for over five years, I have experienced both positive areas and challenges with the company. At first it was a difficult position to uphold because I was scheduled for many training sites, until my writing met EyeSpy standards. It was worth the wait. I now frequently dine out at many well known restaurants in the bay area with very nice budgets that are provided in gift cards. Yes no money out of pocket. I had to go through several cash reimbursements until my ranking level was increased, but now I am pleased when I can take friends and family to nice dinners with no cost to me. I did go through a difficult time with reimbursements, as I see others did as well on Yelp, but I was always given communication to when I would expect my checks and this was followed through with. This was my experience for a good part of 2009, but I am happy to update that they are current on all reimbursements and again most of the restaurants I visit provide gift cards, certificates or credit card reversals. read more

So, after 7 months with multiple email exchanges and two threats to take the business to court, I finally got reimbursed!! The owner emailed me several times to plead for my patience because their business has, "been doing quite poorly financially...blah blah". I think most people they hire just cut their losses and get out--but if you threaten to take them to court you will be reimbursed!! Again, I don't have a clue how they stay in business... read more

Not a good company to "work" for (although they do make it clear you're not an employee). Reimbursement is promised quickly for individual evaluation jobs, but in the "fine print" of their policies they disclose they may take up to 90 days (3 months) to reimburse evaluators! In contrast, they require evaluators to fill out extensive and very detailed written documentation and send or email in receipts within very tight deadlines of 24 hours to a couple of days after going to an assigned restaurant or else possibly forfeit your reimbursement! In actual practice, you may be only partially reimbursed for evaluations completed (and received confirmation for), and likely well after the 90 day timeframe, and only then after sending in a further written demand for payment. Not impressed with the poor accountability and integrity to evaluators, and not worth it to chase after the company 3-5 months after completed evaluations to get legitimately reimbursed as advertised for the detailed, specified food and drink orders, along with lengthy observation times and writing required on assignments. read more

Happy to report very good and positive multi-year experience using the EyeSpy service for our restaurants. Everyone I've had contact with throughout the organization has been approachable and responsive to our needs and concerns. I have used them to shop a number restaurant locations as well as consulting and training. They are very experienced and knowledgeable as to current standards and issues in the food service industry. In my experience, EyeSpy has definitely demonstrated integrity as well as a commitment to high standards. read more

I have been an Eyespy evaluator for the past 7 years. Yes, they have gone through rough times as did most businesses. They have paid back everything they owed which they promised they would. This is not a job, it is merely going out to eat on the restaurant in turn for a secret evaluation. I think that is where this company is misunderstood. I still review restaurants and they have made it easier by providing gift cards so you do not worry about getting reimbursed. I got your back Eyespy! read more

Been reviewing for this company for almost a year, and I have to say, it's fun! I love to eat out (especially for free) and it's cool to go to restaurants that I probably would never have gone to on my own. This company has a lot of really good restaurants that they "spy" for and most of them are paid for with a gift card that Eye Spy sends you before you go. Only down side is that the reviews area little time consuming cause you have to put a lot of details, but it's worth it to me. Also, you have to finish the review pretty quick after you go out, but again, it works for me. I Plan to keep eating for free and spying for fun for a long time! read more

As an owner of five cafe's I have used Eye Spy with great satisfaction. They are professional and very knowledgeable. I would recommend their services to other restaurant owners. From mystery dining to consulting on everything from hiring to menu evaluation, I have been thoroughly pleased. read more

Whatever you do, do not work for this company! I seriously can't believe I did check out these review. I started working for them in 2007 and had to quit in 2008 because they're so far behind on paying me back. It's totally ridiculous the excuses they come up with and they actually claim to have sent me checks and they're confused why I never received them. They are dishonest and unprofessional. I'm going to file small claims papers as was recommended below and am very glad I kept copies of all my receipts! Spread the word so other people don't get suckered into working for this people! read more

I'm an evaluator for Eyespy and I love it. It's so simple and I get to enjoy a nice meal out for free! I receive a giftcard so I don't have to come out of pocket and the company has been really wonderful to work with. I highly recommend taking advantage of this great company! read more

Being an evaluator for EyeSpy has been a fun and tasty experience! You sign up online, go to a restaurant (eat for free!!), and then write about it on their online form. I got to try out different places, and they are adding new restaurants all the time. The staff is really friendly and accomodating in case you have to reschedule and great about getting back to you quickly if you have any questions. I have even recommended becoming an evaluator to my friends and they have signed up too! read more

EyeSpy provides outstanding consulting services for the restaurant industry. We have had a great and professional experience with their staff and services and would highly recommend them to others in the industry. Their breadth of knowledge and the consulting services they can provide literally cover all challenges you could face in the restaurant business. Their evaluators are well trained and provide critical feedback for your business. Contrary to other reviews, I found the web portal to function properly. We are happy to continue using their services for our business on an ongoing basis. read more

I am a client and love working with EyeSpy. The team is extremely responsive and easy to work with. Their evaluations are in depth and custom made to fit your operation. The evaluators are thorough and thoughtful. I recommend EyeSpy to all of my restaurant colleagues. read more

i love the eye spy ble p.. hahhaha what can you expect from a flavor flave fan!!! read more