I know, food prices are insane. Cliff Smith found a great way to save — and has eaten a lot of great meals in his quest.
How to get a job as a mystery diner
Any restaurant worth its salt wants to know what it’s doing right and what it’s screwing up. And they’re willing to pay you for that info. But they can’t just judge servers and kitchen staff when they’re on their best behavior. They need someone undercover.
Enter mystery dining. Restaurants get genuine feedback and you get to eat out for free. I found out how to have your cake and eat review it.
How it works
Yes, you really get your food free of charge, including tips and travel expenses, usually in the form of a voucher or gift card.
It is a job, though. You’ll have to give a ton of feedback about your restaurant visit. How was the food? How was the service? What could’ve been better? You’ll need to have an eye for detail and a good memory. You’ll also need to take some photos as part of the trip.
Oh, and you won’t need to worry about an awkward confrontation at the table. You’ll submit all your intel afterward to the company you’re working for.
Most of them have online portals, too. Once in their system, log into your account, check available assignments, choose one to complete and upload your results.
Who are these “mystery” companies?
Mystery dining agencies act as a middleman between you and larger restaurants that pay them for intel. Here are a few of the most reputable:
- Second to None has been in the biz for 30 years and can get you gigs in high-end and fast-food dining. Pretty sure getting paid to critique an In-N-Out burger is Barry’s dream job. They also work in retail if shopping’s more your speed.
- Eye Spy CC focuses on dining and has excellent reviews from reviewers who, uh, review for them. Shoppers report getting large enough budgets to go to high-end restaurants and really enjoy themselves. Nice!
- Market Force is another heavy-hitter in dining and retail. Diners say vouchers usually start small, but once you’ve worked with a company for a while, you can get larger assignments and additional pay.
FYI: This is a “secret” from restaurants but not from the IRS. If you make over $600 with any org, you must file a 1099 like a regular independent contractor.
How to apply
OK, that’s a good deal
Time to give kitchen chaos the chop.
- A fridge deodorizer (11% off) that lasts for 10 years? Yes, please.
- Your sponge and dishbrush deserve better. Grab a sink caddy (20% off) that keeps them dry.
- Is food prep eating up your free time? A vegetable chopper (22% off) is basically a sous chef.
- A warming mat (55% off) keeps dinner toasty when your kids show up to the table fashionably late.
- A food scale (39% off) is smart to have around if you’re trying to eat more protein or if you love to bake.
🏋️ Let’s get physical: It’s stuck in my head now, too. While you hum along, check out more good-for-you gear.
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These keep selling out
Sometimes, the internet gets it right.
- Paying $15 for an espresso martini at a bar is nuts. Make your own at home with instant espresso martini mix ($17).
- I’ve seen this exfoliating back scrubber (14% off, $15) everywhere. When was the last time you scrubbed your back?
- A bread bow knife ($26) saves your sanity when cutting baguettes and sourdough. No more wonky, uneven slices.
- Chop and toss a salad at the same time with these nifty salad tongs ($23).
- No one will know you stayed up watching a new show all night if you slap on a little under-eye brightener ($6). 💅
💸 Bonus: You looked for something on Amazon and now you can’t find it. Hit this link to see things you viewed but didn’t buy. Amazing.
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It’s a new year
🥳 So try something new! These all sound like a blast to combat the post-holiday blues.
- This pickle kit lets you ferment and pickle anything your heart desires. My favorite? Red onions, yum!
- Crotchet a cute little dinosaur with a crotchet kit for beginners ($25). The step-by-step video tutorials are so helpful.
- Want to get into podcasts (ahem, like mine)? You need a nice set of earbuds like these* that sound great, have a 32-hour battery life and are a fraction of the price of AirPods.
- This cocktail codex (52% off) shows you the fundamentals of drinkmaking and how to make every kind of cocktail. It even gives substitutes if you’re missing any ingredients!
- Try your hand at calligraphy with this workbook for beginners (29% off, $20).
- An indoor herb garden kit (19% off) lets you grow your own herbs and veggies. It comes with a bunch of different pre-seeded pods that make it easy.
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Start 2025 right
💪 Focused on your health in the new year? Grab your supplies now!
- Not into going to the gym? A dumbbell set is perfect for at-home workouts.
- Walking is one of my favorite ways to move. Replace your worn-out sneakers — options for guys and gals.
- Get your protein on with an easy-to-use personal blender.
- Keep your calories in check with a food scale. This one has an app with a nutritional calculator.
- I love doing Pilates to get strong. Grippy socks are great and work for barre and yoga, too.
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Hosting a New Year’s Eve party?
🕺 3, 2, 1 … Make it count!
- Grab a felt letterboard (8% off) to customize a cute welcome message for your guests.
- Forget political talk; use conversation-starter cards to spark some fun discussions.
- When else would it be socially acceptable to drink sparkly champagne? This cocktail glitter ($9) is completely edible!
- It’s not a real party until someone spills their drink. A red wine stain remover (9% off) should come in handy.
- Your guests don’t want to cheer with mugs. Pick up some pretty champagne flutes!
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Romantic gifts for your significant other
❤️🔥 Turn the holidays into lovin’.
- A hand-casting kit (20% off) makes a mold out of your and your partner’s hands. Freakin’ adorable.
- Scratch off all the food you’ve eaten together on this travel print (11% off). Or maybe just decide what’s for dinner.
- Don’t tell them you got a stuffed waffle maker (29% off), and surprise them in bed with a Nutella-filled waffle. Not advised with white sheets.
- A chalkboard coffee mug ($13) lets you write a new message every morning for your partner. Cute!
- For long-distance lovers, tap this lamp, and your partner’s matching lamp will light up in the same color.
- This portable picnic table (22% off, $35) has wineglass holders — no spillage disasters allowed.
- This homemade gin kit comes with two bottles, so if you mess up yours, you can just steal sips of theirs! That’s love.
- They knead a massage gun in their life.
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2.6 million Stanley mugs recalled: Not the 40-ounce ones everyone’s obsessed with. The lid threads on the 12- and 16-ounce Switchback and 12-, 16- and 20-ounce Trigger Action travel mugs shrink when they get hot and pop off. So far, 11 of the 38 people who have reported burns needed medical attention. Hit this link for a free replacement lid.
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